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Moore calls silent majority to action
Matt St. John
Special to The Ebbtide
Michael "We Want" Moore spoke at SCC April 15 to an enthusiastic crowd which filled the gymnasium to capacity (and many couldn't get tickets as the speech had been sold out since January). There were about 20 protesters, but there were no heated confrontations, and the couple of those individuals who obviously disagreed with either some of the veracity of the content of "Bowling for Columbine" or Moore's facts or points of view, were patiently and respectfully addressed.
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| Photo by Christopher Nelson |
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Michael Moore holds a press conference in the Foss Building before giving his lecture. |
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Moore seemed to be a regular guy who happens to have extraordinary courage, challenging large corporations and powerful institutions like General Motors, Bush's administrative policies on the war in Iraq, the economy, constitutional freedoms, the environment, etc. His web site, www.MichaelMoore.com, pulls no punches, although Saddam and George W. have their dukes up. His talent for delivering disturbing information in a way which is oftentimes humorous and hopeful is amazing.
Moore had two main themes during the evening: most Americans believe in so-called "liberal" issues, and even though media moguls control what the masses read and watch, they are not representing actuality, rather a "fictitious" reality which people believe because they are bombarded with threatening images and stories 24/7.
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| Photo by Christopher Nelson |
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Michael Moore lectures to a sold-out audience in the Gymnasium on campus. |
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He reminded us of unsettling parallels between George Orwell's "1984" and our current times when those in power make people afraid, so they are willing to give up their civil rights to be protected from the created enemy of choice, whether it is the former USSR or Iraq. Keep the people afraid so they will be distracted from little promoted, but profound changes in legislation which are undermining American's freedoms and opportunities. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act passed, allowing media companies to conglomerate, thereby severely reducing opposing voices and attacking the Freedom on the press. Just look at what happened recently with Martin Sheen and others speaking out against the war. The coverage in the media has been overwhelmingly negative, even calling the Hollywood president a traitor.
Most of the rest of the world listens to reports which are very different from what we are given. For example, we don't hear much about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, which many believe is the underlying cause of the war. Oil is clearly an issue as well, as there are many examples - North Korea comes to mind - which have regimes with a greater potential to harm us with weapons of mass destruction. Yet our leaders seem to be following the money.
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| Photo by Christopher Nelson |
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Michael Moore takes time to give an interview to a Japanese journalist. |
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It wasn't quite an old-time revival meetin', but Michael did instill hope in the people's power to change the way things are run in order to protect our democracy from those neo-fascist flag wavers and elites who manipulate the masses. A good place to start is to repeal Telecommunications Act, so that we can have independent media which will encourage truth in reporting, provide different points of view, and not just cause the people to dance to the media moguls' piping, playing their popular propaganda hits. Another way to get involved is to attend the precinct delegate meetings which may lead to representation at the state convention. Washington is a primary state.
There is a saying: the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Now is the time to seek out ways that you can get your voice heard. There are so many web sites and links, and Moore's is a good place to start. Democracy requires effort and action. Imagine what other atrocities will happen to our nation and around the world if this administration and others like it act unopposed. Democracy demands that all voices be heard, not just the rich and powerful who lie to line their pockets and expand their power at our expense.
© 2003 Shoreline Community College™
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