Michael Moore is promoted constantly by his supporters as a true American and a real patriot for causing people to think about certain issues. His detractors, of which I am one, point out that the manner in which he positions his dissent is what makes him un-American, not the act of dissent itself.
Its not that dissent is unpatriotic, it is the method and rhetoric chosen by the dissenter that can be unpatriotic. Whether you believe this war is just or not, you must accept the fact that we are at war. This said, the act of dissenting in wartime is a patriotic duty if one disagrees with policy, however choosing to do so in a manner that demoralizes troops and demonizes the country they are fighting for is simply....by definition...unpatriotic. Most of the discussion about patriotism and anti-Americanism has focused around support for the Iraq war and/or the war on terror. The hawks say that if youre against the war youre against America, and the doves say the opposite. So lets remove the war from the equation for the time being. Take a look at this fawning biography of Moore by a liberal author.
"Michael Moore can certainly be obnoxious. We might not put up with his behavior from someone who didnt have such brilliant comic timing or who wasnt so clearly an American son. But Bowling for Columbine, more so than any of his other works, makes it clear that Moore loves America and ordinary Americans, so its easier to take it when he outs some of the darker sides of our character. He may not have all the answers. But hes the only one challenging so many of us to take a long hard look in the mirror. So Moore is a patriot who loves America and Americans."
But what has he actually said about America? He doesnt like the American ethic of self-reliance and rugged individualism, as expressed in this sycophantic interview with Katie Couric:
Katie Couric: So why do you think Canada has such a better track record on gun control than the United States?
Michael Moore: Maybe we should aspire to be more Canadian-like.
Katie Couric: So, so why do you think Canada has such a better track record than the United States? You partially blame the media and you praise enlightened politicians in Canada.
Michael Moore: Yeah. Yeah, basically, I think thats it. I think theres a Canadian ethic that says, I mean, the way they live in their society, they believe that theyre all Canadians and theyre all in the same boat. If one of them gets sick, they should get a doctor. We should pay for that. If one of us loses our job, if were Canadians, you know, we should help them out. Our ethic in America is, Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Every man for himself. Me, me, me, me, me. And, and its, its just, I think it helps to, you know, create this, this climate where people then become violent toward each other.
The pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality has been the hallmark of American life since this countrys inception. Its a distinctly American ethic, standing in stark contrast to the European and Canadian soft socialist ideal of the nanny state taking care of citizens cradle-to-grave. America was founded on a principle of limited government and individual responsibility, not an all-encompassing government meddling in the private issues of private citizens.
And what does Moore think about Americans? We only have to look at what he says about Americans when there are none of them around, like in Germany.
Should such an ignorant people [Americans] lead the world? How did it come to this in the first place? 82 percent of us dont even have a passport! Just a handful can speak a language other than English (and we dont even speak that very well.) ...
We approach life relatively openly and generously and without complication. When you ask us for help we come to help you. And when you tell us that donkeys can fly we believe it (when you say it on television.). ...
Ok, come on, you Germans, you really know better! You are well-read. Your media also reports on things south of the Alps. You travel. You value education. And in the past year you took over the moral leadership in the question of war or peace. I urgently ask of you that you show the same moral ability to judge when it comes to maintaining the German social net for those weakest in your country. Dont go the American way when it comes to economics, jobs and services for the poor and immigrants. It is the wrong way."
Or in England.
During a recent whistle-stop promo tour of England, Michael Moore was asked by a sympathetic Daily Mirror columnist to meditate on that favorite subject of anti-Americans the world over, America's supposed intelligence problem - not, of course, the CIA, NSA kind of intelligence. To the apparent delight of his interlocutor, Moore answered with Il Duce-like subtlety, claiming that "they are possibly the dumbest people on the planet" (note the careful pronoun selection), citing a recent National Geographic world geography survey as irrefutable evidence of our ignorance and embarrassing stupidity." So we are a stupid, ignorant, paranoid people according to Moore. This explains our culture of fear which is embodied in our relish at bombing other countries and our fascination with violence here at home. There are countless other examples of Moores negative opinions of America, I could quote them all day. But honestly, are these the opinions of someone who truly loves his country? It is my position that they are not.
Michael Moore is trying to change America into a neo-socialist European-style society. Moore doesnt like the free enterprise system, (except when it profits himeself) capitalism, property rights, individual responsibility, or the concept of limited government. All of these are the bedrock upon which American society was built. Moore likes the nanny state, soft socialism, powerful government, and subservience to a greater good. These are the qualities upon which most of post-WWII Europe was built.
