A CHALLENGE to all freepers, wingnuts, and bible-thumpers.....

[Beam Me Up]

It is very simple really. I CHALLENGE you to WATCH Michael Moore's film with an open mind. I know, I know, some of you will reject the notion completely out of hand -- but bare with me. If you'll AGREE to watch Moore's film, just watch it, and NOT say a word -- just watch it as you would most any other movie -- I'll agree to sit through not only one but THREE MOVIES of YOUR CHOICE. No, seriously, I'll actually sit there and watch WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO. I won't say a word. I'll watch them as impartially and open-mindedly as I can. I can't guarantee you that they are going to sway my opinion -- they may not -- but you are welcome to give it a shot. Moreover, I'm not asking that you change your opinions as a result of seeing Moore's film, only that you simply agree to be as open minded as you can.

Who knows, maybe BOTH of us will learn something.

Are any of you GAME for this? I'm totally serious.

All you have to do is start a thread on Freeperville saying what movies you'd want ME and anyone else here at DU who wants to join me in this exercise to watch. You guys can decide which three would be best.

BMU

[Brahma Bull]

1. Great attempt...but...

Freepers don't have an open mind. They think one way and that's it. Watching Fahrenheit 9/11 will make them learn something. Republicans don't like to learn, remember? They don't want the rest of the country to learn that Bush is scum either. Otherwise it's bye bye for Bunnypants.

[Beam Me Up]

3. Well, you're probably right . . . an "open mind" may be too much to ask

So I'll AMEND my CHALLENGE:

Ok, you DO NOT have to have an "open mind." All you have to do is agree to just SIT THERE and WATCH and preferably keep your mouth shut like every other good citizen around you. I'll agree to do the same.

How's that?

[pauliedangerously]

2. I SECOND that challenge; I read the Bible....

...which took a Hell of a lot longer than it will take to see this movie.

Go on...whatsamatter? SCARED???

Like what movies in Freeperville...The Stepford Wives?

[Beam Me Up]

5. Yeah, I read the bible, too. Both Old and New Testament.

In fact, I grew up a FARM BOY in rural southern Indiana. Most all my family are born again Christians. Various members have been in militias and the John Birch society. My father taught me how to shoot a gun when I was six years old. As a matter of fact, my old man USED ME FOR TARGET PRACTICE with a 22 rifle when I was just a kid: "Boy, go over there and stand on that stump and put that tin can on yer head at let me see if I can shoot if off!" I did. Honest to God. And he did, too. PING! Just like that. No shit.

So, I'm just saying, not like FREEPERS are some sort of mystery cult to me or something. I grew up with them. I know them. I'm RELATED to some of them. (My handle is Beam_Me_Up in part because the whole time I was growing up I KNEW I had SOMEHOW gotten born on the WRONG friggn' planet! -- But that is another story.) :)

[Leprechan29]

4. I'd join in

[Beam Me Up]

7. All RIGHT!

See that, FREEPS, here is YOUR CHANCE to INDOCTRINATE at least three DUers with any THREE films of YOUR CHOICE -- just for watching one measly stupid ass Michael Moore flick. I mean, think about that. Seriously, I'll do it. I'll even write a damn ESSAY about each of them if you want -- and I'm not even going to ask that as a stipulation of you guys. Seriously, just to PROVE to you that I did in fact watch the ones you picked out. I'm a very fast typist, smart, know how to take notes and everything.

[Duncan Grant]

6. Well, you can't knock a person for trying.

Good luck, b_m_u!

If you don't get any takers - there are plenty of DUers in our area to see it with. :hi:

[Beam Me Up]

8. Hey 94114!

I've already got my tickets for the 7:30 performance opening night. There'll be six of us in my little party. We'll have dinner beforehand and then go out for coffee afterward to talk about it, no doubt. :hi:

[Duncan Grant]

10. Sounds great!

Please, please, please - post a thread about it. We have company this weekend and can't pull it together for F/911 until Sunday or Monday night.

All the best!

[Beam Me Up]

12. Absolutely. Hey, we'll take digital cameras with us

and post some of the pix here that night or Saturday AM.

[anelson]

9. Be Careful...

They will have you watching 700 Club, Fux News, and Left Behind movies....and then, you poor guy...I fear you will be the one to suffer for it....

