Moore Heat Fires Up The Fahrenheit

June 30 2004
Counterbias.com
Scott C. Smith

        Despite the efforts of right-wing groups like Move America Forward, Michael Moore’s latest film, Fahrenheit 9/11, opened in hundreds of theaters across the United States on Friday, June 25.  The film is set to break box-office records, as did Moore’s previous film, Bowling For Columbine, which opened in only eight theaters and grossed $209,148.  Fahrenheit opened at over 800 theaters, and preliminary box-office numbers show the film sold over $8 million in tickets its opening night.

        Sorry, conservatives, but Moore’s message is going to get to the people.

        The right-wing groups are presenting misinformation about the film, which is to be expected from any group conducting boycotts of a film they have not seen.

        One charge by conservatives is that Fahrenheit 9/11 will inspire terrorists to attack the United States.  Please.  Moore spends a lot of time showing the might of the United States military, bombing targets and blowing up buildings.  Why would a terrorist, after seeing a film like Fahrenheit and seeing the awful destructive power of the United States military, have any desire to attack us?  I’d be running for the hills if I were a terrorist, because I wouldn’t want several hundreds pounds of bombs dropping on the place where I was living, or hiding.

        In Fahrenheit 9/11, and in his book Dude, Where’s My Country, Moore makes the claim that the Bush administration authorized members of the Bin Laden family to leave the United States right after the Sept. 11 attacks.  In fairness to Moore, in Dude, Where’s My Country, Moore does state “in the days after Sept. 11.”   Conservatives have countered this claim with something former Bush (and Clinton, and H.W. Bush) terrorism czar Richard Clarke said, that it was he who authorized the flights, and he alone.  And while Clarke may have taken responsibility, that doesn’t mean he was responsible. 

The Sept. 30, 2001 New York Times reported on the efforts to move members of the Bin Laden family out of the United States.  According to the New York Times, it was the government of Saudi Arabia that supervised the removal of family members, in cooperation with the FBI.  “In the first days after the terror attacks on New York and Washington, Saudi Arabia supervised the urgent evacuation of 24 members of Osama Bin Laden’s extended family from the United States, fearing they might be subject to violence.”  Saudi Ambassador Bandar bin Sultan is quoted as saying he had received an urgent message from Saudi King Fahd to assist in moving some members of the Bin Laden family out of the United States.  Are we to believe that the Bush administration was unaware of this plan?  Surely National Security Advisor Condolezza Rice was, as well as Attorney General John Ashcroft.  And they didn’t brief Bush?  The idea is ludicrous.  I would agree that it’s a misstatement on Moore’s part to say that Bush authorized the plan, personally. 

        Move America Forward claims Michael Moore is anti-military.  Again, a claim not backed by facts.  Moore’s camera follows a group of soldiers in Iraq, and it’s an unflinching look at the reality of war.  Conservatives have claimed Moore shows contempt for those soldiers, and I did not get that impression. 

        And, unlike the so-called liberal media, Moore actually shows injured soldiers recovering at military hospitals.  And yes, it is hard to watch, to see the young men in the prime of life with arms and legs blown away from battle.  He does so with great sympathy.  The Bush administration, on the other hand, would rather that no one ever see injured soldiers, less morale in the United States be lowered.  I think it needs to be lowered.  Our government has made a long-term commitment to Iraq, and we’re going to have troops there for a long time.  And they will continue to be killed and injured.

        Ultimately, it is up to the individual to watch the movie and decide for themselves Moore’s true intentions.  Don’t go by what I say, or what Move America Forward says.  Americans are smart enough to know the difference between truth and fiction.  Now, if only the Bush administration would develop critical thinking skills and refrain from lies and misstatements, maybe we will move America forward.