So, can it truly be said that Moore is an American patriot if his goal is to turn America into Europe? And if you accept the premise, as I do, that a nation is largely the sum of its people, how can someone who thinks Americans are the most ignorant people on Earth be considered a patriot in any sense of the word?
http://www.i-hate-liberals.com/michael-moore.html
Its not that dissent is unpatriotic, it is the method and rhetoric chosen by the dissenter that can be unpatriotic. Whether you believe this war is just or not, you must accept the fact that we are at war. This said, the act of dissenting in wartime is a patriotic duty if one disagrees with policy, however choosing to do so in a manner that demoralizes troops and demonizes the country they are fighting for is simply....by definition...unpatriotic. Most of the discussion about patriotism and anti-Americanism has focused around support for the Iraq war and/or the war on terror. The hawks say that if youre against the war youre against America, and the doves say the opposite. So lets remove the war from the equation for the time being. Take a look at this fawning biography of Moore by a liberal author.
"Michael Moore can certainly be obnoxious. We might not put up with his behavior from someone who didnt have such brilliant comic timing or who wasnt so clearly an American son. But Bowling for Columbine, more so than any of his other works, makes it clear that Moore loves America and ordinary Americans, so its easier to take it when he outs some of the darker sides of our character. He may not have all the answers. But hes the only one challenging so many of us to take a long hard look in the mirror. So Moore is a patriot who loves America and Americans."
But what has he actually said about America? He doesnt like the American ethic of self-reliance and rugged individualism, as expressed in this sycophantic interview with Katie Couric:
Katie Couric: So why do you think Canada has such a better track record on gun control than the United States?
Michael Moore: Maybe we should aspire to be more Canadian-like.
Katie Couric: So, so why do you think Canada has such a better track record than the United States? You partially blame the media and you praise enlightened politicians in Canada.
Michael Moore: Yeah. Yeah, basically, I think thats it. I think theres a Canadian ethic that says, I mean, the way they live in their society, they believe that theyre all Canadians and theyre all in the same boat. If one of them gets sick, they should get a doctor. We should pay for that. If one of us loses our job, if were Canadians, you know, we should help them out. Our ethic in America is, Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Every man for himself. Me, me, me, me, me. And, and its, its just, I think it helps to, you know, create this, this climate where people then become violent toward each other.
The pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality has been the hallmark of American life since this countrys inception. Its a distinctly American ethic, standing in stark contrast to the European and Canadian soft socialist ideal of the nanny state taking care of citizens cradle-to-grave. America was founded on a principle of limited government and individual responsibility, not an all-encompassing government meddling in the private issues of private citizens.
And what does Moore think about Americans? We only have to look at what he says about Americans when there are none of them around, like in Germany.
Should such an ignorant people [Americans] lead the world? How did it come to this in the first place? 82 percent of us dont even have a passport! Just a handful can speak a language other than English (and we dont even speak that very well.) ...
We approach life relatively openly and generously and without complication. When you ask us for help we come to help you. And when you tell us that donkeys can fly we believe it (when you say it on television.). ...
Ok, come on, you Germans, you really know better! You are well-read. Your media also reports on things south of the Alps. You travel. You value education. And in the past year you took over the moral leadership in the question of war or peace. I urgently ask of you that you show the same moral ability to judge when it comes to maintaining the German social net for those weakest in your country. Dont go the American way when it comes to economics, jobs and services for the poor and immigrants. It is the wrong way."
Or in England.
During a recent whistle-stop promo tour of England, Michael Moore was asked by a sympathetic Daily Mirror columnist to meditate on that favorite subject of anti-Americans the world over, America's supposed intelligence problem - not, of course, the CIA, NSA kind of intelligence. To the apparent delight of his interlocutor, Moore answered with Il Duce-like subtlety, claiming that "they are possibly the dumbest people on the planet" (note the careful pronoun selection), citing a recent National Geographic world geography survey as irrefutable evidence of our ignorance and embarrassing stupidity." So we are a stupid, ignorant, paranoid people according to Moore. This explains our culture of fear which is embodied in our relish at bombing other countries and our fascination with violence here at home. There are countless other examples of Moores negative opinions of America, I could quote them all day. But honestly, are these the opinions of someone who truly loves his country? It is my position that they are not.
Michael Moore is trying to change America into a neo-socialist European-style society. Moore doesnt like the free enterprise system, (except when it profits himeself) capitalism, property rights, individual responsibility, or the concept of limited government. All of these are the bedrock upon which American society was built. Moore likes the nanny state, soft socialism, powerful government, and subservience to a greater good. These are the qualities upon which most of post-WWII Europe was built.
So, can it truly be said that Moore is an American patriot if his goal is to turn America into Europe? And if you accept the premise, as I do, that a nation is largely the sum of its people, how can someone who thinks Americans are the most ignorant people on Earth be considered a patriot in any sense of the word?
http://www.i-hate-liberals.com/michael-moore.html
