An Open Letter to Michael Moore
By J. Carlos Jiacinto, Oct 16, 2002
Dear Mr. Moore,
Let me state at the outset that I admire and respect the work that you have done in the past. Your films have often addressed issues that many mainstream politicians and reporters in the media have not investigated. You have done a lot of good throughout your career for the most defenseless segments of America's population. It is with great sadness that we find ourselves staring at each other over a great political divide that has only widened over the last two years.
I decided to write this "open letter" to you when I saw your "petition" on your web page threatening retribution at the ballot box against Democrats who vote for the eventual Iraq resolution in Congress. As an American who has seen Bush govern, I am compelled to write these concerns and spell them out for the American people.
November 5th represents a key opportunity to stop the Bush/GOP agenda, and I must state in no uncertain terms that I disagree with your current position. Your threats will only ensure that the Republicans continue to have the power to enact an agenda that most Americans oppose. In fact, your threats will only allow history to repeat itself. Kevin Phillips writes that " "[In] 1990 ... George H.W. Bush and the GOP stemmed some of the Democrats' economic gains in the midterm congressional elections with last-minute efforts to make the election a referendum on standing up to Saddam Hussein...." -- Kevin Phillips, Wealth & Democracy (New York: Broadway Books, 2002), p. 399.
This election cycle I am going door to door for Democratic candidates in my area. I have donated money to several candidates in races across the country. I know fully well how important this year's elections are to changing the political tone of this country. The stakes this cycle are extremely high as American heads into the 2004 presidential election cycle. Even many individuals who voted for Nader -- see GREEN WATCH: Purer Punishers Of Codependent Dems -- do not want the Republicans to win. Your actions are clearly helping the Republicans.
Let me state that I, myself, share the misgiving of many Americans when it comes to this war. Like you and many people in this country I have concerns about a potential war with Iraq. Given how serious this matter is it is obvious that Bush and his party's supporters have been unable to present a clear, compelling case for an invasion. They have not explained to the public how they will rebuild Iraq. Furthermore the administration has not disclosed how it will deal with the Kurdish minority within Iraq and what individuals will lead this new nation once they complete "the regime change." The fact that these questions have not been answered sufficiently convinces me to be opposed to this war.
However, I must express disappointment with the strategy you have continued to follow since the 2000 election. Since then you have mercilessly attacked Democrats at every opportunity, undermining their ability to win key elections. In your book "Stupid White Men," page after page, you criticize and attack Democrats unfairly. Even though the Green party diverted crucial votes from Al Gore in the state of Florida you continue to push this same agenda and strategy that you advocated two years ago. In fact, even among some of your supporters, you arrogantly brag about the results of your actions. In your book "Stupid White Men' you state that you "will do it again."
Given the current climate it is shocking that you still believe that there is "no difference" between the parties. An Al Gore administration would not have right-wing conservatives such as John Ashcroft, Gail Norton, Ann Veneman, and Christine Todd Whitman to key cabinet agencies.
Al Gore would never have appointed the likes of Priscilla Owen and Charles Pickering to the federal bench. You attack the Clinton record, referring to him as "one of the best Republican presidents we've ever had." At the same time you fail to acknowledge how African-American employment and ownership reached record highs. If Clinton were "one of the best Republicans we've ever had" I doubt that minorities would have fared so well.
Many of us in America fear losing our jobs on a daily basis. We fear the decisions of Federalist Society Judges. We fear cabinet agencies that refuse to enforce employee safety and other regulations designed to protect individuals from negligence. And we fear potential future executive orders from President. We are tired of conservatives who clearly place the interests of their donors and major corporations ahead of middle class people within this country. Unfortunately your strategy offers us nothing but more misery.
Mr. Moore, in your book, you write, "I walk among them. I live on the island of Manhattan, a three-mile-wide strip of land that is luxury home and corporate suite to America's elite. Much of the suffering you experience as an American emanates from this piece of piece of platinum real estate nestled between two polluted rivers. Those who run your life live in my neighborhood. I walk in the streets with them each day" (pg 51, Stupid White Men").
I ask you, sir, point blank: do you and your fellow Green supporters have any compassion for the rest of us? It is quite obvious that you and your fellow Greens are divorced from the consequences of conservative policies. Unlike the vast majority of you, who happen to be predominantly white, male, well-off, educated, or in the process of getting a degree (see http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/epolls/US/P000.html), most of America suffers -- continues to suffer -- the consequences of your "protest" vote against Al Gore two years ago.
How can your movement, at only 2.74% of the electorate, and predominantly white and male, claim to represent constituencies not found within your party? It is obvious that you, Ralph Nader, and most of the Green Party will be perfectly shielded while the rest of us suffer under Republican rule.
Sir, I must ask you, do you have any compassion? Do you not care about the interests of the most defenseless within our society? Why is it that if the Greens "truly represented the working class" they have so few support from racial minorities and actual members of the working class?
Although I hate to reach this conclusion, and it pains me to do so, if you are so willing to enable the Republicans, it is tragically obvious that you and the rest of the Greens do not care about what happens to average Americans. All you and your supporters care about is some abstract era in the future that may or may not arrive.
If you did care about the most defenseless Americans, you would not be advocating more misery for them, which is the inevitable consequence of your petition's goals. Your votes that "send a message" and your expressions of "protest" will come at the expense of the rest of us. Bluntly, sir, haven't you and your allies done enough? I am sure that the multitude of Americans who have lost their jobs are so "thankful" for your protest vote in 2000.
I am sure that the rest of us who stand to suffer will be just as "grateful" when you try to screw up this year's elections. Perhaps, among some of your supporters, "things have to get worse before they get better." But among the rest of us, who have to suffer while "things get worse before they get better," your words are of a little consolation -- and are, instead, causes for great concern.
There are tons of Americans who face real problems. Your strategy only ensures continued misery for them and their interests, which you purportedly claim to represent. Movie stars like Susan Sarandon and media personalities like Phil Donahue will always be well fed and taken care of. You, too, will always have an income.
But what about the rest of us? What about women's reproductive rights? What about the multitude of other issues? I am of the mindset that if it were not Iraq you would find some other issue about which to complain.
Frankly, sir, I find you to be very patronizing and self-serving. You and the Greens do not represent me, nor will you ever represent me. As long as you advocating an electoral strategy that forces the rest us to be screwed over by Republicans, you will never truly represent the working or the middle classes. It is this blatant dishonesty and indifference on your part that angers me the most.
If you want to send "messages to Democrats" by electing Republicans, then don't say that you represent the middle and working classes because you do not. No true activist who cares about the middle and working classes would support, either directly or indirectly, the election of Republicans.
It is obvious, Mr. Moore, that you longer represent what is in the best interests of America's middle and working classes. It is with great sadness that I arrive at this conclusion. I ask you once more to reconsider your actions, for your threats are not in the country's best interests. We all have seen how bad of a president Bush can be. Once again, this November, we have a chance to reverse the direction of Bush's policy.
I ask you to please take into consideration both the long and short term consequences of your actions. Remember, not all of us lives in Manhattan and has the luxury of being able to make movies or write books. Ultimately, after you and your fellow Greens "send the Democrats a message," it is the vast majority of the rest of us, the ones who are not wealthy movie stars and college students, who will have to face the consequences.At the end of day and after November 5th, while you remain shielded in your wealthy New York City neighborhood, we will suffer in the chaos below.
Having spoken about these issues I ask you once more to reconsider your positions and do what is in the best interests of the country. I ask you once more to think about the consequences of your actions.
Sincererly,
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