Why the hatred for Michael Moore?

jaim · 06-12-2006, 2:48 AM

I asked this an another thread but I figured it might be worth its own thread.
I have seen the movie about Flint Michigan and Fahrenheit 911. Have yet to see the Columbine movie. I have heard and read the issues with the way he makes his "documentaries." Why do people on the right so vehemently hate this guy? Sure you can dislike him but it goes well beyond dislike into an outright hatred that is usually only found in radical fanaticists.

Scout · 06-12-2006, 3:41 AM

You know, Michael Moore is almost a necessary evil, and no Jaim, I don't think he's any more evil than any media outlet.

I just don't have to respect him or his ilk.

Repeater · 06-12-2006, 3:45 AM

!**** it why bother!

and yes i am an independant thinker

Scout · 06-12-2006, 4:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repeater

!**** it why bother!

and yes i am an independant thinker

C'mon Repeater, spill it.

luvtolean · 06-12-2006, 5:51 AM

Because I hate the way he makes America look to the world using what I consider downright unethical filmmaking to push his agenda.

I have no problem pointing out our warts on film, I think it's healthy actually, but Mikey uses "creative" editing of his interviews to twist it to the point it's awful. Nothing the media doesn't do often, but Mike manages to get it sold around the world. And international people, not necessarily knowing much about the US, get his message as the "truth".

I've been in bookstores overseas where more than half of ALL english titles on the shelves are Michael Moore books. Makes me want to vomit.

If there was a conservative filmmaker (that I knew of anyway) doing the same thing, I'd hate them just as much.

As far as inside the US, as a liberal friend said to me, "if someone believes a word that idiot says, they're completely gone anyway...Mike didn't change their minds...".

Baketech · 06-12-2006, 6:09 AM

To that I would add, disgust is not the same as hate.

I don't care enough about that idiot to waste any time hating on him. Not to mention that it's probably impossible to hate someone that you pity anyway...

gt702 · 06-12-2006, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Because I hate the way he makes America look to the world using what I consider downright unethical filmmaking to push his agenda.

To me, his approach creates 1 sided lies, and sells them as truth. Not only does he not display the other half of the argument, he twists things such as to discredit and scare people away from the other half of the story. He makes villians so he can profit. In these ways he is worse than the people he is after.

And I'm with Baketech. I don't value him enough to hate, but he epitomizes the vile nature of self-serving journalism that would rather incite hatred than to find real solutions.

CBRVFR · 06-12-2006, 11:25 AM

He gleefully feeds on the tears of people who are victims of tragedy, as long as he can portray himself to be better, smarter, or more worldly.If he can attribute their misery to this country or the society, all the better.

He's as much of a liar as any politician, lawyer, or talking head. Why wouldn't you despise him?

schnogg · 06-12-2006, 11:46 AM

Generally, people make up their own minds on their own. The problem is that they don't listen to opposing viewpoints with an open mind. They say "I love Michael moore, he is so right", when what they feel is "I love Michael Moore, He says what I already think".
It's not that he is right or wrong, that is interesting, it is that people get upset about opposition.

That, and how does someone delcare war on a concept?
What if I declare war on Fear? Is that acceptable?
I declare war on hunger! My sandwich is about to become an incidental casuality.

gt702 · 06-12-2006, 11:57 AM

[quote=schnogg]They say "I love Michael moore, he is so right", when what they feel is "I love Michael Moore, He says what I already think".
It's not that he is right or wrong, that is interesting, it is that people get upset about opposition.
quote]

I have to disagree here.

In some cases I agree that what he is talking out against is wrong, but he does it in such an outlandish way that he discredits the argument and confuses the issues for those who are really trying to make a difference. I'm sometimes embarrassed to be associated with certain causes because he makes such a mockery of it, and I don't want to be associated with him, in any way. So it isn't always that people are upset about opposition, they do that too, but that he makes a circus out of what people have put serious efforts into building.

nedro · 06-12-2006, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaim

I asked this an another thread but I figured it might be worth its own thread.
I have seen the movie about Flint Michigan and Fahrenheit 911. Have yet to see the Columbine movie. I have heard and read the issues with the way he makes his "documentaries." Why do people on the right so vehemently hate this guy? Sure you can dislike him but it goes well beyond dislike into an outright hatred that is usually only found in radical fanaticists.

