‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ ban?

[mayor]

I am OPPOSED to McCain/Feingold, but I think it is hilarious that it might come back and bite liberals in the butt!

The following are excerpts from

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‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ ban?
Ads for Moore’s movie could be stopped on July 30
By Alexander Bolton

Michael Moore may be prevented from advertising his controversial new movie, “Fahrenheit 9/11,” on television or radio after July 30 if the Federal Election Commission (FEC) today accepts the legal advice of its general counsel.

At the same time, a Republican-allied 527 soft-money group is preparing to file a complaint against Moore’s film with the FEC for violating campaign-finance law.

In a draft advisory opinion placed on the FEC’s agenda for today’s meeting, the agency’s general counsel states that political documentary filmmakers may not air television or radio ads referring to federal candidates within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general election.

The opinion is generated under the new McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law, which prohibits corporate-funded ads that identify a federal candidate before a primary or general election.

Should the six members of the FEC vote to approve the counsel’s opinion, it could put a serious crimp on Moore’s promotion efforts. The flavor of the movie was encapsulated by a recent review in The Boston Globe as “the case against George W. Bush, a fat compendium of previously reported crimes, errors, sins, and grievances delivered in the director’s patented tone of vaudevillian social outrage.”

The FEC ruling may also affect promotion of a slew of other upcoming political documentaries and films, such as “Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War,” which opens in August, “The Corporation,” about democratic institutions being subsumed by the corporate agenda, or “Silver City,” a recently finished film by John Sayles that criticizes the Bush administration.

Since the FEC considers the Republican presidential convention scheduled to begin Aug. 30 a national political primary in which Bush is a candidate, Moore and other politically oriented filmmakers could not air any ad mentioning Bush after July 30.
That could make advertising for the film after July difficult since it is all about the Bush administration and what Moore regards as its mishandling of the war on terrorism and the decision to invade Iraq.

David Bossie, the president of Citizens United, plans to allege that “Fahrenheit 9/11” violates federal election law, arguing that “Moore has publicly indicated his goal is to impact this election season.”

“I don’t think much of Michael Moore or his two-hour political advertisement — that’s all it is,” Bossie said. “He uses all of these words to make it look like he makes documentaries, but it’s the furthest thing from the truth. Documentaries tend to be fact-based.”

[ShainaT]

C'mon!! Does this hoopla remind anyone of Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ"? Geez!!

All this publicity is helping the movie buzz!

Isn't there a saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity?

[auryn]

Hahaha, that would be GREAT! Go ahead and let them ban him. What more could this movie need to prove it's entire point that to have that happen? I seriously cannot think of any better publicity. It seems to me that most of the people I hear talking about the movie now are conservatives anyway! They're "complaining" about it, but really they are just publicizing it even more.

As long as this movie gets released on DVD in October, I'm sure word of mouth will suffice just fine. Because honestly, I have not seen any advertisements for it! Everything I know about it I either heard from some right winger talking crap about it, or from people who have already realize the truth expressed in the movie.

[mayor]

I'm certain plenty of people will see it. As for truth in the movie, even your liberal friends are skewering it for its deceptive nature. If you want to buy into it and be a cheerleader, that's your choice. I've got some beachfront property in Nebraska awaiting your purchase.

Here is an interesting fact-sheet which may open the eyes of movie-goers.

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My point was not about this particular movie anyhow. It was how this stupid legislation is coming around to defeat liberal purposes. I find it quite amusing.

Mayor

[auryn]

I've got some beachfront property in Nebraska awaiting your purchase.

Seeing how you believe Bush's lies, I can probably imagine how you acquired it.

[mayor]

Originally Posted by auryn

Seeing how you believe Bush's lies, I can probably imagine how you acquired it.

Nice dig. Did you read the fact sheet? What do you dispute in it?

Mayor

[auryn]

Originally Posted by mayor

Nice dig. Did you read the fact sheet? What do you dispute in it?

I did read it. There is nothing in there I dispute. I don't doubt that Michael Moore said any of those things, and some of them I agree with.

*I think Americans are very stupid (And I am not talking abotu individuals here, I am saying that as a whole, Americans are very ignorant to the rest of the world, while at the same time expecting everyone to be tolerant of us). I know he doesn't think I'm stupid, I'm on his side! But seriously, even though you and I disagree, I don't think you are stupid. I do however, agree with the quotes from Moore about Americans being stupid generally speaking.

*I am not what you might call a fan of the military. I am not saying in any way that I don't support the troops, I do. My step-daughter, who is not only my step-daughter but one of my best friends on the entire planet, is a Marine. I saw her the day before she left for boot camp, and she was one person. I went to her graduation, and it was like she had been totally brainwashed. In six weeks she started speaking a new language. She was recruited from the inner city by a guy who promised world travel, money for college, and all that good stuff. She isn't even in Iraq, but all she wants to do now is come home. She counts down the days until she can leave. She is constantly told that she is going to Iraq "next week." She is constantly told she is going to die. She was brainwashed into a machine. Also, I don't think the quote they used "called for the deaths of American soldiers." I just think he was speaking the truth.

