Michael Moore: When I Got Death Threats for Denouncing Bush and the Iraq War

[marmar]

Hatchett Book Group / By Michael Moore

Michael Moore: When I Got Death Threats for Denouncing Bush and the Iraq War
After Michael Moore slammed President Bush and the invasion of Iraq, he faced death threats, intimidation, harassment and even assaults in broad daylight.

September 11, 2011 |


The following is an excerpt from Michael Moore's new book, "Here Comes Trouble."


'I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it … No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out (of him). Is this wrong? I stopped wearing my 'What Would Jesus Do?' band, and I've lost all sense of right and wrong now. I used to be able to say, 'Yeah, I'd kill Michael Moore', and then I'd see the little band: What Would Jesus Do? And then I'd realise, 'Oh, you wouldn't kill Michael Moore. Or at least you wouldn't choke him to death.' And you know, well, I'm not sure."

Glenn Beck, live on the Glenn Beck show, 17 May 2005

Wishes for my early demise seemed to be everywhere. They were certainly on the mind of CNN's Bill Hemmer one sunny July morning in 2004. Holding a microphone in front of my face on the floor of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, live on CNN, he asked me what I thought about how the American people were feeling about Michael Moore: "I've heard people say they wish Michael Moore were dead." Hemmer said it like he was simply stating the obvious, like, "of course they want to kill you!" He just assumed his audience already understood this truism, as surely as they accept that the sun rises in the east and corn comes on a cob.

To be fair to Hemmer, I was not unaware that my movies had made a lot of people mad. It was not unusual for fans to randomly come up and hug me and say, "I'm so happy you're still here!" They didn't mean in the building. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/story/152369/michael_moore%3A_when_i_got_death_threats_for_denouncing_bush_and_the_iraq_war/

[leveymg]

1. It's never terrorism when the target is a progressive, pro-choice, or a critic of war

Michael happens to be all of the above, so it's only normal to exhort a national audience of heavily-armed fanatics to kill him, and to expect that eventually they will.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. He's also a Union happy, art loving, gay coddling Hollywood

type. This country has a long and deep history of going after filmmakers and other artists. Long. Deep. Recent.

[leveymg]

3. That too. Look but don't touch

the Kunst, Herr Doktor Beck.



Now, here's some art and cinema that Beck would appreciate: http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,5263507_1,00.jpg



http://www.ww2shots.com/gallery/d/2918-1/PROPAGANDA+POSTER+-+Nazi+Art+-+Death+Of+The+Empress+Of+Britain-ww2shots.jpg

[Fokker Trip]

5. Art of the Nazi period.

I read a fascinating book about the art of the Third Reich. The art produced was largely dull, as the ideas allowed were so rigidly controlled. A lot of parallels with "Socilaist" art in the Soviet Union, China and North Korea. Glorifying the strong young bodies of the nations finest specimens.

The enormity and impressiveness of the Nuremberg rallies. Despite the evil intent of the Nazis those are stirring rallies, the "groupthink" has an effect even through the films.

It was extremely skilfully done, the multitude of references to Germany's glorious warrior past, the Teutonic knights on horseback linked with the swastika. Its like they used all of the fantasies and ideas of a 13 year old boy to appeal to the masses and it worked magnificently.

The rise in militarism in the US, even to the way everyone says "thank you for your service" in a fairly reverent way is disturbing.

The US people have different triggers, but they are being pushed more and more. Its always the intellectuals and leftists killed first because they generally see through this kind of brainwashing.

[defendandprotect]

13. True -- but they STOLE the great art of the world --- the art they produced was propaganda ... !!

[defendandprotect]

12. "The loveless crave power because they lack both love and self -- "

We need a humanist in the White House -- !!

Someone like Michael Moore!!

[marmar]

4. So true.

nt

[certainot]

14. it happens to anyone limbaugh and hannity and beck chew on- and the left allows it by

ignoring RW talk radio. mike got a lot of it but it's the same shit anyone gets who those 1000 coordinated radio stations go after, sometimes because the karl roves put their names on the daily talking points.

just like clinton gore and kerry and now obama and so many other dems and progressives and the left just sticks their iPods in theirears and blames the victim for not sticking their necks out far enough. team limbaugh gets to take free pot shots all day and NO organized opposition to it from the left. no picketing of the stations. no shaming of local blue community businesses that sponsor those stations, or the universities endorse the threats and racism and lies and global warming denial by broadcasting sports on them.

they get a free speech free ride and have been for 20 years and it shouldn't be a surprise that the palins and bachmans and perrys are considered acceptable presidential candidates by a major party.

[ScottLand]

16. Not ignoring RW talk radio, but I'd like to. I can't find any good

LW talk radio to listen to. And they set the bar so low. All you have to do to be a "great American" is call Hannity and agree with him.

Why isn't the left adequately represented?

[certainot]

18. they bought up the loudest stations, subsidized a monopoly, protect it, and make up shit about

'market forces' etc., ignoring the fact that progressives compete and win in head to head competition depending on the area. and even in blue areas there might be several overlapping RW duplicates with NO LW talkers. it is a monopoly and what they seal is war profiteering, deregulation, global warming denial, swiftboating lies, and tea party candidates. i think there is even a movie about how AIr America was set up to fail.

[Enthusiast]

19. You are so correct.

Double standard.

[Diclotican]

6. marmar

marmar

Mr Moore is maybe a braver man than we all belive.. But he still manage to write, and tell what he mean, even tho he is danger many times..

And he do have points, who should be headed if anyone in power wanted to listen..

Diclotican

[Stuart G]

7. kick and recommend.....

[In Jest]

15. x2

[Uncle Joe]

8. Kicked and recommended for knowing when to follow the "narrow path."

Thanks for the thread, marmar.:thumbsup:

[russspeakeasy]

9. Thanks marmar...

:evilgrin:

[defendandprotect]

10. America has suffered 50+ years of RW political violence ... and it's not over .... !!!

[defendandprotect]

11. We're lucky Michael Moore is still with us ....and he should be working on finding a new candidate

for 2012 --

We need two strong anti-war candidates ---

two strong supporters of MEDICARE4ALL -- !!

[The Wizard]

17. The Republicans have transformed

into a toxic death cult/jihad and anyone with a differing point of view gets put in their cross hairs. All their imagery is centered on the elimination of everyone different from them. In essence they're violet bigots like the Ku Klux Klan, Skinheads and Nazis.
Here's a question that should be asked of all Republicans. To which of the major political parties are the Klan, Nazis and skinheads most closely aligned?

[Name removed]

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