More about Fahrenheit 9/11: 'I think he's a big jerk'

[DaveSZ]

http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,1256962,00.html

'I think he's a big jerk'

Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary has wowed liberals the world over - but how do Republicans feel about it? Suzanne Goldenberg takes a few to see Fahrenheit 9/11 in Texas and Washington

Friday July 9, 2004
The Guardian

It's a rare and brave Republican who ventures across the garishly lit lobby of a 16-screen multiplex and plonks his money down for Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 - and nowhere more so than in Texas. This stretch of west Houston suburb, a land of strip malls and unspooling freeways, is rock solid conservative terrain, the adopted home of the Bush family dynasty. The radio in the rental car, hired from the George Bush Intercontinental airport - named for the father, not the son - is tuned to a station playing Christian rock.

Michael Moore is definitely not to the average Texan's taste. At this cinema, the managers have not seen fit to remove the military recruitment ads from the previews. The theatre is less than half full, and it's difficult even to give away tickets.

Ordinarily, Fahrenheit 9/11 would not be on Larry Forrester's to-see list. No one he knows has seen it - or wants to. White, male, middle-aged professional, solid Republican supporter, regular church-goer, and proud father of three - all being raised with Christian values - his movie tastes run more to The Passion of the Christ, which he pronounces "excellent". Nor is Forrester likely to prove susceptible to Moore's broadside against Bush, or give way to weepy self-criticism of America's invasion of Iraq.

Forrester describes himself as a "patriot's patriot", and the president as the "flower of the country". He says he admires Bush's honesty, his Christian values, the black and white clarity of his views. "He is what he is," Forrester says. He gets his information from a parallel media universe - the conservative Fox television network, rightwing websites and commentators that are unknown outside their partisan audience.

-more

[RummyTheDummy]

1. I love the line

I love the line from the Repuke hatemonger talking about Lila Lipscomb's lack of faith in Bush equates to a lack of faith in God.

These people are truly deranged.

[DaveSZ]

2. Many of them believe God made Bush president

That's the scary thing.

[Scairp]

16. A monarchist's belief

Many of the kings (and some queens) thought of themselves as annointed by God and that only God could remove them from their throne.

[Robb]

27. Aside from those few who died in office of natural causes

...they were all proven wrong. This one will be too. :)

[Cha]

18. I heard Richard Gere on TV at a Motion Picture Awards

ceremony, honoring him, saying..when he was thanking his family and friends.."If there is one thing I've learned ..it's that ..to never trust anyone who thinks that God is only on their side, especially if he is the President of the United States(sic)."

The whole room broke out in loud applause!

[Misunderestimator]

87. All of a sudden, I like Richard Gere! n/t

[Raster]

when you consider the lies, the subterfuge, the death, the theft, ...

...the mean-spiritedness, the profiteering off of pain and suffering, you just got to wonder about a god that would supposedly select gee-dubya and $hrubco.

How can real, decent christian folk sleep at night knowing these are the folks that are headin' up their team? Seriously. In your heart, you know they're about as christian as gengis khan. Does your god really need this bunch? Don't you feel just a bit greasy and dirty? How about used and abused?

[Raster]

63. deleted, double post

[Big_AJ]

74. Why would that be scary ...

Because that belief of theirs would also apply to Clinton.

[xray s]

3. That is how these people think

This is a religious war. A holy crusade. The end times. Armageddon.

We really do not appreciate just how deep this mindset is with about 40% of the population. They really think that this war is against Satan and Jesus will whisk them up to heaven just before the really nasty killing starts. They see no need to pursue anything but the continuation of this war. It will lead to their salvation.

We are in big trouble, folks.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

8. Hypocrites

We really do not appreciate just how deep this mindset is with about 40% of the population. They really think that this war is against Satan and Jesus will whisk them up to heaven just before the really nasty killing starts. They see no need to pursue anything but the continuation of this war. It will lead to their salvation.<<

They have already started the really nasty killing... what is a 2000 lb. bomb used for.. a daisy cutter... a bunker buster... depleted uranium (oh extreme birth defects don't get counted) cluster bombs... and so forth... I consider that some really nasty killing. SHAME ON THESE PEOPLE FOR BEING THE HYPOCRITES THAT THEY ARE.

