Real Conversations
Fahrenheit 911 is supposed to show the truth and expose the Bush admin. It did that quite well.  Bush�s oil links, the connection of corporations to government--all that was pretty clear. And then the movie talked about the cost of war�to American troops and to Iraqi civilians.   I think the movie might indicate progress in the American political arena. A couple of years back it was impossible to find this sort of information in the mainstream media. So it is a breakthrough to a degree.   But for all of Michael Moore�s political stances, I don�t think his principles are very sound. Exactly what does he value? He seems almost as anti-intellectual as Bush sometimes. Does he sit down and think ever?   I remember seeing at least two shots of Muslims praying as Moore talked about the Saudis�not ordinary Saudis, but the actual family of Saud�and when he mentioned bin Laden and the terrorists. And of course, there were countless shots of women in hijab. I think he�s playing on stereotypes and fears, at the same time that he�s trying to show people how the Bushies play on fear.   I know Moore is always against every war, but the way he talked about Saudi Arabia�the biggest threat to the US, according to Moore�it almost seemed as though they should be our next target.   What America lacks�as it has become apparent to so many more people since 9/11�is a real conversation, an honest dialogue, with a range of voices. We only have an aura of that. I don�t think Michael Moore is really bringing that�even though I agree with him on a lot of points. Real conversations take a lot of courage and a lot of discomfort.   It�s not impossible to find that though. Look at Tom Dispatch. And�don�t roll your eyes�we saw real conversations with Howard Dean. Look at this speech to New Hampshire doctors:

And that is because Americans, uniquely to every other culture in the world, uniquely believe that if you have a problem, if you work hard enough and if you spend enough money, you can overcome the problem. And that list of problems also includes death.

  Politicians aren�t supposed to say things like that. And they don�t survive, because we don�t have room for our politicians to be honest. We don�t allow them to think for themselves�we want them to be more like John-John�saying all the right things and having blond children.   ¶ 7/17/2004 09:40:00 PM