The Cult vs. Fahrenheit 9/11
 

The First Amendment is the very cornerstone of American Democracy. As Americans, the right to say what we want, and to see what we want has been jealously guarded and paid for with the blood of patriots. Even if we didn't like what someone had to say, we were willing to fight for their right to say it.

We could tolerate a diversity of political opinions, and after hearing them debated were able to satisfy the directive of the Constitution to make our choice as an informed public. When did the American Eagle become an ostrich?

Michael Moore's film, Fahrenheit 9/11 is a controversial film that deals with the Bush administration's actions after we were attacked in New York and Washington. Regardless of your political persuasion, it is an important period in our nation's history and an event of major proportions. There should be a natural curiosity to hear all the different takes on it, even if it is one you eventually dismiss totally or in part.

Reviews of the award winning film have said it is critical of the Bush administration, yet the audience at the Cannes Film Festival gave a twenty minute standing ovation when it was announced as the winner. Some people obviously found something they thought was worthwhile about Moore's work. Republican supporters of Bush however, engaged in an activity equal in un-American spirit to the McCarthy hearings. They have attempted to prevent the film from being shown with organized efforts to intimidate and threaten theater owners. This is an effort to impose censorship on Americans by fellow Americans.

What is the effect George W. Bush has on these supporters that causes them to close their mind to any opinion other than the "official" one the White House tells them to espouse? They refuse to see or hear anything that would contradict it. In a poll that asked voters if they intended to see Fahrenheit 9/11, only 2.4% of Republicans said they would. The other 97.6% wouldn't tolerate the divergent point of view. Not only don't they want to see the film, they want to prevent anyone else from seeing it as well. They don't see the irony of denying a Constitutional right in order to promote the election of someone whose oath of office binds him to protect those Constitutional rights.

This cult-like attitude is un-democratic, un-American and dangerous since it attempts to impose a censored, narrow world-view with one "state approved" policy. That's not America. That's a dictatorial police state.

Intolerance toward a different opinion leads to intolerance toward any difference, in religion, race, nationality, etc. It would be a repression of all of our values and ideals, a suppression of equality and freedom, the destruction of democracy.

This Neo Con cult cannot be allowed to prevail. Ensuring the successful showing of Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 is our defining moment whether you agree with it or not. Everything depends on it.

6-23-04