Just Returned from F-911 showing in Repub country

[Mizmoon]

Event though I live in NY, I live in the most heavily Republican controlled county in the state. In fact, Sid blumenthal mentions us in his book as being corrupt as well. Much to my surprise, our local Lowes was showing the film. Here is my experience.

My spouse and I had ordered our tickets in advance, but when we got to the theater it was very quiet. No lines, no protesters. At first I thought maybe few had come to see it. When we got in the theater it was actually packed to near capacity. I should mention that many people in our town were killed at the WTC and many have family in the military so I didn't know how they would react.

They were outraged - outraged over gore v bush all over again, outraged by the Bush/Saudi connections, outraged by the images of slaughtered Iraqis and their grieving family members, and horrified for the soldiers put into this hellish situation. Mutterings of "scumbags" and "fuckers" were heard all over the theater.

I did learn something new. I did not know that black congresspeople had tried to have gore v bush overturned but NO senator would sign their documents. I was disgusted by all of our leaders in both parties. Where the fuck was our party when we needed them to fight for us?

When the film (which was a bit too long) was over, the audience applauded and walked out past a crowd waiting to get in. They asked us "how was it?" We told them it was good, but we probably seemed very subdued to them. I hate violence of all kinds and many scenes were hard to watch - there was a soldier who lost both hands, there were Iraqi children dead with their intestines scattered about, and there was grief of the most difficult kind. Women - mothers and grandmothers crying, screaming, calling to God in their despair. It was heart wrenching.

We cannot allow Bush to keep this office for another four years. We must not let it happen. And someone (maybe me) needs to tell the poor people of America that they MUST NOT join the military to pay for college. They must get student loans and grants ... they must learn about trade schools and other chances at a better life that don't entail risking your life.

No wonder the neocons didn't want this film shown. It tears them to pieces using their own words, images, and actions. See it. See it now.

[qwertyMike]

1. So what you gonna do about it?

Sit in your rocker?

[Mizmoon]

5. I don't quite know yet

What are you planning to do?

[qwertyMike]

10. Washington

Protest March - we're working on it.
From Canada already.

[Vickers]

2. Good review, thanks

I won't have a chance to see this until next week, so all of these reviews are great...thanks!

[Kolesar]

7. that was a well written review. I did not know about all the carnage

I will probably be holding my hands over my eyes during those parts. I was saddened by the battle scenes in LOTR 3.

[Doug Decker]

3. Michael has something new planned...

For Moore's next big thing, a town hall meeting, Monday night. Sign on at http://action.moveonpac.org/f11/

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. Your link doesn't work. n/t

[Cha]

4. Very good report!

I'm surprised and happy that it got such a good reception in repub territory.

I knew that about the Black Caucus and not one Senator voting with them but it was heart wrenching to see it like that again.

Moore got some amazing footage..no wonder matt laurer asked him how he did that.

[skjpm]

8. Here in Omaha Repub country, it was crowded

and the audience was very positive. We applauded throughout, and at the end. I was surprised. I hated everything that the movie was showing me about my country and yet, I was proud to be an American again. I suddenly remembered the power of free speech. And this was a truly American movie--somewhere, in our heart of hearts, Patriot Act or no Patriot Act, it is in our blood to speak our minds, no matter how many or how few theaters will show our movie.

[Kolesar]

6. Daschle struck a deal about the electors

After the 2000 election, the Senate was 50/50 Dem/GOP. The Democrats agreed to not contest the electors if the Gops gave them equal representation on committees. If we had not made that deal, Cheney would have voted, and the pukes would have run all of the committees (and had some other authority).

Midway through 2001, Jim Jeffords quit the Gop, and the Dems took complete control.

[AP]

12. Had Daschle not struck the deal, he would have been relying on Gore

to take the challenge and win the election. Gore had already showed that he'd thrown in the toalla.

[Cheswick2.0]

14. bullshit

How would all the back stabbers run this year if they had stood up for us in 2000.
Gore fought for the recount single handedly for over a month. Where were Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman, Daschle, Biden...all those people who had their own eyes on the presidency?

[AP]

15. Gore sent Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton home from FL because he didn't

want to turn it into a big thing.

[AP]

16. Also, he wouldn't even talk to Clinton who wanted him to fight.

Clinton had to try to get messages advising him on how to conduct himself through third parties. It's not even clear that Gore received them. If he did, it was clear that he didn't follow the advice.

[SoCalDem]

18. Also, they were sure that if they did protest, it would end up

in the House, which would guarantee Bush a "win", and as always they did not want to "make waves", so they stood there like wooden indians...saying nothing and doing nothing.. They put their "trust" in the magnanimity of their "good friends across the aisle"...and we all know how well THAT has turned out :eyes:

[WillyT]

9. Great Review, Thanks !!!

:yourock:

[KharmaTrain]

11. We Tried To Go Last Night

I wrote that our local AMC Cinema was mobbed, with 4 screens showing the movie. Had we wanted to wait, we could have gotten in to the 10:00 showing (after waiting for 2 1/2 hours) in a smaller theater or take chances on the Midnight show (past my other half's bedtime) in the big theater. We're gonna try again tonight.

We heard a lot of interesting conversation going on in the lines to buy tickets and most were people who wanted to know what all the hype about this movie was all about. I also live in a heavily Repugnican suburban area and I expected protests and attempts to keep it from being shown. Neither happened.

I don't know if your theater is like ours, but most waiting in line were a lot of younger people (16-30)...the "typical" movie crowd...and a lot who are very concerned about what's going on right now. One girl, a friend of my daughter's, and very Repugnican, told us she was there to see for herself what this was all about. That's the best we can expect.

I sure hope this movie reaches a lot of those who have the most to lose if this regime gets another 4 years...young people...either those who will see their college opportunities curtailed as tutions continue to rise (cuts in federal grants), can't find a decent paying job or the option of facing RPGs in Baghdad. Not since the 60's, have young people had more of a reason to go and vote...and hopefully this movie will help in that process.

As Jeff Greenfield astutely said last night...this movie is intended to provoke...and it surely will do that. I look forward to seeing it more and more.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Welcome to DU and thanks for the report. :^)