My Fahrenheit 911 experience in the Deep South yesterday.

[Maddy McCall]

Here's a report on my bible-belt F911 experience yesterday, if you guys will tolerate one more.

I know some of you guys are expecting some titillating story about us being accosted and denigrated by fundamentalist Christians for our expressions of our liberal views in this, the rhinestone of the buckle of the bible belt south. You will be disappointed, though.

I took my son to Baton Rouge--almost two hours away from my hometown--to see F911 yesterday.

On the drive down, besides my Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker, I had my fake Mississippi license plate that read "KERY4PREZ" in my rear window. Received several peace sign and thumbs-up gestures on the 100 mile trip to Baton Rouge from my hometown. No one tried to run us off the road. No one was ugly. As a matter of fact, NO ONE was sporting a Bush/Cheney sticker, which is odd, considering six months ago, you couldn't drive five miles without encountering at least ten of them. Everyone seems to have removed their old Bush/Cheney stickers. There are none to be seen here.

I wore my "Somewhere in Texas, a village is missing its idiot" tee shirt. I received two compliments inside the theatre as I bought snacks. (And, at the Cortana Mall, several more compliments, after the movie, as my kiddo and I strolled the mall.)

So, let's talk about reactions to the movie. During the movie, people groaned in dismay. People laughed at Bush's stupidity. They gasped at the Saudi connection. They cried when the mother of the slain soldier discussed her son, and they called the woman a "bitch" who accused the mother of staging her son's death. After the movie was over, my son and I stood and applauded--and EVERYONE in the theatre joined us. It was an amazing experience for us, to be amidst so many people of like mind in a place known to be so hostile to liberals.

Anyway, I just wanted to relate this to you. I don't know if everyone else in the theatre was from Baton Rouge, or, if, like us, they were forced to travel to see the movie. At any rate, I feel like my Democratic batteries have been recharged, and I am ready to fight like hell for my Democratic candidate and his running mate.

We will win on November 2.

[NMDemDist2]

1. how full was the theater? after the movie has been out so long?

thanks for the report

[faithnotgreed]

3. truly! closing in on 2 months

[Maddy McCall]

4. This was an early show--at 4:00 in the afternoon.

There were at least fifty people there. I was amazed. I had told my kiddo that we would probably have the theatre to ourselves.

Several of the people that I talked to at the mall, who complimented me on my shirt--people who live and work in Baton Rouge--told me that they hadn't seen the movie yet. I suggested they go and take all of their friends.

It will be playing in Baton Rouge for another week, at least.

[frylock]

2. distinct lack of pro-bush decals down here in san diego as well..

I haven't been up the OC in a while though, and that is the repub stronghold in SoCal. Glad to hear you had a pleasant experience at F911.

[cmd]

5. Thanks, jchild

One by one America is waking up. It is no longer unpatriotic to be a dissenter. Fear is taking a back seat to reality.

[happynewyear]

13. I am not a dissenter, I am anti-war - big difference IMO

" To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." -Theodore Roosevelt

:D :loveya: TR!!!

:dem: :kick:

[NightTrain]

6. Congrats on such a positive experience!

In about a half-hour, I'll be heading into Hartford, CT, to see THE HUNTING OF THE PRESIDENT at Real Art Ways. I plan to wear my Michael Moore T-shirt with the caption, "TIME TO PRUNE BUSH." I don't expect any problems, though. Hartford is pretty liberal, and that goes double for the folks who see the films at RAW!

[Maddy McCall]

8. Have fun!

:-)

[serryjw]

7. OUR T-SHIRT rocks!

I have the same one that I bought at CO state convention. I wear it ALL the time. People stop me on the streets to ask where I bought it......

[Maddy McCall]

9. Yes...at the Cortana Mall, that is what people asked me.

I referred them to the Two Unemployed Democrats website. :-)

[serryjw]

14. YES! YES! They were at my state convention......

That is whom I bought it from!

[donco6]

10. Driving from Denver to KC, I saw ONE Bush 2004 sticker.

And MANY Kerry stickers - usually accompanied by additional "comments" (Regime Change 2004 being very popular).

I was shocked.

[Downtown Hound]

11. I've sometimes wondered about that nasty woman

at the end of the movie. Has she seen the movie? Does she know she's in it? She was also booed and called a bitch in the theater I was at. In fact I might have called her one myself. I wonder if she has any idea that she is being publicly scorned by millions of Americans and people all over the world.

[Lefty48197]

12. Thanks for posting this

I'm usually the first (damn) yankee to make the mistake of assuming that there aren't any normal people (Democrats) down south. I stand corrected. (again)

[Maddy McCall]

15. :-)

Well, until recently, even Mississippi elected Democratic governors and we still have a majority in the state legislature.

On national elections, that's another story.

But, even Mississippi will go at least 40% for Kerry. That means there are LOTS of Democrats even in Mississippi, so don't dis the ones of us who have to confront Republican smuggery every day. :-)

[Rowdyboy]

17. Michael and I went in Ridgeland on the 4th of July

and it was packed. Everyone was into it. Very mixed crowd, maybe 60% white, 40% black. Age range was 16-late 60's, evenly split. It was a tremendous experience.

Glad you guys had fun too.

[Maddy McCall]

22. We Mississippi DUers need to have a meet-up soon...even if it's

election night. Or shortly thereafter to celebrate. :-)

Melodybe is a DUer in Oxford. There are others around the state. Let's bat this around and see if we can work something up. :-)

[Zomby Woof]

18. what?

How dare you defy the DU-promoted stereotype of all southereners being slack-jawed yokels clutching bibles, attending KKK rallies, and loving Bush? :grr:

[Maddy McCall]

20. :-)

[Zomby Woof]

16. GREAT report!!!

:D

[trof]

19. Don't it make ya feel GOOOOOOOD?

What was your laugh-to-cry ratio?
Mine was about one to three.
Wow. 100 miles. I only had to drive the 60 over to Mobile. A week later it came to a theater only 30 miles away.
One of my friends has gone twice and just ordered the DVD.
My audience gave it a standing O too.
First time I've ever seen that.

[Maddy McCall]

21. Same here...never seen a standing ovation in a movie house before.

It was an awesome feeling to be a part of a crowd with which I so identified.

One of my friends went to Mobile to see F911 on opening day. Maybe you passed each other in the theatre. :-)

[Ithuilwen]

23. Great story and

if your avatar is Ernest T. like I think it is, v. cool!