Fahrenheit 9/11: A Conservative Critique (In favor of the film)

[mom cat]

Fahrenheit 9/11: A Conservative Critique
by William Norman Grigg
by William Norman Grigg



I just returned from viewing Fahrenheit 9/11 here in Appleton, WI. I went to the 1:30 PM showing, which was – astonishingly – sold out. The crowd was overwhelmingly white and middle-class (this IS Wisconsin, remember), ranging in age from early teens to retirees. The people were polite, friendly, well-mannered (something we shouldn't take for granted on the part of contemporary theater crowds). There was tumultuous applause at the end, punctuated by a moment of reflective silence as we read the dedication card invoking those murdered by terrorists on 9/11, and those murdered through state terrorism in the aftermath.

The film itself very much reflects its creator: It's shaggy, flabby, occasionally witty, and frequently infuriating. It will have a HUGE impact because Moore – his facile leftist economics notwithstanding – has nailed his case against the Bush regime flush to the plank. It will be all but impossible for anybody who sits still and watches this film to view Bush the Lesser as anything other than a petty, spiteful, dim-witted, bloody-handed little fool – and the figurehead of a murderous power elite. This explains why the Bu'ushists are threatening to go Abu Ghraib on Moore: They're busted.

The most powerful moments in the film are those that humanize U.S. troops, several of whom are shown on-screen criticizing the regime. A major arc of the film is devoted to a Flint, Michigan housewife from a military family whose son, just prior to being killed in Iraq, wrote a letter condemning "George 'I wanna be like my Daddy' Bush" for staging this useless, unjust war. Moore himself, who narrates the film (and makes himself too much a part of the story, incidentally) observes that the largest immorality of this entire enterprise is the actions of a dishonest president lying our country into war and forcing decent young men (and women) to do immoral things.
An interesting encounter immediately after seeing the film underscores its fundamentally non-partisan nature. Some poor schlep had positioned himself outside the theater with a clipboard soliciting signatures on a nominating position for a would-be Democrat congressional candidate. A couple of people seized the petition and started to sign. Impertinent sort that I am, I asked, "What's this fellow's position on the war?" The scribbling stopped, and several sets of eyes focused intently on the hapless volunteer. "Well, um, ah, he thinks we should do something," he began, stammeringly. "Ah, he just thinks we should be more careful." On hearing this, a lady looked at her husband, who had signed the petition, and snapped, "Scratch off your name." I told the volunteer that I'm what most people would regard as an "ultra-conservative – not just a `conservative' – but if your guy came out against the war I'd vote for him, and knock on doors." "Well, I can't really address all the details of his positions," the increasingly flustered guy responded. "Just let him know what I said," I suggested, telling him that there are a lot of people who have the same point of view.
June 26, 2004

William Norman Grigg writes from Appleton, Wisconsin.

Copyright © 2004 LewRockwell.com
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/grigg-w1.html

More juicy goodies. And this is from the Heartland!

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Oh, I hope Kerry picks up on the anti-war sentiment growing in

the USA.

[Cha]

3. Yes!

[Dover]

6. How can he do that effectively when he signed the War Resolution?

I CAN think of a few Dem candidates who actually WERE against this war, however. But I don't any more associate Kerry with anti-war sentiments than I do Saddam with al Qaeda.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Kerry is all but coronated, I know. Wish he would pick Dennis or Howard

as his veep.

[Senior citizen]

8. Maybe I'm not supposed to say this, but take if from an oldtimer:

We the people of the United States of America will NOT permit President Kerry to ask any man or woman in the U.S. military to be the last person to die in Iraq.

And if Michael Moore has to make a documentary about it in order to make sure we all do the right thing, he will.

(Professional political handlers take note: If your candidate if filmed saying or doing something, it can and probably will come to the attention of the electorate someday.)

I think Kerry believes in free trade, so I'm sure he'll permit private contractors to remain in Iraq after our military pulls out, if they so wish. I sure wish they would.

[peacetalksforall]

10. We are communicating better. After the shock and awe of the stolen

election, the four aircraft, the phoney war where they pointed the gun at one country and shot the country standing nearby intsead, and all attempts to change the constitution and drop treaties...I would hope that we would recognize another theft and treasonous act and do something - because we and Kerry are not doing that much compared to the postitions being taken and voiced by people in other countries.

Thanks to our creator that Michael had the chutzpah and that so many good people do care and so many are working against it.

I still don't hear Kerry talking sweet enough things to me.

It seems we are down to the wire - is there going to be a takeover of the world by military might with corporate, bankig, media, and fundamentalist cooperation? If yes, where is Kerry? With 'em or 'gainst 'em?

[Still_Loves_John]

11. I'm sorry, but it's not as simple as that

It drives me crazy when people act like everything would magically fix itself if we just pulled out of Iraq, it wouldn't.

I didn't support the war before it started, but I recognize that we cannot just pull out. It's not that I "support our president" or I'm standing in line with everyone else, I just recognize that now that we've broken Iraq, we have to help fix it.

We did a horrible thing going into Iraq, but now that we've gone in, we have a responsibility to fix things there. We are not succeeding now, but if we just pulled out now Iraq would become even worse than under Saddam.

I understand that you're mad--I'm mad too. This war is stupid and pointless. I opposed this war, as did many others, because I thought that overthrowing Saddam would create a power vaccum, and that an even worse dictator than Saddam would emerge. If we pull out of Iraq now, with the anarchy that exists there, that is exactly what would happen. The world would hate us even more.

So often we accuse Bush of seeing the world in black and white, but that's what some people are doing right now. You have to be able to see Iraq in terms of grey.

[Cha]

2. It was interesting that he liked it so much..

I definetly do not agree with him that Moore makes himself too much a part of it. This is Moore's film and he makes me comfortable.

[TexasSissy]

4. Whoa-That's a remarkable review

Not glowing, but nonetheless remarkable.

[mom cat]

5. We should'nt write off any state, any group, or any section of the US.

[peacetalksforall]

9. Dear Mr. William Norman Grigg

That was well written and interesting. Appears to be factual reporting. Refreshing.

[WFF]

12. Hey, I live in Appleton!

I went to the evening show last night. I didn't think any conservatives would be anxious enough to go to the first shows. Good for him!

[yardwork]

13. I've read this man's columns before and they usually make me furious.

He definitely is an ultra-conservative. If even he is saying that the movie makes Bush look like a petty, spiteful, dim-witted, bloody-handed little fool – and the figurehead of a murderous power elite then the kool-aid really is wearing off in America.

And not a minute too soon.