The Hypocrisy that is Michael Moore
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Right off the bat I’ll tell you that I’m pretty liberal and I voted with the Green Party in 2008. I like to listen to all sides of an issue, and I have also been a fan of Michael Moore and his films over the past several years. But recently some information has been come to light that has me questioning Mr. Moore’s motivations and I feel compelled to write about it given its relevance to this blog.
I learned from a reliable source that Michael Moore has managed to squash (for lack of a better word) the premier of a film that is critical of both his movies and his film making tactics. The movie, Shooting Michael Moore, was scheduled to open at Carmike’s Horizon Cinemas in Traverse City, Michigan, earlier this month - right in Moore’s back yard - but was abruptly cancelled. The movie is the brainchild of Kevin Leffler, a school mate of Moore’s. It is directed, narrated and financed - in large part - by Leffler. It has run in both Detroit and Miami without incident. According to Leffler, there’s no reason for the movie to be pulled other than the fact that the Oscar-winning Moore has let it be known that he did not want the movie to run.
If this is the case, it appears that Michael Moore doesn’t like to be on the other side of the bright lights but, for better or worse, that is sometimes where one ends up when living life in the public eye. The question is whether or not one has the right to suppress information the public has a right to learn.
A call to violence?
Leading the charge against Leffler’s film in Traverse City is Jeff Gibbs, who worked with Moore on both Fahrenheit 911 and Bowling for Columbine. Gibbs says the title of the Leffler movie, Shooting Michael Moore, is a “thinly veiled call to violence” against Moore. Leffler insists, however, that the title simply refers to “shooting with a camera.” He even volunteered to change the title of the film to Exposing Michael Moore if it meant he could have his film shown, but to no avail. A spokesman for Carmike stated that he did not know why the chain had pulled the movie, lending credence to Leffler’s claim that it was pulled because Moore wanted it pulled. Says Leffler, “The fact that Michael Moore has the power to pressure a national theater chain to pull a movie critical of him is sad. All sides of an issue should be aired.”
This accusation that the title of the film is a call to violence against Michael Moore simply doesn’t ring true. 
Leffler points out that there is absolutely no call for violence against Moore in the film. Herein lies one of the hypocrisies of being Michael Moore: Moore himself can be said to be encouraging violence in his own book, Downsize This. In a chapter titled “How to Conduct the Rodney King Commemorative Riot,” Moore encourages blacks and Hispanics to riot again to mark the fifth anniversary of the Rodney King beating. In fact, he tells them not to burn down their own neighborhoods but rather to follow La Cienega directly into the neighborhoods of the wealthy and riot there.
No stranger to controversy
Michael Moore has been no stranger to controversy over the years. Opponents have called his films deceptive and inaccurate. He has also been accused of deceptive editing, staging or scripting of scenes, or altering the original intent of comments made during the making of his films.
If Mr. Leffler’s film is more of the same, then Michael Moore should be familiar with the drill. There is no shortage of anti-Michael Moore sites on the Internet. If someone had attempted to squash the premiere of Fahrenheit 911, Bowling for Columbine, or Sicko, Michael Moore would be the first in line to scream ‘conspiracy’ and invoke his First Amendment rights.
It’s time for Michael Moore to step aside and let the film run in the interest of protecting everyone’s First Amendment rights.
Comment by Chief Hypocrite on 28 January 2009:
Thanks for your support of non partisan freedom of speech. You might want to read about some of the pro movie, “Shooting Michael Moore” or it’s changed name “Exposing Michael Moore”, since violence is the last thing the movie is about as any one who has seen it knows. These are just a sample of some letters to the editor in one local. Jeff Gibbs says it it a bad movie. Later he said he has not see it. How do they ever get their movies done? Guess we just have to overlook a lot.
For any one willing, go to carmike.com look for movie times, first going to the state then the town. If you are close to that town or know anyone who is, consider looking the theater manager in the face and asking why they reneged on their contract to show Shooting Michael Moore. Make a phone call to them and even better write a letter to the local.
Then see if you know of any friends in any of those other cities who would be willing to put some pressure on Carmike, asking them to speak to CarMike Cinemas about reneging on their deal to show Shooting Michael Moore in Traverse, City. They had also talked about financing advertizing for a wide run in their many theatres. Now they say they will no show the movie periodl There are over maybe 250 Carmike Cinemas you can see on carmike.com. Let’s see if all of them can hear from us to”Show the Movie”, now called Exposing Michael Moore. Think of it as a Free Michael Moore campaign. Let us know which locations you have contacted by leaving a comment below this one. Thanks.
Comment by Nat N on 7 February 2009:
Your point is valid that movies generally should not be suppressed. But I am curious why you don’t say a word about the movie itself. By any chance, is it a propaganda movie to discredit Michael Moore because he is being effective in pushing certain progressive agenda, like health care, Bush crimes, etc.? I have not seen the movie but I would like to know what you think is the motivation for that movie. After all, the subjects that Michael Moore deals with in his documentaries are important national issues but Michael Moore himself is not an important national issue, as far as I can see. So, what is the motivation of that movie to specifically target Michael Moore? If it can be said that the movie is really a propaganda movie to destroy Moore, then, well, it may still be wrong to suppress it but it has a whole different feel to it.
Comment by Chief Hypocrite on 7 February 2009:
Nat N, your opinion is so common. First, that it is a propaganda film. Some bloggers have spent hours and hours in the futile attempt to find the hidden big pharma or other such odious money behind it. Could not be moore wrong. Second, Moore deals with important national issues and why should he be a target of a movie? Moore so misuses his talents as to create misinformation and thus support for his proganda. One, like Leffler, does not have to be happy with America’s health care system to see the outright manipulation that misinforms many on what we all believe are important issues. Call carmike.com cinemas and tell them you want to Free Michael Moore, Exposing a funny, honest, hard hitting propagandless movie that will not be shown because of the abusively disguised of propaganda power exerted by Michael Moore. You should see the outrageous letter his clones wrote that killed the movie and then see the movie and then look at yourself in the mirror.
Comment by Robert on 7 February 2009:
Nat N. go see the movie then offer an opion. Regardless Moore’s afraid to be exposes for his HYPOCRISY se he’s trying to supress the truth.
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