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Went to Michael Moore last night at the U of M and HE slammed Kucinich so bad. He said that because he wasn't sure if abortion was right, but believed it was something that should not be managed by government, that he had poor judgment and lacked credibility. (something of that nature in very different words) and got the house to applaud AGAINST him that he should be able to KNOW that abortion is the right thing. Very stupid, very manipulative, and it worked just like the right wing media.....HUGE applause against [Kucinich].
Then went on to promote the new Military man......and said, are we going to be against him just because he voted Republican....lots of people have voted Republican in their lives, and that is nothing to hold against him. He wanted to see George Bush need to say "General" in the final debates.
All the way up til then, he talked about how the Democrats need a candidate that can stand up like Paul Wellstone, and act on his convictions. etc etc etc EVERY quality that would put Kucinich as THE candidate, and knocked him down. _PLUS This new army candidate has done much more than vote Republican....he has slaughtered and put people in mass graves...etc etcv etc. and I am even suspicious that he is putting himself there in case Bush loses.....they still have their man. He knows nothing about domestic policy etc etc.
I was furious and wanted to go to the microphone which they had set up for questions etc. and talk about how Kucinich stood up against the corporations which is exactly what we need right now....It is the corporations etc etc
and the line was already about 20 deep to the microphone. So I just walked out.
We need to barrage him with the info on Kucinich and his record of standing up for what he believes in and for Michael Moore to learn more about how this country is run by big corporations, and the FTAA etc etc To not let him get away with going around the country misrepresenting, and also minimizing Kucinich that way He is in a position to influence a lot of people.....and he needs to learn more. Educate himself more before he goes shooting off his big mouth.
Let's get all the Kucinich people to barrage him with the "truth" about Kucinich and how saying that he is not sure whether abortion is right or wrong and that the government should stay out of the decision IS very much standing up for what he believes in and has a whole lot of credibility. What do you think?
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http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2003/10/14/6949
Opinion
October 14, 2003
Moore’s rhetoric displayed anger, lacked his typical humor By Jason Stahl am a huge Michael Moore fan and think “Roger and Me” is the best documentary ever made. As a proud member of the American left, I always appreciated having Moore’s humorous voice in a public sphere too often dominated by right-wing zealots and mushy centrists. Moreover, I have always liked how Moore encouraged people to take action. His appearance in St. Paul two years ago motivated me to become an intern on Paul Wellstone’s last senatorial campaign. For these reasons it was particularly hard for me to watch Moore this past Saturday at the Sports Pavilion. The Moore from “Roger and Me,” the Moore I saw speak two years ago, was gone. Humor had been replaced by demagogic anger, a call to action replaced by apathy and ridicule.
This is sad, considering what a potent weapon humor can be. Moore’s implementation of humor in the defense of the powerless, in the defense of those who feel no hope, is what made his work so powerful. Additionally, Moore’s humor allowed his message to break through to the mainstream audience and call ordinary citizens to action.
On Saturday it was clear Moore has forgotten what made him successful. Some will argue he received many laughs, and this is certainly correct. However, anger, not humor, was clearly the emotion that defined Moore’s evening at the Sports Pavilion - in some cases unchecked, uncontrolled demagoguery.
Granted, I am also thoroughly angered at the state of my nation; but I came to see a humorist, to get away from my anger and my hopelessness and to “laugh at my enemies.” Instead, Moore screamed into the microphone that President George W. Bush had “committed treason,” was a “traitor” and “the devil” who would end up in hell. Rush Limbaugh should be “thrown in jail and force-fed drugs.” How can such vitriol, as opposed to humor, possibly change minds? Granted, Moore might have been preaching to the choir, but surely there were those in that crowd who were not in agreement with him but open to hearing his views. Such rhetoric only turns those people away.
Moore’s turn from humor to anger undermined another important element of his past work - that of calling people to action. The person who inspired me to work for Wellstone did not empower the crowd Saturday night. Some who attended would surely say, “But he did call us to action!” A closer look, however, proves otherwise. After breeding anger and discontent, Moore offered two examples of what we could do to take action.
First, Moore suggested withholding support from the Democratic presidential candidates in hopes of forcing them to move left on key issues. For example, we should call Howard Dean’s campaign and request he move left on the death penalty. This is all well and good, but what do we do until then? Moore offered no answer. Additionally, this is entirely unrealistic, as all the campaigns have surely solidified their messages at this point.
If Wellstone taught us anything, it was that organizing as early as possible is the key. This means you must pick a candidate so you can start working now to get Bush out of office. For those who did suggest working for the Democrats, Moore only had scorn to offer.
In the question-and-answer period, Moore lambasted the president of the University DFL for explaining that he and others were working within the Democratic Party trying to change it for the better. Moore derided this questioner, who agreed with him on the issues, saying the DFL failed Minnesota and you “couldn’t bring the ball over the goal line in the last election.” He continued telling his questioner that if he cannot handle it, he needs to hand the ball off to “greens and independents” who are more in touch with the people anyway. This answer was an affront to those of us who shed blood, sweat and tears for Wellstone and Mondale in the last election.
Second, Moore called those in the crowd to stand up in support of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3800 workers at the University and to not cross the picket line if a strike ensued. I did stand up and clap and was happy when a large majority of the crowd did as well. But rather than ask those who did not stand up to help the union in other ways (say, walking the picket line), Moore derided them as “conservatives” who were more interested in “me, me, me.”
I hope my allies on the left do not take up Moore’s suggestions and his scorning ways. I urge you to find a Democratic candidate who most matches your views and work hard for him or her. I urge you to help and support AFSCME workers in whatever way you see fit. And finally, I urge you to not deride friends and enemies and instead try to bring them over to your views.
I am not sure what happened to Moore in the past two years. Maybe the Bush administration has been too much for him and nothing seems funny anymore. I hope in the end Moore realizes anger, apathy, and ridicule do not suit him well. Humor is his best weapon, especially in the face of hopelessness and powerlessness.
Jason Stahl is a graduate student in history. He welcomes comments at stah0064 at tc.umn.edu
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