An Open Letter To God From Michael Moore

[FOTD]

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=229

Sunday, August 31st, 2008
An Open Letter to God, from Michael Moore


"Dear God,

The other night, James Dobson's organization asked all believers to pray for a storm on Thursday night so that the Obama acceptance speech outdoors in Denver would have to be canceled.

I see that You have answered Dr. Dobson's prayers -- except the storm You have sent to earth is not over Denver, but on its way to New Orleans! In fact, You have scheduled it to hit Louisiana at exactly the moment that George W. Bush is to deliver his speech at the Republican National Convention.

Now, heavenly Father, we all know You have a great sense of humor and impeccable timing. To send a hurricane on the third anniversary of the Katrina disaster AND right at the beginning of the Republican Convention was, at first blush, a stroke of divine irony. I don't blame You, I know You're angry that the Republicans tried to blame YOU for Katrina by calling it an "Act of God" -- when the truth was that the hurricane itself caused few casualties in New Orleans. Over a thousand people died because of the mistakes and neglect caused by humans, not You.

Some of us tried to help after Katrina hit, while Bush ate cake with McCain and twiddled his thumbs. I closed my office in New York and sent my entire staff down to New Orleans to help. I asked people on my website to contribute to the relief effort I organized -- and I ended up sending over two million dollars in donations, food, water, and supplies (collected from thousands of fans) to New Orleans while Bush's FEMA ice trucks were still driving around Maine three weeks later.

But this past Thursday night, the Washington Post reported that the Republicans had begun making plans to possibly postpone the convention. The AP had reported that there were no shelters set up in New Orleans for this storm, and that the levee repairs have not been adequate. In other words, as the great Ronald Reagan would say, "There you go again!"

So the last thing John McCain and the Republicans needed was to have a split-screen on TVs across America: one side with Bush and McCain partying in St. Paul, and on the other side of the screen, live footage of their Republican administration screwing up once again while New Orleans drowns.

So, yes, You have scared the Jesus, Mary and Joseph out of them, and more than a few million of your followers tip their hats to You.

But now it appears that You haven't been having just a little fun with Bush & Co. It appears that Hurricane Gustav is truly heading to New Orleans and the Gulf coast. We hear You, O Lord, loud and clear, just as we did when Rev. Falwell said You made 9/11 happen because of all those gays and abortions. We beseech You, O Merciful One, not to punish us again as Pat Robertson said You did by giving us Katrina because of America's "wholesale slaughter of unborn children." His sentiments were echoed by other Republicans in 2005.

So this is my plea to you: Don't do this to Louisiana again. The Republicans got your message. They are scrambling and doing the best they can to get planes, trains and buses to New Orleans so that everyone can get out. They haven't sent the entire Louisiana National Guard to Iraq this time -- they are already patrolling the city streets. And, in a nod to I don't know what, Bush's head of FEMA has named a man to help manage the federal government's response. His name is W. Michael Moore. I kid you not, heavenly Father. They have sent a man with both my name AND W's to help save the Gulf Coast.

So please God, let the storm die out at sea. It's done enough damage already. If you do this one favor for me, I promise not to invoke your name again. I'll leave that to the followers of Dr. Dobson and to those gathering this week in St. Paul.

Your faithful servant and former seminarian,

Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com"

The "P.S." to Michael Moore's letter is significant:

P.S. To all of God's fellow children who are reading this, the city of New Orleans has not yet recovered from Katrina. Please click here (http://troublethewaterfilm.com/content/pages/learn_what_you_can_do/) for a list of things you can do to help our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast. And, if you do live along the Gulf Coast, please take all necessary safety precautions immediately.

[waterboy]

[][][] Well done Michael.

Gassy does a new headline:

Michael Moore Begs God's Forgiveness!!

[sgrizzle]

Sticking his foot in his mouth is not enough, I think he's up to the cankle now.

A potential national disaster is not for Michael Moore or anyone to spin for their particular political gain.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Sticking his foot in his mouth is not enough, I think he's up to the cankle now.

A potential national disaster is not for Michael Moore or anyone to spin for their particular political gain.

Didn't seem to hurt Dobson, Falwell or Robertson. They gain from real or potential disaster every day.

