Thoughts on Farenheit 911...(m)

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thoughts on Farenheit 911...(m)
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Tue, 07-06-2004 - 10:58am
From those who actually SAW it...This is my critique from the Politics board.

Just got back from the theater....A very good documentary or what ever you want to consider it. I laughed ALOT which actually in itself is kind of sad. I also cried a little. Did I walk away angry? maybe a little. What did I learn that I didn't know before? The extent of the Bush family and their ties to the Bin Ladens and Saudi Arabia. If we don't question this as citizens of this country then we live with the consequences. If what Michael Moore says is untrue than why don't they sue him??? I have heard nothing from them at all. After seeing this movie I was surprised that the best argument that I have seen that this movie is made up is the part about the senator and his son being in the military. With so much to work with and that is the BIG LIE you all come up with??? Have I missed something while being on vacation??? To many funny parts to go into but one of my favorites was the scene with Ashcroft running aganist the Dead Guy in Missouri and losing. As a proud Missourian I can tell you that was sooooo true and everyone in the theater clapped at that part. But do not fear Republicans I think the hype is pretty much over, the theater was half empty. Also I will add that Michael Moore did not let the

democrats off easy either. He made it perfectly clear that they took it up the back side on the 2000 election. I understand that their hands were tied with what happened in Florida and this country could not afford to be without a Government while they fought the injustices that were done but it still painful to watch. For anyone reading this who is still not sure who to vote for, go see this movie and when you walk out think about why the Bush family is not defending themselves aganist this so call "Fictional" movie.

Let me ad that I am NOT a Michael Moore fan and have never seen his work before. The fact is that News Footage does not lie, paper trails don't lie the actual words spoken by this President don't lie...Any time the Bush family wants to discredit what was said.....I'll be waiting....


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Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 10:53am
I have no doubt that the Bush family and the administration all saw the film. I'm sure they could pull a few strings and have a private screening. They do not want to comment on it to give it any more credence (free publicity?). I'm sure there's a whole coterie of folks digging up arguments and proofs of exagarations but unless they can come out with a real AHA! out and out total lie....it's best that they keep a low profile on this and hope that it blows over and the American people forget it before November.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 10:54am
Hi,

I want to understand what happened in the begining. I am not from US originally so I didn't understand what was happening with Al Gore and Blacks. Why were they not able to get any senate signatures? Can some one please explain?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 10:55am
Difficult I know....but I can tell you that if it were a Democratic president doing the same thing I'd be just as pissed off. I'm in a strange situation being Canadian. Many have told me I have no real right to comment. It's not like I can effect anything at all but still I'm frustrated by this war and I'm saddened to see the sharp divide among Americans as well.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:03am
<
the reason I thought he made a poor point is that those congressmen/women do not have conrol over the career choices of their adult children or nephews etc.>>

Yes but it was classic Moore. Proabaly one of the only scenes in the movie that was....he probably couldn't help himself. *wink* I am glad that he restrained himself for most of the film....while I find these tactics of his somewhat amusing (if not a bit uncomfortable and grating) this is what people often hate most about him. This movie was too important to allow himself to get in the way.

I beg to differ however....the congressmen/women DO have an influence (or did while their child was growing up) just by the advantages their kids had and the gentle lifelong guiding and nurturing of their interests and abilities towards careers that were outside the military. Mommy and Daddy had enough money to get them into good schools and send them on good trips so going into the military for a free education and to see the world would not have been an attractive option.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:06am
>>>The kids that were being targetted at the mall for the most part looked like future grunts. Cannon fodder....boots on the ground....whatever you want to call it.

yes, that is the reality, although all recruits can look at the list of career options and take tests to see what they can qualify for. Some people don't want to go in as grunts and some do. moore's portrayal is fairly accurate in that the military has a better chance recruiting in areas where people have less opporutnity and the incentives the military offers are attractive. Recruiting is not confined to malls in poor areas though, they do go to a variety of places, including high schools and colleges on career days. I don't see that as being a negative, that is just the way it is when we need to rely on a volunteer military.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:11am
<>

I know that. There are two types of soldiers in the military really. Educated ones that are highly trained and rise in the ranks and those that get to lead the way into the gunfire that are more expendable. I'm sure the real plums in the recruiting drives are those they can pick up from colleges because the military does need those type of people to fill the skilled positions. Also, with the advent of technology and such there is more of a need for skilled people in the military.

Of course that was a side that Moore didn't show - interviewing some of the many who got their education through the military that might otherwise not have had the opportunity. (though he did show the part in the interview where Lila explaind why she encouraged her kids to join up for those advantages).






Edited 7/7/2004 11:15 am ET ET by suemox

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Registered: 03-18-2000
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:17am

I didn't know either, so I'm quoting another post, from Dublingrl (Post 6725 #702)


"Gore asked them not to. He didn't want the situation not to drag on any longer. I do not think he had the right to do that. Basically he muzzeled our representatives. It still infuriates me."


Remember how the Florida votes were contested? In many black districts people were turned away at the polls when they went to vote. People who were registered to vote

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:17am
>>>I beg to differ however....the congressmen/women DO have an influence (or did while their child was growing up) just by the advantages their kids had and the gentle lifelong guiding and nurturing of their interests and abilities towards careers that were outside the military<<<

I have to laugh, not at you, but suemox, you are talking about me in this paragraph yet my son decided he wanted to join the marines. Never in a million years would I have guessed my son would be in the military and yes, he had all the advantages and gentle guiding and nurturing of interests outside the military. It never occurred to me to consider military as a career choice. A lot of the people who are targetted in the poorer areas aren't influenced to join by their parents any more or than congressmen/women, they are influenced by the desire for opportunities.

>>>Mommy and Daddy had enough money to get them into good schools and send them on good trips so going into the military for a free education and to see the world would not have been an attractive option.<<<

There are millions of families who can afford good schools and send their children to college who don't think of pushing their kids into a military career, so I still don't think you can critisize senators for the career options of their children.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:27am
Yes, kids will do what you least expect it sometimes. I have the opposite problem. My Dad was a pilot in the air force, I was an air cadets and then was in the army reserves for 3 years. I always felt my military experienced built a lot of character and was really enlightening. I have 2 sons and I always thought that I would encourage them to check it out. My husband (who is perpetually late and poorly organized) I alwyas felt would have benifitted from a short stint in the military.

Now, with what is going on in the world which I don't think will solve itself anytime soon....in fact I expect things to escalate and draw other countries into it (whether they like it or not). I am seriously having grave doubts about encouraging my children to go into the military.

<>

I don't think the critisism was against what their kids did for a living....I think it had more to do with the fact that congress voted for the war and they really had nothing at stake. One wonders how a vote like this would have gone if most of the members had children and they were voting to send their own children off to fight in the war. Methinks that things would have gone a lot differently and I think that was the point Moore was trying to make.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:31am
Do you feel that what moore was saying is:

Senators who don't and haven't seemed to encourage their own children (although we don't really know what they have discussed as career options with their children)towards a career in the military, and therefore are comfortable sacrificing others?



alfie

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