# Open Letter To Michael Moore **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 4, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916 "2004-11-04T03:46:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/41 "2004-11-04T14:17:53Z")
> [@Roseworm](#): > > In spite of his millions, Michael likes to pose as an Everyman So what? Just because you make a lot of money when you’re adult don’t mean you change as a person. I think Michael Moore is ok. Obviously his views are totally moonbat bullshit, but at least he has views and is not afraid to spew them left and right, which is good. And you can’t take away from him that he’s talented. He knows how to put together a movie that appeals to many people and crawls under your skin. Probably he’s only preaching for the choir but no doubt he knows that segment well. Also he’s got a sense of humour. Haven’t seen Fahrenheit, Bowling for Columbine was pretty funny sometimes. His self-criticism (as an American) is a sign of American strength not weakness. Bickering and self-criticism nearly always is. Noticed how his movies and books have done really well in Europe and the Middle East (funny that the French hasn’t decried it as cultural imperialism, hard to imagine an American cultural product more so). The day you see a French or a Syrian movie equally self-critical and popular is the day you Americans should start to worry your days as sole superpower is gone. I also think Ann Coulter is great. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/42 "2004-11-04T14:21:09Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Bullshit. He goes around the world encouraging people to distrust the current administration. As well we should. **That’s a far cry from hating America**. Unless, of course, you’re one of those “Either you’re with us or you’re against us” morons. > > And the more I hear Cult of Bush squawk about Moore, the more I tend to believe him. OK, I’ll add the full quote so I can figure out what you meant by it. That he doesn’t hate America? Doesn’t hate Americans? I don’t have a cite, but I trust someone will be along shortly to link to it. I’d bet my Pugs that he said in Europe something along the lines of Americans are stupid. It was the one with the line of watching an average American walk down the street with a vacuous or vacant look in his eyes. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/43 "2004-11-04T14:33:57Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > OK, I’ll add the full quote so I can figure out what you meant by it. That he doesn’t hate America? Doesn’t hate Americans? I would bet that he criticises this country because he cares about it. He hasn’t grown complacent like so many others have. And he’s trying to shake things up by being controversial and confrontational. Sounds like he’s at the very heart of caring very deeply. Does he hate the citizens of this country? Sounds to me like he’s more disappointed. And ashamed. Not an unreasonable stance if you ask me. By the way, when did hating America become such a crime? “He hates America” has become the worst thing you can say about someone. Why? Is it possible to hate your job and still be a good person? Is it possible to hate broccoli and still be a good person? Then why can’t you hate your country? It doesn’t make you a traitor. It does not make you guilty of sedition. It’s just an emotion. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/44 "2004-11-04T14:35:45Z")
> [@Ludicrous](#): > > Dear Michael, > > …Rest in peace. > > Sincerely, > > Ludicrous Let’s see now. MM was somewhat known but really on the B team of celebrities until he took a big swing at GW. MM made boatloads of cash ranting on GW. If GW disappears then MM might be concerned that his 15 minutes are up. GW doesn’t disappear. **Ludicrous** You’re so stupid that you think MM is going to crawl into a hole while his primary target, his source of big bucks, his cash cow is still around?!? When Kerry conceded the election I betcha MM’s eyes lit up and he heard this big ol’ ka-ching cash register sound in his head. I really wonder if some peole voted for Kerry just to get MM to shut up. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/45 "2004-11-04T14:38:28Z")
> [@Ludicrous](#): > > Dear Michael, > > Ha Ha you arrogant fuck. You’re not the voice of America. People did not buy into the conspiracies alluded to in your last movie. Rest in peace. > > Sincerely, > > Ludicrous > > ps. To all others who believed in Kerry: it was close and sorry, shit happens. Oh, and yes I saw Farenheit 9/11. I acknowledge that he absolutely does lie and make stuff up, or leave stuff out. But I’m glad you watched it all the same. Not all of it is a lie or made up. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/46 "2004-11-04T14:46:07Z")
**tdn** , if I ever said he hates the country, I shouldn’t have. I’m just trying to figure out where he’s coming from. It would be one thing to criticize an administration, another to personally insult the citizens of the country. I won’t even get into the fact he does it in foreign countries. What ever happened to Democrats saying politics stop at the border? Either way, Moore is a nonfactor to me and I don’t know why I even posted to this thread. I’ll leave it to people that know more about him than me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludicrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Ludicrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludicrous)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/47 "2004-11-04T17:51:00Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’ve been a member on this board for nearly 5 years now and I’ve seen people post some reprehensible shit. I’ve seen people getting banned for being obnoxious assholes. But I must say this is possibly the most hateful, ignorant, reprehensible crap I’ve ever read here. You should be ashamed. You should be banned. Fuck you. Are you kidding me? What ExTank wrote is pure poetry and should be lauded. I don’t care about Moore’s beliefs nor is that the foucs of this thread. He is an asshat pure and simple and needs to be derided and rediculed every chance he gets. