From: "Eric" <ericandmary-AT-earthlink.net>
Subject: RE: Notes on Fahrenheit 9/11
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 22:57:15 -0500


Judy,

Even though I talked about how the happy-talk and market-driven nature
of journalism in America tends to make it mind-numbing and superficial
without any specific political agenda, I also recognize that Fox news,
Murdoch enterprises, and Clear Channel do have a specific interest. Yes,
Virginia, there is a corporate conspiracy.

About a year and a half ago, I was in Nashville and decided to attend
the Grand Ole Oprey, even though I'm absolutely not a fan of country
music. I ended up (somewhat to my own surprise) enjoying the show
immensely, but was slightly annoyed with cheap attempts on the part of
some performers to drape themselves with jesus and the flag.  

Unlike the Linda Ronstadt concert, I didn't attempt to tear down the
posters and demand my money back. After all, I am a communist and
therefore a civilized person.  You see, such is the pernicious effect of
happy-talk that people will complain about any criticism of the status
quo as merely being negative, yet if people ever complain about these
silly sentimental displays for god and country they are accused of being
un-American and godless card-carrying liberals.

And that is why treacle continues to Donald trump thought every day here
in America. First we must see ourselves as victims and then we must be
enthusiastic.

As far as Michael Moore is concerned, you are right, I may have been
reading too much in the argument he was making. I remember reading
another comment that said Moore attempted to perfectly mirror Bush in
this movie. 

Just as Bush constantly associated Iraq with Al Qaeda without ever
explicitly saying so, Moore, as a form of parody, constantly associated
the Bush family with the Saudi royal family without every saying so as
well.  

Ah the power of media to connect the dots and lift us up in this
terribly confusing and complex world. Thank you jesus for giving us
reality television because you know without it we couldn't handle the
real stuff and would just be left behind.    

Eric

Kidding aside, watching Fahrenheit 9/11 made me proud to be an American
and I haven't felt that way for a long time.