*I can understand what he means about small businesses. For example, in my neighborhood, there is one small corner store kind of deal. Everything in the store is approximately 200% more money than if I bought it at a chain. Now, I am on DOD, after all, I'm obviously cheap! If I have access to my car, I'll go to Target or Walgreens or Pick N Save, and use coupons! If my husband is at work and going to be there all day, and I need eggs or milk, I have to walk, so I have to go to this corner store. They don't take coupons. I have to spend three times as much money by the time I'm done. There are a lot of places like that in the ghetto, places where people have no cars, places where people can take a bus to the grocery stores but can only carry two bags home. These stores are usually family owned, and have thre employees. So, they overcharge people, they don't hire anyone and they make most of their money off poor people. Not all small businesses are like that, I know, but that is what I believe he was referring to.

[CagedTroll]

The movie opens today. Films have about one big month at the box office, so they were going to dial down the advertising, anyway by the time McCain-Feingold would take effect. So this is a complete waste of time and effort on sombody's part.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now], opens next week, apparently didn't have the budget for advertising, so it's really not going to be effected either. Looks interesting though, I might check it out, and wait for Fahrenheit on DVD.

[bobbcat]

In response to auryn's post above:

Your first point I am inclined to agree with; gov't schools have done little to alleviate this problem.

Point #2, fair enough, just remember though, that because of this group (the military) that you are not too fond of, you are able to sit there and talk about how you are not too fond of them.

Point #3 about small business in poor neighborhoods overcharging their customers. Just remember that they likely pay far more in liability insurance than their counterparts which are located in lower-risk parts of the city or county. I'm sure I don't need to go into details for you to get my drift. Naturally, businesses must pass these extra expenses on to the consumer to be able to function. You should be grateful that the businesses are there.

[auryn]

Point #2, fair enough, just remember though, that because of this group (the military) that you are not too fond of, you are able to sit there and talk about how you are not too fond of them.

I understand that entirely. I am thankful for each soldier out there. I did not mean to imply that in any way. I also understand that the military has done a lot of good for the kids they recruit. Most of my family was in the military. I just think that they disillusion some people into joining up. And once you sign that paper, you either stay in for for years or you go to prison. What other career is like that? What is it about the military that makes it a crime to change your mind about your job? A lot of 18, 19, 20, 21 yr olds change their mind, but if you joined the military, you go to jail if you try to do anything about it. When I was in high school, I took the ASFAB test for one reason, to get out of class for three hours. For an entire year, a recruiter called me, stopped by my house, came to my school to talk to me during study hall, waited for me outside my job and my school on a twice weekly basis. Now, if another person did that, it would be called stalking. He made me feel stupid when I said no to him, so it had gotten to the point where I was obsessing all day long over which door to go out of so he couldn't find me. I was afraid of the guy. After he finally started to leave me alone, recruiters still called my parents house for another SIX YEARS until finally a friend of mine from grade school who worked as a recruiter took my name off the list.

Point #3 about small business in poor neighborhoods overcharging their customers. Just remember that they likely pay far more in liability insurance than their counterparts which are located in lower-risk parts of the city or county. I'm sure I don't need to go into details for you to get my drift. Naturally, businesses must pass these extra expenses on to the consumer to be able to function. You should be grateful that the businesses are there.

I understand that too. I was basically just using an example as to what I believe Moore was talking about in the quote on the flyer.

[bobbcat]

And once you sign that paper, you either stay in for for years or you go to prison. What other career is like that?

People are fully aware of these requirements when they sign up. What other career involves the particular type of responsibility that is entailed in most functions of the military?

[auryn]

Originally Posted by bobbcat

People are fully aware of these requirements when they sign up. What other career involves the particular type of responsibility that is entailed in most functions of the military?

That's true, they do. But as I was saying, the pressure by some of the recruiters is incredible. At 16 and 17 years old, I don't think I had that level of responsibilty, nor do a lot of others. It's an interesting dichotomy. Parents and other adults will tell 17 year olds that they are too young to make decisions regarding marriage or sex, drugs and alcohol, or other major life decisions. A 16 year old is not old to vote, but is old enough to be actively recruited by the military. If a 17 year old girl came home and said "I'm going to marry this boy I met last month. I'll stay with him in a relationship which I cannot get out of without the aid of a lawyer and a judge for at least four years, maybe 6 or 8, and then I'll decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. The reason why I am marrying him rather than just dating him is because I want to be bound to him inside the law that forces me to be his wife," her parents would FLIP OUT, and who could blame them? As for a certain kind of responsibility that the military entails, I don't really buy that at all. There is a reason why they don't want people to able to leave, and it isn't because they use guns and drive tanks.

[bobbcat]

There is a reason why they don't want people to able to leave, and it isn't because they use guns and drive tanks.

What is the reason, to your mind?

[auryn]

Originally Posted by bobbcat

What is the reason, to your mind?

Because I think they'd have a pretty damn hard time building an army if they didn't. I honestly believe that the turnover rate would be incredible once people realized what they got themselves into. I am sure there is a significant percentage of the military who wants out now that Bush is sending them into Iraq, but when he does hs speeches in front them, they are likely ordered by their superiors to applaud him! Not to mention the lies recruiters tell them about how great they are going to have it. I remember my ex-bf telling me that his recruiter told him he could take his golf clubs with him because it would be so great he would be able to go golfing all the time. Then the day he got picked up, they told him he was crazy for bringing golf clubs (despite the fact that his recruiter told him he could) and made them take them to a dump before they drove to the airport. Not that that is some horrifying experience, it's just one story of how they lie to kids to get them to sign that paper.

[luvmetender]

Back to the topic...

There are many local meetings taking place to talk about this film. I found one within walking distance! Here is the link if anyone is interested...

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