Yellow journalism. Nuff said.

esoteric · 06-12-2006, 12:41 PM

I'm neither right wing nor left wing, but much of what's said above I agree with. Had a college teacher for "American Studies" trying to show his film in class or give extra credit for seeing it. My strong (and almost exclusive) dissent in class got the film eliminated in all ways and earned me enough disfavor to pickup my lowest college grade in a BS class (C). He then tried to arrange an open campus screening with several other instructors and the Dean terminated that.

gthotchkiss · 06-12-2006, 1:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esoteric

I'm neither right wing nor left wing, but much of what's said above I agree with. Had a college teacher for "American Studies" trying to show his film in class or give extra credit for seeing it. My strong (and almost exclusive) dissent in class got the film eliminated in all ways and earned me enough disfavor to pickup my lowest college grade in a BS class (C). He then tried to arrange an open campus screening with several other instructors and the Dean terminated that.

Show that ucktard teacher.... lol

Seriously though, I think LuvtoLean said it best, when it gives foreign countries a false sense of what is going on in this country....

Sweet.... lets make the world hate America even more...

esoteric · 06-12-2006, 1:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gthotchkiss

Seriously though, I think LuvtoLean said it best, when it gives foreign countries a false sense of what is going on in this country....

Well, it even gives our citizens a false sense of what's going on in this country. It's not journalism if it's capitalist. It's sensationalist propaganda with the intent to cash in on an ignorant and inattentive public.
If anythign else, in another class I was sitting next to this hot Hawaiian chick that was "interested" and despite my agreement that Bush was a ****tard, her little mind wasn't able to grasp what that movie was really about/for and I didn't get laid. Michael Moore sucks ass

jaim · 06-12-2006, 9:10 PM

Okay, so I have read all the responses so far and all the things attributed to Michael Moore can be attributed to the Bush administration. "How he makes America look to the world" , "his approach creates 1 sided lies", "he twists things such as to discredit and scare people away from the other half of the story. He makes villians so he can profit." , "It's sensationalist propaganda with the intent to cash in on an ignorant and inattentive public." Yet the same disgust and outrage is not directed towards Bush or his administration.

Some of you said you don't hate him but are disgusted with him or don't respect him. Yet there are those out in the world and probably on this board who would have Moore killed in a public execution. I still don't get it. He is an entertainer. Plain and simple. He makes movies to promote his views and beliefs. You can take them or leave them. But when was the last time Moore passed a law that made it illegal for you to talk to a lawyer if charged under the suspicion of terrorism? Or when has he fought for oil companies to get government money to do exploration for oil? Moore isn't my favorite person in the world but believe it or not he is actually sticking up for the little guy. When was the last time you could say the same about an elected official.

Baketech · 06-12-2006, 9:12 PM

Where's that pic of the bunny with a pancake on it's head...

Latebraking · 06-12-2006, 9:19 PM

I agree with the others' responses toward this thread and all I can say is that if you think he's 'just' an entertainer with no real influence then that is your opinion. If you feel he is an innocuous individual who does not merit our derision (but you did ask our opinion) then that is your opinion - but it doesn't seem to be ours. You spoke your mind, we spoke ours and that's the beauty of our country - we don't have to agree with each other.

I'd hate to see what sort of laws he'd try to pass if he were president, based on his filmaking agendas. Fortunately, that occasion will never come to pass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaim

Okay, so I have read all the responses so far and all the things attributed to Michael Moore can be attributed to the Bush administration. "How he makes America look to the world" , "his approach creates 1 sided lies", "he twists things such as to discredit and scare people away from the other half of the story. He makes villians so he can profit." , "It's sensationalist propaganda with the intent to cash in on an ignorant and inattentive public." Yet the same disgust and outrage is not directed towards Bush or his administration.

Some of you said you don't hate him but are disgusted with him or don't respect him. Yet there are those out in the world and probably on this board who would have Moore killed in a public execution. I still don't get it. He is an entertainer. Plain and simple. He makes movies to promote his views and beliefs. You can take them or leave them. But when was the last time Moore passed a law that made it illegal for you to talk to a lawyer if charged under the suspicion of terrorism? Or when has he fought for oil companies to get government money to do exploration for oil? Moore isn't my favorite person in the world but believe it or not he is actually sticking up for your rights. When was the last time you could say the same about an elected official.

nhfirefighter13 · 06-12-2006, 9:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaim

He makes movies to promote his views and beliefs. You can take them or leave them.

No, what he does is claim to make truthful documentaries about political/social issues but instead lies through his teeth in the hopes of brainwashing the ignorant.

He is nothing more than a lying sack of ****.

And, as a side note, were he nothing more than a film maker claiming to make movies for entertainment or even a movie to express his point of view, I'd have absolutely no problem with him. The First Amendment allows him to do so. As soon as he claims to be reporting the truth, however, he's instant scum.