Bravo to Michael Moore for releasing a film that does what a good film should do--make people talk, debate, argue, question, and THINK! For his obnoxiously outspoken bravado in asserting his anti-Bush POVs, he deserves the Palme d'Or.
We really need someone like Moore--his aggressive opinions reinforce the democratic ideals of our US founders, like Thomas Paine. Paine argued that a
government should be protective while respecting the personal liberty of its citizens. Prior to the release of "Farenheit", our country was in the throes of a twisted, repressive crusade by the Bush administration to intimidate Americans into silence. At times to question the authority and judgment of our federal government seemed tantamount to treason. It seems that our current administration doesn't subscribe to the belief that a democratic society should question the actions of its leaders. I suspect that, for them, questioning authority would best be construed as a traitorous act. A professor of mine at Columbia University received many death threats because he expressed satisfaction in seeing the US fight a losing war in Iraq with heavy casualties on both sides. For him the senseless loss of so many lives reinforces the senselessness, purposeless, and inherent greed in the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq. Instead of recognizing this, his comments were interpreted by jingoists as treacherous. How do we call ourselves a free and democratic society if we do not allow every American to honestly speak his or her mind no matter how controversial?
"Farenheit 9/11" has given Americans a little breathing room and, in my opinion, almost single-handedly pushed back the culture of silence that characterized the early days of the war with Iraq. "Farenheit" gave Americans permission to express our opposition to the war with Iraq without being called "traitors". Mr. Moore's aggressive opposition to the Bush administration has given moderate Americans comfortable space to express our dissenting points of view. Thanks for letting us exhale, Michael!
We really need someone like Moore--his aggressive opinions reinforce the democratic ideals of our US founders, like Thomas Paine. Paine argued that a
government should be protective while respecting the personal liberty of its citizens. Prior to the release of "Farenheit", our country was in the throes of a twisted, repressive crusade by the Bush administration to intimidate Americans into silence. At times to question the authority and judgment of our federal government seemed tantamount to treason. It seems that our current administration doesn't subscribe to the belief that a democratic society should question the actions of its leaders. I suspect that, for them, questioning authority would best be construed as a traitorous act. A professor of mine at Columbia University received many death threats because he expressed satisfaction in seeing the US fight a losing war in Iraq with heavy casualties on both sides. For him the senseless loss of so many lives reinforces the senselessness, purposeless, and inherent greed in the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq. Instead of recognizing this, his comments were interpreted by jingoists as treacherous. How do we call ourselves a free and democratic society if we do not allow every American to honestly speak his or her mind no matter how controversial?
"Farenheit 9/11" has given Americans a little breathing room and, in my opinion, almost single-handedly pushed back the culture of silence that characterized the early days of the war with Iraq. "Farenheit" gave Americans permission to express our opposition to the war with Iraq without being called "traitors". Mr. Moore's aggressive opposition to the Bush administration has given moderate Americans comfortable space to express our dissenting points of view. Thanks for letting us exhale, Michael!