[iplaw]

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

Yeah, kinda like the last 8 years, huh?

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

Michael Moore and Pat Robertson?  Aren't they both opportunistic loose cannons who use film and video to demagogue people who disagree with them?  I'm sure that they have both been right a time or two, but come on...two sides of the same coin.

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by Hoss

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

Yeah, kinda like the last 8 years, huh?

What the hell are you talking about?  Your "response" doesn't even make sense.  BTW, do you find it difficult to type with only one hand on the keyboard?

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

quote:Originally posted by Hoss

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

Yeah, kinda like the last 8 years, huh?

What the hell are you talking about?  Your "response" doesn't even make sense.  BTW, do you find it difficult to type with only one hand on the keyboard?

Yep, just what I figured.  Carry on!

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

Michael Moore and Pat Robertson?  Aren't they both opportunistic loose cannons who use film and video to demagogue people who disagree with them?  I'm sure that they have both been right a time or two, but come on...two sides of the same coin.

Exactly my point.  What I'm trying to figure out is why WB detests Robertson for using disaster for political gain, but when Moore does it, it's perfectly fine.  If you speak out against Roberston (like WB does) you should speak out against Moore.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

So you're equating Michael Moore to Pat Robertson and in the same breath praising Moore...funny that political gain from a disaster isn't reprehensible when the idiot you're praising agrees with you.

Michael Moore and Pat Robertson?  Aren't they both opportunistic loose cannons who use film and video to demagogue people who disagree with them?  I'm sure that they have both been right a time or two, but come on...two sides of the same coin.

Exactly my point.  What I'm trying to figure out is why WB detests Robertson for using disaster for political gain, but when Moore does it, it's perfectly fine.  If you speak out against Roberston (like WB does) you should speak out against Moore.

Hold on now. I don't detest Robertson or Falwell or Dobson (though Dobson is working on me). I merely pointed out that no one was particularly incensed at their behaviour, I guess because they're religious leaders. Its part of their job to use disaster and fear to build a following. Fear works. God's wrath is particularly fearsome. The political angle is simply another tool for building that strength. You just don't get much TV time espousing love, tolerance, charity, forgiveness & stuff like that. You know the kind of stuff Jesus espoused. Look what it got him.

Moore knows that and is very effective at finding the motives of his targets and using them to poke fun. He has a strong religious schooling in his past. In humor there is truth. The letter was humorous to me. I admire Robertson for understanding his role and sitting with his antithesis in a recent commercial promoting good will among Americans during the election. That Robertson I like.

[iplaw]

I don't think anyone should use a natural disaster for anything other than an opportunity to lend a helping hand.  Moore is a pig and Robertson is equally sickening about 99% of the time.  Religious leaders who use fear to manipulate people are the bane of our society.  So are fat, obnoxious film makers who use fear and twist information to make a point.  I'm sure both idiots feel like the ends justify the means.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

I don't think anyone should use a natural disaster for anything other than an opportunity to lend a helping hand.  Moore is a pig and Robertson is equally sickening about 99% of the time.  Religious leaders who use fear to manipulate people are the bane of our society.  So are fat, obnoxious film makers who use fear and twist information to make a point.  I'm sure both idiots feel like the ends justify the means.

I'm sure they do. Would it help if they were not so fat?[8D]

Seriously, they each have a place and a following. I don't blame them, we need smarter followings.

[iplaw]

It would help if Moore wasn't so fat, and if Robertson didn't look like he was doing a Hepburn, head-on-a-slinky impersonation all the time.

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

Exactly my point.  What I'm trying to figure out is why WB detests Robertson for using disaster for political gain, but when Moore does it, it's perfectly fine.  If you speak out against Roberston (like WB does) you should speak out against Moore.

There's nothing to figure out.  Once upon a time, 'ole John Kerry would stand around with his thumb in the vicinity of his tookis while others took nasty, truthless, pot-shots at him.  It took an election cycle, but now the devolution and degeneration is complete.  Moore gets a pass from one side, just as Robertson does from the other:  IOKIYAR (it's okay if you're a Republican) has been matched by IOKIYAD.  Sorry IP, but unless the GOP is currently planting a corpse in Biden's Amtrak berth, you guys don't have an exclusive pikepass on the low road anymore.