Michael Moore on CNN
Wednesday, March 26th, 2003
Michael Moore just appeared briefly on CNN, and he was brilliant. He explained his performance at the Academy Awards, and pointed out that in the footage of the audience, there was almost no one standing and booing. He also pointed out that the loudest boos were coming in over a microphone, which he thought was backstage. I was happy to hear his explanation of that, but that is neither here nor there.
What I really liked was when the reporter questioned his statement that his views were in synch with the majority of Americans. She said looking at the recent polls would suggest that you are not in the majority, and that polls show that an increasing majority of Americans support the war. Michael Moore replied that the people being polled are the people who have friends, children, and neighbors over there, and they want them to come home. Of course they have to support them. I think that that is a very important distinction: I think most people support the troops, but not the war. The pro-war protests, they were mostly organized by Clear Channel Communications – this info courtesy of a generally brilliant post on V-2.org
Anyway, the reporter sat there speechless for a minute, and then told Michael Moore, thank you for being here, we have to go on to something else now.
His closing statement, when the CNN reporter told him they’d have to go on to someone else after about one minute on the screen? – “Gotta get back to the generals right?”
Brilliant, just Brilliant!
I have yet to see any evidence that there is anyone who does not support our troops. I think that everyone can agree that our armed forces deserve nothing less than our unconditional support.
That being said, however, I think that Moore is right on target about being critical of the president, who deserves nothing more than our unreserved skepticism.
You can argue that an awards ceremony is not the place for political statements (although I personally don’t see why not), or that Moore’s message was over the top (although I personally was pleased to see such passionate outrage on display), but you cannot deny that Michael Moore believes in patriotic dissent.
Well, God bless him, so do I!
While I do hope that all of our troops come home safely, I actually don’t think I can in good conscience support them in their actions. Under military code soldiers are requirted to refust to follow orders that are against the law, and I think (NOTE: this is debateable, but it is my opinion) that any soldiers involved in this are in violation of international law, and are hence in violation of their own military code. To put it clearly and nearly certainly controversially they are war criminals. I wish them no harm, but they are frankly murdering innocents on the orders of a thief.
Whether this is in opposition to what you are saying or not, I’m not sure.
UltraBob
Interesting point. I agree that soldiers should refuse to comply with orders that are clearly illegal, but there seems to be a large gray area surrounding the legality of this particular conflict. Are the cumulative U.N. resolutions tantamount to a legal sanction, as Bush claims? I tend to think not, but it seems that the jury is still out on that issue.
Frankly, I think that the Bush administration should be held collectively accountable for all of the war crimes that take place in Iraq. Bush may be a thief, but he’s still in charge, unfortunately.
I would be very glad to see him impeached and turned over to an international war crimes tribunal (particularly if the allegations of forged documents knowingly being used as “evidence” are shown to hold any water), but there seems to be little support for such action just now.
But I cannot bring myself to condemn our troops in this situation. This war is unprecedented, leaving them in uncharted territory. The sole responsibility for this war belongs to Bush. Whatever goes wrong should be placed squarely on his head, not our troops.
The other day, when hanging out with an International crowd, and the topic turned to the war, and supporting the war, I was asked by an Italian frined… “Do you support your troops?” It was the first time I had ever been asked that question, as opposed to “do you support the war”. I accused him of trying to be a sneaky bastish and said “of course I support the troops, they didn’t make the decision to go there, but I sure don’t support crazy-boy-Bush!”
(ok… maybe I didn’t say “crazy-boy")
I don’t claim to have read the military code, but how does it define illeagal? Sommeone must have to decide diffinitivly that it is illeagal, or else it is leagal… If any group with the authority had previously declaired that the war was illeagal, and the soldiers continued to follow oreders they knew where illeagal, then there may be a case for holding them responsible.
But that hasn’t happened, and what if it was you? I simply didn’t join the armed forces to increase the chance that I would not be in the position to kill or be killed, or follow orders I don’t agree with. But some people aren’t as fortunate as I am and having collage paid for is pretty enticing.
I also think about what kind of things I do at work that I don’t agree with. Nothing illeagal, but still, it is easy to have strong morals when your not in the position. Compares to the military, and being ordered to go to Iraq and fight, my job is a complete joke. Yet I wind up doing things I don’t totally agree with…
First think of yourself in their position, and then decide if they are war criminals or victims. The decision makers, whose “chose” to enter the situation should be held accoutnable, but not those who are only following orders which are not clearly illeagal.
I’m sure there are some crazy bastards who join because they like the thought of war and guns and killing people, but I have never met any of them myself… I just read about them in all those Gun magazines at the newsrack.
Kevin and Sako,
I guess I should make my views a bit clearer. What I meant is that I feel that what our soldiers are doing abroad is a crime, and I do not support it. I do however understand that, although I would have sooner broken my own leg than go to war with Iraq, it is hard for the individual troops to make a stand on this issue in light of the fuzzy issue of international law and especially given their constant indoctrination by the military.
I do not propose trying all of our soldiers as war criminals by any means, although I feel that they are committing war crimes. I, as Sako, believe that Bush should be held responsible for these crimes, I would however also include any officer above the rank (or it’s non-army equivalent) of Captain because they have the education and access to information to know better. I also don’t want to forget Cheney, Powell, and the rest of Bush’s cabinet. I feel very strongly about this issue, but I’m not saying we should blame the soldiery for the decisions of their leaders.
UltraBob