My linux is bloated.... story at eleven.

[xray s]

14. I think they are waiting for the nukes and bio weapons to hit

Probably Russian stuff that no one is paying attention to. Billions of people at risk.

It's like we are a nation of Slim Pickin's clones all ready for that Big Ride to heaven...

[HysteryDiagnosis]

17. I think they are waiting for the nukes and bio weapons to hit

I think they are waiting for the nukes and bio weapons to hit<<

Omagosh I hope not.... I'm not ready to go on any extended trips... but just wait... we will force democracy on one middle east country and all the rest will fall in line... just forget about the fact that we have supported dictatorships as a foreign policy for decades. Funny how the Kuwaitis voted back in the same system that they had before... if "anyone" should have pushed for democracy you would think it woulda been them.....
Just like Dominoes they will all fall in place..I can see them now... falling... falling.... falling....

[Big_AJ]

21. Back at you ....

You take the words of a manipulator of time and text as gospel and ignore his false witness. Taking sentences from a speech and rearranging them to have the speaker seem to say something he didn't. Place events that occured months apart and make it seem they occured withing hours of each other.

They're hipocrites, you're activists and I'm disgusted.

AJ

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

25. Congratulations. You're disgusted.

"A manipulator of time and text"???
:wtf:

[xray s]

26. Gee...who are you refering to?

Bush? Rumsfeld? Cheney? Limbaugh? Hannity? O'Reilly?

Give us a clue, what letter does his name start with?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

28. They're hipocrites, you're activists and I'm disgusted.

They're hipocrites, you're activists and I'm disgusted.<<

Easy easy... it's only change... it's a bit painful... but do try to remember what some people did to Clinton for 8 painful years... take a serious look at what is going on in your country and do something about it. The truth is the most bitter pill there is... try some.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

29. You're also busted. Have a nice day.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

46. Had a nice day looking for work.

You're also busted. Have a nice day.<<

Nah hardly.

[slinkerwink]

38. I'm sorry, but Bush actually said all of those things..

none of it was scripted.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

41. I assume you are talking about Michael Moore, AJ. Can you give

examples of him rearranging sentences from a speech and making the speaker seem to say something he didn't, or making events separated by months seem like they occurred within hours of each other? I assume you are talking about Farenheit 9/11. the subject of this thread? If not, what are you talking about?

[leesa]

55. When will you wake up Big_AJ? Are you such a frightened rabbit

that the truth of the evil behavior of these creatures in the WH has scared you into a hole?

[NeoConsSuck]

56. Why don't you go back to FreeRepublic..

or whatever rock you crawled out from under.

[Bandit]

59. Obviously you have not seen the movie.

Hypocrite is very fitting. Do you believe in Jesus? You should really pay attention to what he said if you do. The one thing he really disliked was hypocrites. Money changers (republicans) came in a close second.

[Shakespeare]

64. He did NOT "rearrange sentences" from a speech.

And you clearly have not even seen the film, or you would already know this. The clips he shows are unedited and take nothing out of context.

YOU are the hypocrite for spouting that rightwing bullshit as if it's God's own truth, while never having seen the movie for yourself. How embarassing for you.

[Big_AJ]

73. Sorry

That particular was in 'Bowling for Columbine'...

[NeoConsSuck]

75. Hey "Big" Al..

they're missing a moran at Freeperville.

Hope you enjoyed your stay here at DU. Now please get lost.

[Judi Lynn]

80. Unfortunately for us, they want him back. ~ sigh ~

[Downtown Hound]

78. Ah, let me guess

You're referring to the false right wing talking point about the Charlton Heston speech? Yes, you idiots have been saying this for years about BFC, that Michael Moore lied about Heston giving his "From my cold dead hands speech," shortly after the Columbine massacre. That Heston really gave that speech a year later right?

WRONG!

This is a complete lie that is recycled by idiots like you because you're too brain dead to do any of your own research or thinking. On Michael Moore's website he has posted an article from the Los Angeles Times about Heston's speech, and it is dated five days after the Columbine massacre. Plus, I remember when Heston gave that speech, because I saw it on C-SPAN, and I hate to break it to you Sling Blade, but it was right after the Columbine massacre. I remember being very angry at the guy that he could be so insensitive right after those murders.

