This story made me homesick. Lewisburg is about 30 miles from where I grew up — Williamsport. The owner of a theatre there has invited card-carrying Republicans to see Fahrenheit 9/11 for free — not because he thinks it a great movie (“both a fantastic film and a fantastically flawed film”), but because he thinks it important that people see it. That led the GOP county chairman from a neighboring county to call the owner and congratulate him — not because he thought the film a great film (“intellectually dishonest as a documentary”), but because he wants to “encourage local Republicans to see the film so they can participate in an informed debate.”
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Meta
Informed debate? Hardly… I had to sit at lunch the other day and listen as a co-worker told me about how shocked she was that Bush ordered the Bin Laden’s flown out of the country on 9/11. This was what her husband told her he’d seen in the film. So, now we not only have Moore misinterpreting the facts (Bob Woodward has said the decision was his and his alone, and the act occurred after airspace was reopened several days after 9/11), but we have people who feel no need to fact check passing on misinterpretations of Moore’s misinterpretations. This is anything but ‘The Great Debate’ of democracy. I informed my colleague of the misrepresentations in both Moore’s and her husband’s characterization of the events, and she looked patronizingly toward me and mentioned something about right-wing spin. I think facts are lost on the majority of those who would go see Fahrenheit 9/11.
Anon, the relevant quotation from the film is, “It turns out that the White House approved planes to pick up the bin Ladens and numerous other Saudis. At least six private jets and nearly two dozen commercial plans carried the Saudis and the bin Ladens out of the US after September 13.” Left unstated are exactly who in the administration authorized the flights (Richard Clarke), the date airspace reopened (9/14), and the date of the bin Laden flight (9/20).
This is what Meckley means by “informed debate”: I know that Moore was truthful but not entirely honest, that too many people have filled in Moore’s convenient blanks with whatever fits their conception of Bush or Moore, and that Woodward was the other guy with a book. Want to shock your coworker? On Monday tell her, “Moore was right, but he didn’t say what your husband thinks he did.”
Fahrenheit 9/11, I’d like to see the movie, but frankly I don’t care to pay money to see it. I’m sure that Michael Moore makes some good points; similarly, the RIAA also backs some excellent musicians. Even so, I don’t care to contribute financially to either. If Moore wants me in his audience, he can put his film on the net as a free download, and I’ll watch it.
Is Moore donating any of the movie profits to the families of 9/11? Or, is he profiting off this national tragedy just like he accused Bush of doing in his campaign ads showing still photos from 9/11?
Just curious.
Moore is like the immature brat who consistently acts up when given the chance to eat at the adult table, just looking for attention. Like all his films, they are flimsy, self-serving and chock full of misrepresentations. I know it’s hard to ignore an over-weight buffoon in serious need of a shave and a change of hats; but seriously, other than the lunatics from the “Bush is a Nazi” crowd who haven’t beamed themselves up yet, why pay attention to this guy at all?
Moore is like the immature brat who consistently acts up when given the chance to eat at the adult table, just looking for attention. Like all his films, they are flimsy, self-serving and chock full of misrepresentations. I know it’s hard to ignore an over-weight buffoon in serious need of a shave and a change of hats; but seriously, other than the lunatics from the “Bush is a Nazi” crowd who haven’t beamed themselves up yet, why pay attention to this guy at all?
As someone who lives in Lewisburg, I applaud Eric Faden’s supported showing of F9/11, if for no other reason than to encourage discussion between people (within political groups and between political groups) about the merits of the arguments presented, the evidence various sides have to support their claims, and why they support the causal story they have chosen.
60% of the profits will go to charity for sure because that’s Disney’s stake in the film and they said they’d donate all their profits from the film as part of the deal they made with the producers.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/9150437.htm?1c
Wake up and smell the coffee guys. Moore might be a twit but all he’s doing is using the Bush administration’s tactics against them. If that’s what it takes to get Americans sit up and take notice of the shameful, saddening idiocy that’s going on over there, you should welcome it.