Blow Hard and Hope it Sounds Like Music

Go out and find someone who was politically active in the 1960’s. Ask them if the political landscape has ever been as polarized as it is now.

They’ll probably say that it was much worse in the 1960’s, but it’s worse now than it’s been since. After all, we have all those big protests and people are emotional and passionate, but we don’t have riots and violence.

Not yet, anyway. (I doubt that we will, either.)

So we have this Michael Moore guy making documentaries that are full of what professional journalists and movie critics call “misleading statements” and “intriguing polemics”. Being a simple self-defense instructor and college student I call them “lies”.

This sort of thing plays well with people who want their opinions to be justified, but it’s not something that will last in the long run. Those that continue to use Moore’s work as a reference will come off sounding like idiots.

In fact, that’s pretty much the opinion I have when someone refers to any of his books or films in a debate. It’s like that old adage about debates on the Internet lasting until someone calls their opponent a Nazi. Might as well pack it in, it’s not worth wasting your time talking to this ninny.

So Moore is riding a wave of emotion. He’s rallying fellow travellers to the flag, getting people all fired up. But I wonder how long he’ll last once events evolve and he’s no longer needed.

If Kerry wins I figure the Dems will distance themselves pretty quick from good ol’ Michael. If Bush is re-elected then Moore might have a chance to stay in the limelight for awhile longer as the Dems get even more shrill.

But I could be wrong about this. As H.L. Mencken once said, “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.”

Moore’s living proof that you can make a tidy sum of cash as well as avoiding bankruptcy court.