[Beam Me Up]

11. I'm WILLING to suffer a little just to get them to watch the MM film.

I want them to watch it because I honestly do believe they're going to get something out of it. I haven't seen the film myself, but I'd be willing to BET -- not a lot of money as I don't HAVE a lot of money, but SOME money -- I'd be willing to bet that quite a few Freepers will discover that it wasn't as BAD as they thought. In fact, I'd be willing to BET that quite a few of them are going to think, 'DAMN, that was a pretty damn good movie.'

Now, not all of them will of course. Some of them will see it and think it is a bunch of loony horse shit. Well fine. But AT LEAST THEY SAW IT, right? That's all FREEDOM OF SPEECH is about, right? Someone has the opportunity to see or hear someone and MAKE UP THEIR OWN MIND about it.

I can handle that. I can handle watching a bunch of Regan reruns (and believe me, watching RR in any role is EXTREMELY PAINFUL for me) or -- well whatever they think would be fitting. I'll do it. I'm totally serious.

[Beam Me Up]

13. Kick for the daylight crowd. . .

This was an after-midnight West Coast thing.

[ArkDem]

14. >bare with me<

you want them to watch it nude with you?

[Beam Me Up]

15. Well, I'm not OPPOSED to that, you understand

but I'm not making it a REQUIREMENT for the challenge or anything. I'm not against public nudity but, having lived in a community where it was allowed (Berkeley, CA) -- or, at least not illegal for a time -- I can tell you that, although it can be mighty nice to see SOME people walking around with their privates hanging out -- it is definitely NOT something I think everyone ought to do. At the time, back in the eighties I guess it was, when people discovered there was no law against nudity and they began parading around the street stark naked, I thought it was ok. I didn't do it myself. But, man, I'm not pretty to look at even with clothes ON, you know?

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Does the Bible come up often in F9/11? Do we have to

sit through *'s "prayers"?

Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

[Beam Me Up]

17. I haven't seen it yet so I don't know but I still am willing to bet

that SOME Freepers won't HATE it as much as they THINK they will. I think SOME of them might even be just a little bit impressed (however much they might be loath to admit it). Like I said, I KNOW these people. I grew up with them.

LONG AGO I LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT FREEPERS. I remember one time having a conversation with my John Bircher brother-in-law. This man used to drive me absolutely NUTS with his racism -- and he still would today if I'd allow it. Anyway, he was telling me all kinds of bull shit about one thing and another and I was arguing back with him about it and we parted ways, as always, completely appalled that the other could think the way he did. THE WEIRD THING WAS, some time later, he was having a 'discussion' with someone else and I happened to be there and I'll be damned if HE didn't start parroting some of the same talking points I'd used AGAINST him a few weeks before. TOTALLY BLEW MY MIND. He'd completely forgotten where he'd first heard them and they'd become apart of HIS lexicon! He was and still is a bigoted idiot (IMO) but it was really funny to hear him using my talking points.


Edited to add: Nice page you got there, GPV. Jesus, in my opinion, was WAY beyond being a "liberal." I want to say he was a "spiritual communist" by which I mean an anti-materialist. He UNDERSTOOD that to change the direction of society, you had to change the underlying mythology upon which it was based. You have to change the water (truth with a small 't') to wine (truth with a capital 'T'). THAT was his teaching -- and he sacrificed himself to achieve that aim; transforming the sacrificial, Passover Lamb of the Old Testament into the Eucharist of COMMUNION WITH GOD in the New Testament.

[BootinUp]

18. The lines are already drawn

While your challenge is high minded and without objection from me, I think the only people that can be swayed at this point are the truly independent swing voters. (5-10%)

[Beam Me Up]

21. I have a sneeky suspiscion this movie is gona do more than 'sway votes'

You're absolutely right that the lines are already drawn. . .BUT DO WE KNOW WHO THE REAL ENEMY IS?

It isn't the Freepers, you know THAT, right? I mean, yeah, they are the front line pawns in the game. But they are not the enemy. Freepers didn't CREATE the situation we're in; they're just USED to sustain it for their ELITE CLASS masters.

[BlueJazz]

19. Well, shit-fire Boy!

I happen to be a Freeper and I wood take you up on yur offer but

i's don't believe the picture shows allows me to bring my coon/dog in to the show.

I will see it when it comes out on 8-track. :)

[Beam Me Up]

20. YEE HAW!

Well, I don't know ifn itll be comnn out on 8track but bydamn if yer willn to watch ti I'll transfer it over for ya from tha DVD. How's ol' YELLER don' anywho?