You are just another example of a right wing moron that believes everything Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity says to them. That is why you are so dangerous. You are a brain-dead cult with all the critical thinking skills of the Jonestown Kool-Aid drinkers. Get a life LOSER!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

68. you are disgustinged

[llmart]

71. You can always tell a freeper.....

because their spelling and grammar is so bad.

i.e., "hipocrites" - are they in the hippo family?
"occured" - didn't you forget an r?
"withing" - what the "Cheney" is that?
two incomplete sentences

Yep, hallmarks of a freeper "moran". Tee hee.

[takebackthewh]

76. Yep, hallmarks of a freeper "moran". Tee hee.

Hey grammar genius, the period goes inside the quote mark, not outside.

[TiredTexan]

81. Not if you're from Great Britain or Canada.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[buycitgo]

89. thanks, Abe

oh, never mind

[Chicago Democrat]

13. 40% is a little high... Catholics don't think like that.

and neither do most churchgoing christians. Maybe they are 20% at most; and even then they all aren't "believers".

[xray s]

15. definately 40% of the voting population though...

...and much higher in certain states, which carry a disporportinately high amount of influence compared to their population size due to the Electoral College and the way we elect the Senate .

[Chicago Democrat]

32. Definately concentrated in that crazy Red Belt Land where I feel hated

just for being me. Hey 20 or 40 that they are much more influential than they deserve is something everybody can believe in.

I would say that those types RUN places like only until they go too far and energise the rest of us. Who knew after Monica things would get so heavy so fast. I'm so hopeful. And be happy that those freaks are stuck in Kansas, imagine what they could do if they really took over.

[okieinpain]

43. no kidding, I'm really tripping off the quotes from some of these

supporters of bush. they remind me of little kids having a temper tantrum. no matter what you say, do, or show them, it has to be their way or no way.

[saigon68]

49. They are Brain Washed Serfs --- bowing to their MASTER

They are trolls just living under bridges.

[Mari333]

52. More here on the Armageddon Lobby

http://www.againstbombing.com/ArmageddonUpdates.htm
and remember...Texas has the least amount of high school graduates in the United States.

[evworldeditor]

83. Welcome to the world of the "true believer"

[bschoech]

4. Tired of the stereotype

"Michael Moore is definitely not to the average Texan's taste."

Ugh. I'm a Texan, all my friends are Texans, and my family is largely Texans, and we all agree that Fahrenheit 9/11 was incredible, and that Bush and his band of neoconservative thugs absolutely must go. There are Democrats in Texas too, a lot more than that stereotype would have one believe.

[DenverDem]

5. Kerry can win Texas.

Much work must be done.

[freeforall]

9. Welcome to DU bschoech!

There will probably be a lot more Dems in Texas after seeing the film!

:toast:

[TiredTexan]

37. Amen.............

To that. My whole Texas family has turned from Reagan Republicans to Clinton Democrats over the last 10 years. The more the right wing screamed, the more they lied, the more they tried to shut out alternative voices, the more members of my family left the party. Now there are none left, not one. Not even a spouse or child. It's been wonderful to watch. The last remnants of Republicanism were purged from the family after the 2000 cheating turned the stomach of the lone hold over. He's a rabid Democrat now.

Woohooo. Texas can be won by the Dems if we'll just organize. NO ONE LIKES TO BE TOLD WHAT TO THINK OR DO. ESPECIALLY NOT TEXANS.

[Downtown Hound]

79. I long for the day

that bad ass Texans like you are the majority. I've known quite a few awesome Texans in my life, and it pains me so to see an asshole like Bush claim a monopoly on what are otherwise a good a decent people. Carry on my friend! We're all rooting for you!

[TiredTexan]

82. Thanks a lot.

I really feel sorry for the people whose families are still Republicans. It has to feel really lonely.

[Lothar]

85. Yes

Yes, it does feel lonely. =(

[russian33]

6. Bush is the 'flower of the country'??????

:puke:
:puke:
:puke:
:puke:
:puke:

[freeforall]

10. LOL! He's confusing dandelions or other weeds

with flowers.

What kind of alternate reality are some of these people living in?

[Q3JR4]

24. At least dandelions are useful.....

[Lisa]

30. their "flower" is rapidly going to seed!

"Roundup" for the Connecticut Cowpoke?

