<a href='http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/wackoattacko/index.php' target='_blank'>Motown, seen this site?</a>
The writer of the HardyLaw site you linked earlier seems to blame Moore for the conclusions people will draw from 'Bowling...' That's quite idiotic, don't you think?
People will and have drawn all kinds of conclusions from that movie. The conclusion that I have drawn from it is something I suspected before even knowing 'Bowling...' was in production--that the local nightly news from probably every city in the nation promulgates a culture of fear.
The culture of fear in the U.S. has historical roots. It is our cultural heritage. Reading media reports from other eras in the history of our nation, anyone can see this. People in this nation 100 years ago were scared to death, of everything, or at least that is what the newspapers documented.
This is a common practice in the media world. I work for a small, independent media organization. If something's out there that could potentially scare the hell out of my publication's readers, then we'll print it. In fact, we specifically look for that stuff. We do this because our competitors do the same damn thing, and you know what, it sucks!
Several months ago, for example, there was a gas-pump fire at a nearby service station/convenient store. This fire was one of four in the U.S. since oil and gasoline suppliers began keeping statistics in 1961. Nonetheless, we reported on the fire with a lengthy section on how to avoid a gas-pump fire from killing your 6-year old soccer star. I proofed the section and the general story. The slant on it suggested that these fires were rampant. The story did not contain statements that claimed gas-pump fires were rampant, but the less-experienced reader could certainly draw that conclusion. It was subtle, but not too subtle.
That night on the local news for WLBT, channel 3, they reported on the same fire. They held the same slant that my publication's reporter maintained in her story and in the special section--how to avoid a gas-pump fire.
Later that night, around 1 a.m. I saw the same story on a competitor channel, WAPT, when they rebroadcasted their nightly news for the evening. WAPT's reporter made it sound as if people were being killed left and right from out-of-control gas-pump fires. Shortly after her report, however, the anchor cited the statistic that the fire was only the fourth in the U.S. since statistics on it began so many years ago.
I brought it up to my editor, at the time, and he said "oh well, scaring the sh*t outta people sells papers..."
When the Amtrak train 'The City of New Orleans' derailed in our county just a few weeks ago, again we printed stories that suggested Arab terrorists were running loose, derailing trains. My gawd, man! Stay in your homes, go no where and shoot any person of color who comes into your yard.
Moore's most eloquent aspect in 'Bowling...' in my opinion is when he carefully displays news reports showing that many gun-murders occur in predominantly white, suburb style neighborhoods, thus seriously damaging the myth that the majority of killers out there are inner-city black youths.
He likely made some errors, so I take his statements (linked above) with a grain of salt. Every researcher, regardless of how seasoned they are in their field, will make errors. That is a given. I'm not suggesting Moore did his own research, in fact, I think he's incapable of doing that (just [try to] read Stupid White Men).
The whole thing about Moore's critics that really pesses me off is this whole attitude that one who criticizes American culture or society is evil, communist bast*rd, Saddam lover, or a deceiving little devil, spawned from the womb of Hillary, who must die and his civil liberties to freedom of expression should be revoked.
The attitude that Moore's pocketbook should be levied for making errors in 'Bowling...' is ridiculous. Hannity and O'Reilly make errors nightly and they have an agenda, where's the outrage about their crap?
It's all just so durned unfair. People like Moore should probably shut up every now and then, but 'Bowling...' rocked!
Does this mean I accept every little facet of 'Bowling...' as true, or TRUTH? No. I am a critical thinker and I found errors in 'Bowling...' on my own, before all these websites started displaying errors. I found these errors after one viewing, and many of the errors I've found are not on Moore-bashing websites that keep a log of errors in the movie.
I realized when scenes might have been staged, and I knew right off the bat the Heston interview at the end was seriously edited. What is important in that regard is that Heston actually agreed to the interview. That is something that should be touched on more because that shows Heston is probably a pretty good guy who'll give his time to anyone, even devil children of Hillary like Moore.
RebelKev, you asked about the Lockheed-Martin plant near Littleton, CO. Yes, that company is a major arms manufacturer. There is one plant near Littleton and for a brief time in the eighties, Lockheed had a contract to aid in the development of the MX missile--a nuclear missile. Does this mean that Eric and Dylan shot up Columbine h.s. because of Lockheed's locale, or business? No. Any fool can see this. Do you really think that people out there believe Lockheed's presence near Littleton caused those kids to shoot up their school?
[come on RebelKev, you cannot be this stupid. You are pulling all of our chains on this forum. No one is that stupid and can still use a computer.]
Lockheed makes combat jets, bombers and other vehicles for destruction.
Lockheed, furthermore, has received generous grants and subsidies from the federal government. These grants were given to the company for research and development on better killing devices.
Lockheed does not pay any taxes.
How do you reconcile this with your self-proclaimed libertarianism?
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Disney near deal on "Fahrenheit 9/11"
