Michael Moore Retracts, Sorta.
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update Michael Moore responds to some of the specific criticisms. He doesn't, however, address the cartoon segment implying a KKK-NRA connection.
"Bowling for Columbine", Michael Moore's Oscar-winning "documentary" on gun violence, racism and the culture of fear in America, has been released on DVD.
Riddled with errors and distortions, the film faced some fierce criticism from those unwilling to let Moore's emotional message outweigh his dishonesty.
Amazingly enough, Moore has edited an erroneous caption, though he concedes little else.
(via Andrew Sullivan)
Not that I think Micheal Moore is totally right, but have you read: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/8/12/171427/607
Posted by: James on September 3, 2003 2:03 PM | permalinkThanks; that has the look of a good article, and I'll read and respond to it later.
For the record, I thought it was a good film, if heavy-handed (e.g. the cartoon sequence on American history). I was really pissed off when I found out how the less-obviously-subjective parts were largely ranting disguised as documenting.
That approach is something Moore is entitled to; I just tend to view the term "documentary" as signifying objective observation more than propaganda (too strong a word, I know).
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on September 3, 2003 7:34 PM | permalinkIt's a decent rebuttal, but:
* He kind of lost me with #7 ... calling a welfare-to-work program "wage slavery" and "forced labor". Talk about distortion.
* Citing poverty (#9) as the cause of violence is stupid. Attributing gun violence to antisexuality is moreso.
* More generally, he is way, way too quick to write off problems as "standard filmmaking practice", though he does recast them as "bad editing" in the Conclusion. I mean really -- if Moore's critics are "not familiar with the basics of filmmaking", you can bet the audiences aren't either.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on September 4, 2003 6:13 PM | permalink"* Citing poverty (#9) as the cause of violence is stupid. Attributing gun violence to antisexuality is moreso."
Poverty isn't a factor in inner-city violence? Please elaborate.
Posted by: O'dell on September 4, 2003 9:41 PM | permalinkA factor, sure.
A cause, no.
Otherwise, explain why so many rich people are criminals and why so many poor people aren't.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on September 4, 2003 10:07 PM | permalinkI can't seem to find percentages, but along the lines of violent crimes, I'm willing to bet that it's higher amongst the poor.
Fuck it, I'm taking back my questioning of it...
The US has a lot of rural areas with extremely poor people who are definitely in poverty (I've lived in a couple), and the crime rate is about zero. The only thing people tend to get in trouble for is growing marijuana.
So, what makes the inner city poor more prone to crime? Explain Anacostia to me. Is it the concrete jungle? The lack of space between people?
Posted by: on September 5, 2003 12:12 AM | permalinkI'm not saying I have all the answers. I'm just saying that poverty is a false explanation, despite it's persistent popularity (probably due to its simplicity).
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on September 5, 2003 9:02 AM | permalink"Citing poverty (#9) as the cause of violence is stupid."
No it's common sense, sorry but I have to disagree there. It's not a false explanation it's one of the leading causes. Trying to pinpoint one exact cause is silly, as the argument is circular but if you've been poor like I have, lived where I lived, or now work with the disadvantaged on a daily basis, you know it's a truth. Wow, I'm really annoyed at you Joe! ;) I suppose we had to disagree eventually.
Posted by: James on September 11, 2003 9:43 PM | permalinkOK James, then why do Jamaica ($3,900 GDP per capita) and Brazil ($7,600) have so much more crime than, say, India ($2,540) and Belize ($4,900)?
[Figures from World Factbook GDP per capita - purchasing power parity (2002 est.).]
I think that to say poverty causes crime is a cop-out. It absolves the criminals of guilt (hey, they're poor and poverty is stressful; they can't help being murderers or rapists) and disrespects the many hard-working poor people who actually have a sense of right and wrong and display some self-control.
Some crimes (e.g. drug dealing, burglary, car theft), it's likely a cause.
But people don't rape so they can feed their family.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on September 11, 2003 11:35 PM | permalinkNo more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.