[Kool Kitty]

42. Yeah-

a stinkweed. :puke: indeed.

[Citizen Daryl]

48. So he's a "pussywillow"? n/t

:evilgrin:

[SheepyMcSheepster]

72. i have heard gore vidal refer to him as the "yellow rose of texas"

i think it a very appropriate name for the shrub.

[harrison]

7. Ah, the true believers. Moore puts it right in front of them. Shows

them that the election was cooked, shows all the connections and they still go knee deep in denial.

Having lived around these type of folks my whole life, I said at the beginning of the war in Iraq that it is going to take THEIR children coming home in "transfer tubes", or missing their limbs, or eyesight, or other body parts, before they would see the light.

Hell, they are so far gone that when Moore puts Lila Lipscomb on the big screen right in front of them, they can't see it.

[sendero]

11. Nothing strikes me as more brain dead...

.... than anyone who thinks God has to commit election fraud to get his choice in office. Or that God would send a Boy to do a Man's job :)

[PartyPooper]

12. Junior might as well have been asleep in that classroom on 9/11.

"The fact that he sat for seven minutes without doing anything did not shock me. I think seven minutes of being contemplative is certainly not an unreasonable time period."

Well, DUH!

:wow:

[struggle4progress]

22. Apparently not in the EMS frame of mind. eom

[Lisa]

33. "contemplative" -- so next time their waitress is caught daydreaming ...

... they won't bawl her out for doing that in a time of pressing need. (Or more to the point, if a cop/firefighter/soldier/doctor is loafing and doesn't respond, the Repubs will be totally cool with them taking some "contemplative" time instead of actually doing something?)

Dream on! In my experience, these guys are usually the ones screaming the loudest if they feel they aren't being served adequately.

[progressivebydesign]

19. I've heard the remark that we're safer if Bush stays in.. WAAY too much!

Lately, I've read so many comments from right-wing lunkheads that allude to keeping Bush in office because it would be bad to switch leaders in mid-war. The comment of that one guy that "people are holding back attacks", because Bush is in office??? Give me a Cheney break!! Holding back? What ignorant people.

[thebigidea]

20. so how is it simultaneously hard to give away tix and half full?

[Dr Fate]

35. They made it up to make the article more interesting.

Good call.

[bleedingheart]

23. Thomas Jefferson wrote what I think is the best reply to conservatism

"I am certainly not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

Conservatives are still wearing the coats they wore as children...

[Ivan Zero]

31. "Defiantly putting his money down for Dodgeball"

That'll show Michael Moore a thing or two! :eyes:

[peekaloo]

53. that line made me chuckle!

ooooohhh tough guy! :scared:

[HuckleB]

34. That was funny.

George Bush is the most dishonest president in my lifetime. He is incredibly un-Christian, and he can barely speak a view of any kind. This Forrester is frickin' clueless. How does he hold down a job?

It's pitiful. They so want to believe in the goodness of this evil President that they live in such denial. I don't want to bring up Nazi Germany, but this is the mentality that allowed Hitler to come to power. And that's human reality. These are the "good Germans" of today's United States. Call that a cheap shot, if you will. The parallels of the propaganda of the big repeated lie in order to believe that you are a part of somehting good andpure are simply too eerie.

[bacchant]

36. Check this part out

"I have a fear that if he leaves office this year there is going to be a real big national security risk," he says. "A lot of people over there are holding back the threats right now."

How can they be so deluded?

[KurtNYC]

54. Hair of the dog

It is bizarre but not unlike the mindset that wakes up with a hang over and goes for more booze. It is as if they are saying the only cure for the problems which Bush ignored and/or increased is more Bush.

[bacchant]

77. Exactly

My question is, does Bush really have these folks snowed, or is it so difficult to critically examine their own beliefs, they prefer to believe nonsense?

[Lothar]

86. Both

n/t

[PittPoliSci]

39. holy fucking shit.

what the fuck?

He says he admires Bush's honesty, his Christian values, the black and white clarity of his views. "He is what he is," Forrester says.

that is the most dumb thing i think i've ever heard anyone ever say.

