Michael Moore in Belfast

national | anti-war / imperialism | feature

Friday August 15, 2003 10:20

by BlackPope - Vid/Audio Group

BlackPope at operamail dot com

Feile an Phobail audience first to hear new Moore book

A report including audio and pictures of Michael Moore's August 9th 2003 press conference in Belfast.

Moore adjusts cap during W.Belfast talk The outspoken american film-maker and author Michael Moore appeared at the Feile an Phobail marquee on the Falls Road in West Belfast on Saturday 9th of August to give a public talk as part of the programme of political speakers at that forum, with particular reference to "The sad and sorry state of affairs in the United States of America."

Tickets to the 1200-seater event were free and had all been ravenously snapped up the previous Sunday morning within 2 hours of the office having opened.

The show started with a 25min press Q+A session, during which Mr. Moore at times struggled to impart simple concepts of humour to the surly Belfast press-pack. Topics included the section of his book "Stupid White Men" relating to N.Ireland's religious 'problem', Schwarzenegger's election chances, outlook for 2004 elections in USA, 'Bowling for Columbine', Germans, comparison of Nazis with Bush regime, letting down the left, disarmament and State Violence, possibility of assasination and general scrounging for autographs and hugs. Mr. Moore kept the atmosphere fairly light, although many of the one-liners appeared lost on parts of this audience. The "Meyers" interlude, a delightful early 'dig' typical of Moore's style, set the scene and has to be heard to be appreciated. The most serious claim by Moore during this period was that his thinking is situated well within the mainstream of public opinion in the US today.

There was then a short interval while the public mob was packed in. Some brief announcements re. fire-exits were made by Mr. Daniel Morrison, who then [52min mp3] asked "our very own Belfast son and Oscar nominee, that great actor of stage and screen, Stephen Rea, to officially welcome our guest and our brother to Belfast - Michael Moore."

Mr. Rea duly piled on the praise in lucid terms and the main man himself was brought on stage to a very hearty standing ovation from the well-pumped crowd.

Wiping a crocodile-tear from his eye while pretending to adjust his hat, Mr. Moore thanked the enraptured crowd and started with "and now I'd like to finish what I was saying at the Oscar's, before I was so rudely cut off!" This did not happen immediately, however, the first eight minutes being given over to a general ramble of introductory stand-up reminiscence and brief recap of the press conference. He then caught himself wandering and launched into the subject proper.

This consisted of a withering re-evaluation of the outcome of the 2000 election (Bush lost), the regime's manipulation of public fear following the Sept.11th 2001 attack for nefarious purposes, an interesting analysis of the swing in public support for the Iraq Aggression, the likely reaction of the public to the tissue of lies used to justify it - which is now being revealed, and the continuing effort to maintain heightened levels of fear.

On this subject Moore then [11 min mp3] read from his forthcoming book, entitled "Dude, where's my country?", the chapter called "The United States of Boo!" The key section in this reads:

"Why has our government gone to such absurd lengths to convince us that our lives are in danger?

The answer is nothing short of - their feverish desire to rule the world! First by controlling us and in turn getting us to support their efforts to dominate the rest of this planet.

Sounds crazy, huh? It reads more like a movie script, doesn't it? But Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Wall Street, Fortune-500 - they see this post-911 America in fear as THEIR MOMENT, a moment handed to them by fate, via the terrorists, to seize the reins and ram the USA down the throats of any people in the world who dare question who is number one.

Who is Number One? I SAID WHO IS NUMBER ONE? USA! USA! USA!

Yeah, oh yeah - Listen, they know, Bush and these guys, that real americans are not into dominating anyone. So they have to sell this to us, and they have to sell it inside a package of fear. In order to properly scare us they need a big, bad enemy. With 911 Bush and his right-wing hawkbuddies have found the enemy that can sell to the public a War-Without-End, a permanent War. If they can get the people to believe in this they'd let you do anything, just as long as it's in the name of protecting them.

This is Bush's version of the old Mafia protection racket - 'There's somebody out there who's going to mess you up! - Osama, he did it! - Saddam, he did it! - Those crazy Ayatollahs, they might do it! - North Korea, they will do it! - Hello, PLO! - We'll protect you: just give us all your money and all your rights, and KEEP YOUR TRAP SHUT!'"

He then discussed possible outcomes for the US 2004 elections, before moving on to deal with the current political limbo in N.Ireland. This consisted mainly of a resounding verbal slap round the head to all political parties concerned, as an encouragement to 'shut the fuck up and get over it' before concluding with the appeal "You, the State, representing the people, put down your guns, leave this island, let the people have free, peaceful, open elections. Let them decide their own fate!"

Moore was clearly very sympathetically received by the crowd present and made for an amusing and memorable show, even though some of his perceptions about Ireland are erroneous - e.g. he placed the Republic OUTSIDE Bush's 'Coalition of the Willing' - and some vestige of typical american 'Herrenvolk' bias about the rest of the world still shows through in his thinking (N.Korea begging to be bombed, US responsible for 'dealing with' Palestinian 'problem'). He does however make an honourable effort to challenge himself and others, and was rewarded for it on this occassion with the special 'Belfast Oscar' or Cuchulain Prize.

A [20min mp3] public Q+A session followed the speech.

PS: Michael Moore's new film, which he is now starting work on, is called 'Fahrenheit 911 - The temperature at which freedom burns', which he claims, perhaps ironically, will be a comedy.

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