Propaganda, whether it's from the ultra right or the ultra left, is still propaganda.
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The following is an open letter to Move America Forward.
I would like to take this opportunity let you know my thoughts on your current campaign to keep Michael Moore?s Fahrenheit 911 out of theaters. While I understand the sentiment, I think that your efforts are misguided and will ultimately work against you.
My credentials as a Moore critic are long established. As one of the co-creators of MOOREWATCH I have spend the past couple of years providing ammunition for anyone who wishes to dispute Moore?s lies, distortions, and rank hatred of everything I hold dear about this wonderful country. I think that the most dangerous thing about Michael Moore is the fact that his message goes virtually unchallenged by anyone in the major media. It?s not that there aren?t massive holes in his arguments, it?s that the sycophants that interview him would rather bat their eyes at him like fawning schoolgirls than engage him in a solid, adversarial interview. And now, with Fahrenheit 911 about to enter the theaters, his message stands to be promoted, unchallenged, like never before. So believe me when I say that I understand your desire be proactive, to do something, because I share that desire with you. But I fundamentally, wholeheartedly disagree with your campaign to get theaters to stop showing the film.
What you have to realize about Moore?s fans, and liberals in general, is that they view the world in terms of two classes: oppressors and the oppressed. Everyone in the world belongs in one of those two groups, and since they would never consider themselves oppressors they subscribe to the victim mentality. Michael Moore has brilliantly taken this staunch belief in victimhood and turned it into a goose that lays golden eggs by continually goading his critics into attacking him, then using that as evidence that he?s being ?silenced,? thus creating a self-fulfilling prophesy. He?s the victim of wacko right-wing ideologues who want nothing more than to stifle anyone who dares to speak ?the truth.? In regards to Fahrenheit 911 he first used this tactic by claiming that Disney balked at distributing the film because of its content, when the truth is that Moore was told a year ago that he would have to find alternate distribution. But his fans ate it up, and it helped solidify his placement as one of the left?s true martyrs. And now you, with your campaign, are doing nothing but reinforcing the image of him as the righteous, oppressed victim.
Moore?s movie is going to be released. There is too much money invested in it, and too high a profit potential, for this to ever actually go away. The big, fat stupid white genie is out of the bottle. All your campaign does is make you look like you are trying to stifle free speech and, quite frankly, I think you are. The release of the film is inevitable, so why fight it? Why give him exactly what he is looking for?
I applaud your efforts to form a group to counter the activism of MoveOn and other leftist groups. This type of organization is one area where the left is far more able than the right, and we conservatives need a grassroots-type movement of our own. But there are better avenues for your organization to pursue. Rather than have people writing to theaters to prevent them from screening the film, why not have them write letters to the editor of their local papers? Why not design some flyers pointing out some of Moore?s more blatant lies and sleazy tactics and have volunteers hand them to moviegoers after they come out of Fahrenheit 911? Why not get together with the publishers of the upcoming book Michael Moore is a Big, Fat Stupid White Man and plan a counteroffensive?
There are a multitude of things we can do to negate the effectiveness of Moore?s anti-American smear campaign. Trying to silence him is not one of them. He has a Constitutional right to spew his venom, so let him do it. Take the high road, and fight back with the superior argument. We have the truth on our side; all he has are his lies. Let?s not stoop to his level.
Lee
http://www/moorewatch.com