[SammyWinstonJack]

66. Is it any wonder that they worship *?

They seem to be just as simplistic in their thinking as he is. Deep thinkers, each and all. "He is what he is." :wow: :crazy: :eyes: And whatever happened to that "I'm with Stupid smilie? :shrug:

[Kilroy003]

84. John Edward said the same thing about * in new newsweek interview

I can't figure out how to post a link. I guess I'm dumb.

Anyway, Edwards says, "He is what he is".

I just thought it was funny reading it since I read your post earlier and you said it was the most dumb thing you've ever heard anyone say.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

40. Forrester is as UN-AMERICAN AS THEY GET!

[Pachamama]

44. The "Flower" needs some Round-up

:puke:

Flower? Yeah, like the flower of the plant that blooms and smells like rotting corpses (forget what its called)....

[kayell]

50. * is an Amorphophallus

or maybe nowadays more like this



Thank you, that concludes our horticulture lesson for the day.

[Puglover]

62. Amormophallus....

hey I have those...Amomorphallus Rivieri...they're great pot plants....don't besmirch them by comparing them to that fool Bush
lol

[Atlas Mugged]

70. Beatcha'!

I have a blooming size Amorphophallus paenifolius. Gonna' have a down-wind barbecue when it blooms. I have a lot of other Amorphos, too, but not A. titanum, yet.

[Pachamama]

67. Hee hee...thanks for the visual & horticulture/botany lessons-the name is

appropriate too...

My latin is a little rusty, but seems to describe Dimwit too....

[Rex]

45. My names Forrester Gump.

I am what I am - a stupid moran.

[Tripmann]

47. Contemplative??

What if those brave NY firefighters had also been 'contemplative' at the same time as Bush that morning, instead of risking (and in many cases losing) their lives TO DO THEIR JOBS AND PROTECT OTHERS.

We only ever learn the measure of a person when things go badly wrong. On 9/11 the world watched a city act with true heroism, now we get to see that while this was happening your 'leader' (not the real one i.e. Gore, the primate one) show what he's made of.

Farenheit 9/11 opens today in Ireland. My life is complete. Full report from this end on Monday fellow DUers!

Tripmann

[DaveSZ]

51. I agree

This guy is the most deluded person I've ever seen (or read about) other than my Fundie relative.

Fundamentalism and fascism really do go hand in hand.

[info being]

65. Whats the hell was he contemplating, beady eyes blinking

rapidly and darting around the room. F*ckign moron.

[Mari333]

57. That guy needs to enlist right away.....n/t

[Best_man23]

88. Yes, he should enlist

I'm thinking Army or Marine Corps and when he does, he needs to make sure he asks for MOS 11B if he's going into the Army or MOS 0311 if he's headed to the Marines.

Freepers, make sure to remember these two MOSs when you enlist; this way, you will be sure to see plenty of action.

[bleedingedge]

58. My favorite Republican dichotomy:

Hurwitz:" "He is an obese, dishevelled individual..."

Then later...

Hurwitz:"Let us put our mind in neutral..."

As yes, the neutral mind of Hurwitz, which sees fit to criticize Moore foremost for his weight and lack of proper dress.

In his defense, I think he meant to say "Let us put our mind in Off."

[JohnOneillsMemory]

60. MILITARY RECRUITMENT ADS IN THE PREVIEWS!?!

"At this cinema, the managers have not seen fit to remove the military recruitment ads from the previews."

Man, who's bright idea was that? To counter the footage of recruiters lying to kids in the 'poor folks' mall?

You all read, didn't you, that the 'No Child Left Behind' Act included universal access to children by military recruiters?

Fucking military vultures feeding on the ignorant, naive, or desperate.

[tom_paine]

61. A lot of latent homosexuality on the Bushevik side, isn't there?

Forrester describes himself as a "patriot's patriot", and the president as the "flower of the country".

I think if this Forrester fellow admitted his latent homosexuality, he wouldn't be so hateful or backed up.

What do the DU Homosexuals think?

[tangletimbo]

69. I'm in Houston as well

I'm in houston as well, and it's the talk of the town. We saw it opening night at the River Oaks theatre (richest part of town with the liberal movie house- go figure) and tickets were near to impossible to get and the lines were insane. I think there is obviously a big differnece between the rednecks out in the burbs and those of us in the urban part of town. Remember, just like all big cities, there are "two cities". BEAT THE HELL OUTTA GEORGE BUSH!