Dude, Where's My Country?

[pipeman]

Good shit Oz Stoner, lemme be first to post a review

 

I recently finished reading two of Michael Moore's books. The 1st being "Stupid White Men" and 2nd being "Dude, Where's My Country?"

 

Both books have basically the same theme, the evils of corporate America and the governments which they are in bed with.

 

Although they are all about the US, many parallels can be drawn to the developing political climate in Australia, as we seem to be following our American friends down the path of insanity. There are also some good tips on activism and how ordinary people can make a difference.

 

One thing you can say about Michael Moore, boy does he hate George Bush. :: Some of his ideas are a little wacky, ok very wacky, but he opens your eyes to the evils of society people have come to accept as normal. Both books have a lot of interesting info and Michael Moore has a great sense of humour as well. There is a joke in just about every paragraph.

 

These books got me angry in parts, and gave a fair few laughs as well. Well worth a read IMO.

Edited January 27, 2004 by pipeman

[Herbivore]

Pipeman,

 

I've read bits and pieces of Moore and found him quite funny and enlightening too. Can't remember which book it was though!!

 

I just finished reading my first Chomsky so if you're looking for something more serious but along the same political vein give Pirates and Emperors a go. Not a pleasant read but very informative. I found the first two chapters a bit heavy but after that couldn't stop reading.

[Luke Skywalker]

Yeah, excellent books. Great writer. Check out the website.

 

I think everything I was going to say was said by pipeman, aside from "We'll get those bastards" that is.

[expansion]

I love Michael Moore's work. His doco's, t.v show and his books.

Problem is that he is preaching to the converted.The dickheads who should be listening don't want to. Until then, more power to him!

[99waystofuckyou]

I've read those books, I think they are good in that they present the ideas and facts in layman's terms and make it relevant to ordinary people.

 

I think sometimes that Michael Moore's enthusiastic hatred of things gets in the way of his message, I found a few times in Stupid White Men I was thinking that his stories sounded more like hyperbolic rantings than fact.

 

I also disagree with his creative editing used in Bowling for Columbine as documented at www.bowlingfortruth.com

 

I tihn that on the whole he has a good message and way of saying it but as expansion said he is mostly preaching to the converted. I tihnk if he used his now high profile to turn more serious and become "one of them" to be taken seriously and not seen as a crackpot. Or he should get a political mouthpiece.

[99waystofuckyou]

PS thumbs up on the book review board, thanks oz stoner

 

Also I would like to add I was pleasantly surprised by Michael Moore's point of view on american culture and their propensity for killing rather to mindlessly blame guns which seems to be the popular view.

[pixel]

Yes!! I couldn't have put it better, myself, Pipeman...a little wacky, but some really insightful stuff. I hope more people read books that deal with this topic.

Seems we are following the USA down the smelly road to globalism, and tyranny (don't laugh..think of the "rights" you've had taken away since Sept 11)

[deejayvee]

Somebody sent me this email the other day:

 

Heads Up

 

April 14, 2004

 

Friends,

 

I have never seen a head so far up a Presidential ass (pardon my Falluja)

than the one I saw last night at the "news conference" given by George W.

Bush. He's still talking about finding "weapons of mass destruction" --

this time on Saddam's "turkey farm." Turkey indeed. Clearly the White

House believes there are enough idiots in the 17 swing states who will buy

this. I think they are in for a rude awakening.

 

I've been holed up for weeks in the editing room finishing my film

("Fahrenheit 911"). That's why you haven't heard from me lately. But after

last night's Lyndon Johnson impersonation from the East Room --

essentially promising to send even more troops into the Iraq sinkhole -- I

had to write you all a note.

 

First, can we stop the Orwellian language and start using the proper names

for things? Those are not "contractors" in Iraq. They are not there to fix

a roof or to pour concrete in a driveway. They are MERCENARIES and

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE. They are there for the money, and the money is very

good if you live long enough to spend it.

 

Halliburton is not a "company" doing business in Iraq. It is a WAR

PROFITEER, bilking millions from the pockets of average Americans. In past

wars they would have been arrested -- or worse.

 

The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not "insurgents"

or "terrorists" or "The Enemy." They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen,

and their numbers will grow -- and they will win. Get it, Mr. Bush? You

closed down a friggin' weekly newspaper, you great giver of freedom and

democracy! Then all hell broke loose. The paper only had 10,000 readers!

Why are you smirking?

 

One year after we wiped the face of the Saddam statue with our American

flag before yanking him down, it is now too dangerous for a single media

person to go to that square in Baghdad and file a report on the wonderful

one-year anniversary celebration. Of course, there is no celebration, and

those brave blow-dried "embeds" can't even leave the safety of the fort in

downtown Baghdad. They never actually SEE what is taking place across Iraq

(most of the pictures we see on TV are shot by Arab media and some

Europeans). When you watch a report "from Iraq" what you are getting is

the press release handed out by the U.S. occupation force and repeated to

you as "news."

 

I currently have two cameramen/reporters doing work for me in Iraq for my

movie (unbeknownst to the Army). They are talking to soldiers and

gathering the true sentiment about what is really going on. They Fed Ex

the footage back to me each week. That's right, Fed Ex. Who said we

haven't brought freedom to Iraq! The funniest story my guys tell me is how

when they fly into Baghdad, they don't have to show a passport or go

through immigration. Why not? Because they have not traveled from a

foreign country -- they're coming from America TO America, a place that is

ours, a new American territory called Iraq.

 

There is a lot of talk amongst Bush's opponents that we should turn this

war over to the United Nations. Why should the other countries of this

world, countries who tried to talk us out of this folly, now have to clean

up our mess? I oppose the U.N. or anyone else risking the lives of their

citizens to extract us from our debacle. I'm sorry, but the majority of

Americans supported this war once it began and, sadly, that majority must

now sacrifice their children until enough blood has been let that maybe --

just maybe -- God and the Iraqi people will forgive us in the end.

 

Until then, enjoy the "pacification" of Falluja, the "containment" of Sadr

City, and the next Tet Offensive - oops, I mean, "terrorist attack by a

small group of Baathist loyalists" (Hahaha! I love writing those words,

Baathist loyalists, it makes me sound so Peter Jennings!) -- followed by a

"news conference" where we will be told that we must "stay the course"

because we are "winning the hearts and minds of the people."

 

I'll write again soon. Don't despair. Remember, the American people are

not that stupid. Sure, we can be frightened into a war, but we always come

around sooner or later -- and the one way this is NOT like Vietnam is that

it hasn't taken the public four long years to figure out they were lied

to.

 

Now if Bush would just quit speaking in public and giving me more free

material for my movie, I can get back to work and get it done. I've got

four weeks left 'til completion.

 

Yours,

 

Michael Moore

mmflint@aol.com

www.michaelmoore.com

 

His new movie sounds like it will be interesting.

[expansion]

We love you Mike!

[pixel]

Hi Deejayvee

I just wondered if you are on a mailing list for Michael Moore's stuff? If you are, how do I get on it?

Thanks