Michael Moore propagates fury through distortion

By: James Mack, Jr.

Posted: 6/25/04

Ah, college, the prerequisite independent years that mark the beginning of adulthood: what better environment to lay the seeds of political leaning and activism? Groups from all over the political spectrum know that it is important to garner as many people from this demographic as they possibly can to not only increase this relatively weak voter base, but to obtain followers for the distant future. I do not really have a problem with this recruitment. After all, where else would you have such access to information and support of your peers?

This is the point, however, where a certain few lay salt into the earth of a political foundation. Both the extreme left and the religious right view this as an opportunity to extort the fragile and impressionable minds of youths. Socialism is a detriment to a free society, and religion should have no basis whatsoever in government policy.

One man in particular is the epicenter of unnecessary and baseless hatred toward anyone but his extremist view. Michael Moore is possibly one of the greatest domestic threats to our society. Terrorists have the foreign bases covered, but Moore sputters out such incredible lies that they baffle the minds of reasonable human beings and potentially poison the collective pool of knowledge.

Moore's documentary, Bowling for Columbine, was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. From his complete lack of independent figures to his exploitation of interviewees, Moore made a film solely to purport his twisted political message: our society is bad, and guns greatly contribute to this. Not once did he mention various government and university studies that show that carrying legal weapons reduces crime. He stated that the Ku Klux Klan created the National Rifle Association, where no connection even remotely exists by all historical standards. He presented the gun owners' argument by interviewing the Michigan Militia and James Nichols, and his theory that the NRA spoke in Denver just after the Columbine massacre to defy the city of Littleton is abhorrent.

Heston was scheduled to speak there for months before the massacre, and one shooting by some twits who illegally procured guns is no reason to stop an organization that supports responsible gun ownership. His films are not documentaries. The definition of a documentary is "presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film."

Wait a second, I thought the NRA was created by the KKK? And, I could have sworn there wasn't any editorializing at all. This makes me sigh audibly. No wonder a city full of liberals would give Moore an award for a documentary, even though it blatantly doesn't fit either of the negative criteria. Those that support him still call them documentaries and are quite adamant about it. Really, folks, I am sure Fahrenheit 9/11 really does present both sides in an unbiased nature. What Moore makes are films that glorify the extreme left, nothing else. He is physically and mentally incapable of accepting or presenting any criticism to the extreme left or himself. Take, for example, Moore's new film. There is a scene where he walks up to a congressman and asks him to sign up his children for the military to serve in Iraq, and the congressman gives him a look like he just offered him crack-cocaine. What Moore edits out completely is the same congressman explaining his nephew was just sent out to Iraq. What "facts" he places in his film are simply his own distorted and twisted sense of the truth. Anything other than his own distorted and twisted sense of truth are edited and burned on the cutting room floor. Scary enough, this isn't the first time he has done this, as all of his other films strategically lack certain arguments.

The interviewing of three truant Canadian schoolchildren is a fine example of misrepresenting views in Bowling for Columbine. These three children seem to have a pretty in-depth understanding of United States' foreign policy, and I believe they hold Ph.Ds in macroeconomics and political science. This thick sarcasm is in regards to a statement made by the morbidly obese girl with stylish blue hair.

"I just think the States, their, their view of things is fighting. That's how they resolve everything. If there's something going on in another country, they, ya know, they send people over to fight it."

Canada entered World War I three years before the United States did and entered World War II two years before our inclusion. But they are right, we resort to war for everything, ya know? Since this interview has absolutely nothing to do with anything in the movie, Moore included it to show that America is viewed as barbaric by these future Colin Powells in Canada. It is immensely effective, if you ask me.

Moore's uncanny ability to launch baseless attacks does not stop at the theater's door. When the war in Iraq was going "poorly," he stated that he hoped more American servicemen came back from the country in coffins to make people realize the "mistake." Tell you what, Michael, say that to the families of those brave men and women. Say that to the free Iraqi people. Tell them it was a mistake to liberate them and remove the threat of Saddam Hussein from the country forever. It's a real mistake that the children can now learn in a free society, and it's a travesty people can openly express their opinions. Moore's misguided and reckless statements have no basis, and he just says it to garner support of a base group he already has - the extremist left.

After all of these lies that I have exposed, how does Moore manage to gain the support of movie stars? To put it bluntly, he has targeted a group that knows as much about politics as they do about their own endocrine systems. Observing Madonna wax politics is about as funny as watching a dingo in a day care center. Moore appeals to the same wealthy class he belongs to and berates. Do you think he time-shares his $1.2 million apartment? How about all of his earnings? Certainly, he must donate everything but $50,000 a year so that he can remain with his middle class brethren. Wait, he would do that if he weren't a habitual, hypocritical liar. It is no surprise that the Hollywood crowd loves Moore's movies, because their dream worlds are as unrealistic as Moore's exaggerations.

Columnist Aaron Sakulich ("Michael Moore's works a travesty to documentaries," The Triangle, May 28, p. 15) succinctly explained and proved Moore was a liar. However, Brad Levinson's commentary in response ("Sakulich misrepresents Moore's documentaries," The Triangle, June 4, p. 16) used the exact same tactics as Moore to rebut the argument. Levinson did not tackle any issues himself, rather, he used circular arguments and his own half-truths. It is more than apparent that Levinson is blind and ignorant to what Moore has done, and he cannot ascertain the depth to which Moore has led him on.

In his article, Levinson said, "Michael Moore may be over the top, but at least he's not a liar."

I think that perfectly sums up Levinson's level of understanding about the true nature of Moore. A dangerous threat to our Constitutional Republic as a political system is a uniformed and misguided voter. The "drive-by voter" is not necessarily someone who is dumb, but someone who is wrapped in an environment where they are told mendacities and believe them. The point of a free society is for people to be responsibly informed. While you may like or dislike the president of the United States, do not make the mistake of basing your disagreements with his policies on Moore's twisted interpretation of reality. Moore's duplicity is an infection, a disease that has already ravaged Hollywood and the media alike. However, it is not too late for college students. Forming your own opinions through true facts and figures, and even aligning yourself with the Democrats or Republicans, is infinitely better than believing the word of someone who's track record is indiscernible from that of Joseph Goebbels.

James Mack Jr. is a junior majoring in criminal justice. His favorite phrase is "Michael Moore ist verbatten."