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Corgigal]

23. I'm in SC

and I'm going to see it either Friday or Saturday night. In fact it's 5 mins traveling time from my house SO are you coming down?
I'm not sure you're aware of how many of us evil liberals are around SC because we meet in the woods after dark.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Corgigal]

25. more conservative

not sure about that. They just want to appear that way.
Fahrenheit 9/11 is playing at these locations. I'm going to Summerville and will be picking up my tickets early.

Charleston, SC Terrace Theatre (west ashley)

Columbia, SC Columbiana Grande 14

Greenville, SC Regal Hollywood 20

Spartanburg, SC Spartan 16

Summerville, SC East Fed Movies At Azalea Square

link:
http://www.f911tix.com/results.php?st=SC

[pauliedangerously]

26. Nice post!!

You get the big thumbs up from me for your civility. I have always said that I'd rather talk with an intelligent right-winger than an idiot lefty.

I read "Common Sense" over a decade ago, but my favorite Paine work is "The Age of Reason."

I have found that once we get passed the labels and symbols, lefties and righties are really very similar with a few exceptions. I have the same frustrations about political corruption, moral decay (although we would probably differ on some of the specifics), media ownership, etc, etc.

The main differences aren't the goals, but the means.

I hope you don't get flamed. I always welcome intelligent debate, and you strike me as a decent, thoughtful man.

Welcome to DU!!

[Beam Me Up]

27. Wow! Thanks for replying here!!

That's great. Thing is, I'm responding from work where I only have access to a computer for a few minuites during my lunch break. So I'll have to get back to this once I get home - which will be around 7pm California time. In brief, I'd rather movies not so much because of time as the fact I'm pushing sixty and these days, if a book isn't a real 'page turner' for me, I just start nodding out. Used to read all the time but now I start snoring within minuites. Anyway, I'll get back to you again later -- and THANKS again for your sincere post. Very nice. :hi:

BMU

[Beam Me Up]

28. So far as you've posted them, *I ACCEPT YOUR TERMS*

I AGREE to watch "Innocents Betrayed." I ALSO AGREE to read Thomas Paine's "Common Sense." I've not seen this film nor read this book. I'll also accept to read another book of your choice, provided there is no particular time limit set. As I noted in a previous post, I fall asleep when reading if the subject doesn't really grab my interest. I do get through a book, it just takes me longer.

Let me say that I am quite interested in the idea of, as you put it, "get(ing) to the meat of the differences in our Idealogies." This is a very IMPORTANT issue to me and I appreciate you bringing it up. I feel very strongly that the people of the United States, whether they are urban or rural, whether they are black or white, whether they are middle class or poor, northern or southern -- you get the drift -- need to come together now more than ever. I say this because I believe our nation is careening toward a crisis -- a real crisis -- that is going to make anything you and I have seen so far pale by comparison. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not at all confident.

Edit: typo

[Beam Me Up]

30. H E L L O RichJohnson 1976 -- are you out there??

Hoping to hear back from you!

I've accepted your terms -- so what's up?

Sorry my west coast time zone makes communication difficult.

BMU

[kirkm76]

32. He's Here

I am his co-worker. Actually, I got him reading this site. Apparently, he's been banned but he's still up for it. He's trying to get a third for you he says but willing to go for the two he's alreadyy mentioned. He e-mailed the DU admin to try to get re-enstated specifically for this thread. I think it was something he said in a Nader thread. But if he doesn't get back in I'll post his responses. He was very adimant about not creating another name because he really wants to abide by the rules and hopes to be re-enstated.

[Beam Me Up]

33. Excellent, thanks!

Sorry he got shit-canned. We NEED a dialogue between the right and left in this country, IMO. Not an easy thing to do, I understand, as opinions are so divergent and feelings so hot. But I think we should be focusing on what we AGREE on more than what we disagree on. Unfortunately, the media usually doesn't see it that way (doesn't generate as much interest, therefore sales, I assume). Anyway, Thanks!

BMU

Edit: Just sent you an email

[sandboxface]

29. Count me in!

[Beam Me Up]

31. K E W L

:) ;-) :o }( :P :9 :+ :7 B-) :hippie: :toast: :bounce: :smoke: :thumbsup: :hi: :loveya: :grouphug: :pals: :headbang: :yourock:

[AntiCoup2K4]

34. I'll see that challenge and I'll even raise it....

Freeps, if you see Fahrenheit 9/11 with an open mind, I will watch BOTH "Left Behind" DVD's.

If I can survive Kirk Cameron's horrible acting, YOU can survive Michael Moore telling the truth