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/48 "2004-11-04T18:01:11Z")
> [@Ludicrous](#): > > Are you kidding me? What ExTank wrote is pure poetry and should be lauded. I don’t care about Moore’s beliefs nor is that the foucs of this thread. He is an asshat pure and simple and needs to be derided and rediculed every chance he gets. You must be a real charmer with the ladies. How’s Rosy P doing anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/49 "2004-11-04T19:00:39Z")
> [@](#): > > The party of FDR has become the party of Michael Moore and [his film] ‘Fahrenheit 9/11,’ and it does not help us in big parts of the country. > > _Clinton White House chief of staff Leon E. Panetta_ [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23670-2004Nov3.html) He doesn’t seem to be saying that this is a good thing. However, as much fun I’m having right now thinking of Moore supporters sputtering over Mr. Panetta’s comment, I don’t really agree with him. All I think that Moore did was galvanize the opposite bases and the majority of people in the middle voted for reasons aside from Moore and his movies. In spite of my voting for Kerry and being saddened (and a little stressed) that he didn’t win I do find that the silver lining to all this is that Moore is not the galvanizing force of middle America that he likes to claim he is and will likely be pushed back to the fringe. With the possible exception of the Oscars I don’t think that we’ll be hearing about him quite so much in the future. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/50 "2004-11-04T20:51:26Z")
It’s a sad day for democracy whenever people equate “criticism of my country” with “hatred for my country.” The two are _not_ the same thing, as anyone who’s ever had to discipline a child knows. Michael Moore sees a problem with the nation, and tries his darndest to inform people about the problem so _they can fix it._ If that’s not the very definition of patriotism, I don’t know what is. And the idiots who retort, “My country, right or wrong!” always omit the rest of the quote: > [@](#): > > “My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and **if wrong, to be set right.** ” > –Sen. Carl Schurz ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/51 "2004-11-04T20:53:55Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Unless, of course, you’re one of those “Either you’re with us or you’re against us” morons. You mean Democrats? Because that’s pretty much how they ran their ABB campaign, and if you weren’t willing to fall down on your knees and testify that Bush is worse than Hitler, Stalin and Judas Iscariot combined, they were likely to call you a moron, an idiot or a warmonger too. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/52 "2004-11-04T22:14:14Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > OK, I’ll add the full quote so I can figure out what you meant by it. That he doesn’t hate America? Doesn’t hate Americans? > > I don’t have a cite, but I trust someone will be along shortly to link to it. I’d bet my Pugs that he said in Europe something along the lines of Americans are stupid. It was the one with the line of watching an average American walk down the street with a vacuous or vacant look in his eyes. Here ya go, **duf**. A couple of quick excerpts follow, then a link to a column in the NY Times: Columnist: “Like Hemingway, Moore does his boldest thinking while abroad. For example, it was during an interview with the British paper The Mirror that Moore unfurled what is perhaps the central insight of his oeuvre, that Americans are kind of crappy.” Moore: “They are possibly the dumbest people on the planet . . . in thrall to conniving, thieving smug [pieces of the human anatomy],” Moore intoned. “We Americans suffer from an enforced ignorance. We don’t know about anything that’s happening outside our country. Our stupidity is embarrassing.” and then, “That’s why we’re smiling all the time,” he told a rapturous throng in Munich. “You can see us coming down the street. You know, `Hey! Hi! How’s it going?’ We’ve got that big [expletive] grin on our face all the time because our brains aren’t loaded down.” The full column can be found here: > **[Opinion | All Hail Moore (Published 2004)](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/26/opinion/all-hail-moore.html)** > > David Brooks Op-Ed column assails filmmaker Michael Moore for insulting Americans in interviews and speeches throughout Europe and Japan and criticizing US for going to war in Iraq (M) and a Google search with similar examples of his behavior abroad keyed to these comments can be found here: [http://www.google.com/search?as\_q=michael+moore&num=100&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as\_epq=coming+down+the+street&as\_oq=&as\_eq=&lr=&as\_ft=i&as\_filetype=&as\_qdr=all&as\_nlo=&as\_nhi=&as\_occt=any&as\_dt=i&as\_sitesearch=&safe=images](http://www.google.com/search?as_q=michael+moore&num=100&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=coming+down+the+street&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&safe=images) What a guy! ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/53 "2004-11-04T22:55:07Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’ve been a member on this board for nearly 5 years now and I’ve seen people post some reprehensible shit. So? I’ve been a member before it was it’s own message board, and seen much worse from other posters directed at me specifically for no other eason than that I was a gun owner. Not because I’ve shot people. I haven’t. (Military service doesn’t count) Not because I leave guns lying about like candy for children to pick up. I don’t. Not because I buy/sell hundreds of guns a week without background checks. I don’t. Just because. > [@](#): > > I’ve seen people getting banned for being obnoxious assholes. Wishing death on people is a Bannable offense. Schadenfreude isn’t. > [@](#): > > But I must say this is possibly the most hateful, ignorant, reprehensible crap I’ve ever read here. Then pull your head out of your ass and open your fucking eyes to something other that the shiny-happy rose-colored view of this message board that you, in a state of self-delusion, seem to think exists. > [@](#): > > You should be ashamed. I am. That Americans lap up Michael Moore’s Anti-American hate-spew like a cur-mongrel lapping up a wino’s vomit. > [@](#): > > You should be banned. To bad. Suck the shit out of my ass and gag on it, you self-righteous prick. > [@](#): > > Fuck you. Not with Michael Moore’s dick, even if you looked like Britney Spears. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/54 "2004-11-04T23:11:10Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > And the idiots who retort, “My country, right or wrong!” always omit the rest of the quote: I’ve seen you smarm-monkeys quote that several times. How about quoting an instance of someone actually saying, ‘My country, right or wrong’? Or would that ruin your little sound bite? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/55 "2004-11-05T19:46:16Z")
> [@Roseworm](#): > > Considering the fact that this thread was started for the express purpose of bashing Michael Moore (or at least taunting him), most of the responses have been pretty weak tea. > > Let _me_ show you how to do it: > > I hate Michael Moore more than any other human being on the planet - _including_ Osama bin Laden. OBL is a foreigner and our sworn enemy. Fine. I can deal with that. But Michael Moore is an American citizen. And he makes a lot of money going around the world encouraging people to hate America and Americans. This is the very definition of sedition. > > _ **How big a step is it from hating Americans to killing Americans?** _ > > In spite of his millions, Michael likes to pose as an Everyman - a big, fat, jolly slob with no fashion sense who desperately needs a shave, a haircut and a long hot shower. But every time he opens his ugly yap, an innocent American (or one of our foreign friends) somewhere is marked for death. There is nothing funny about that. > > Michael Moore is a loathsome, bloated maggot - gorging himself on anti-American filth and corruption. The fact that Liberals and Democrats actually _embraced_ this stinking, appalling monster goes a long way toward explaining why they lost the 2004 elections so badly. I couldn’t have said it better myself, Roseworm. Moore certainly has the right to speak his mind but what he says is an irresponsible display of the right to free speech. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/56 "2004-11-05T19:58:31Z")
Thanks, **SA**. I was starting to worry I didn’t describe it clearly enough and noone would know what I was referring to. Close enough in my post, though. 🙂 Then you called me **duf**. For a moment I thought a was a hot young blond actress and reached for my tits. Then I realized it was shorthand. OK, NOW I’m getting worried. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/57 "2004-11-05T20:07:18Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > I’ve seen you smarm-monkeys quote that several times. How about quoting an instance of someone actually saying, ‘My country, right or wrong’? Is “You’re either with us or against us” better for you? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/58 "2004-11-05T20:27:27Z")
Nah, that won’t work, **Elvis.** You and I both know ol’ **Brutus** will simply nitpick the point to death, insisting to the heavens that the _exact_ wording must be adhered to, or the claim is false. After all, here’s a guy who _still_ believes George W. Bush never claimed Iraq was am “imminent” threat to the United States… (And really, has there ever been a political post from **Brutus** that wasn’t a thinly-veiled variant of “My Republican, right or wrong”?) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/59 "2004-11-05T20:29:07Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Then pull your head out of your ass and open your fucking eyes to something other that the shiny-happy rose-colored view of this message board that you, in a state of self-delusion, seem to think exists. > > That Americans lap up Michael Moore’s Anti-American hate-spew like a cur-mongrel lapping up a wino’s vomit. > > To bad. Suck the shit out of my ass and gag on it, you self-righteous prick. > > Not with Michael Moore’s dick, even if you looked like Britney Spears. I think you ought to give serious consideration to a change in career. You could get filthy rich writing children’s books. Suggested title for your first bedtime story: “The Three Fluffy Bunny Rabbits and the Wino’s Vomit” And if I looked like Britney Spears, do you honestly think I’d be spending my time on this board? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916/60 "2004-11-05T22:04:25Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > OK, NOW I’m getting worried. 😃 As well you should be, **duffer**. I called you duf, not Muffy. (I think you just wanted an excuse to grab your tit.) But not to worry; I shan’t do it again. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-letter-to-michael-moore/272916.md?page=4)