The Guardian carries a superb extract from Michael Moore’s new book ‘Here Comes Trouble’, describing how he became the most hated man in the USA, threatened with murder by bigoted right wing Fox news presenter the hated Glenn Beck: http://www.guardian.co.uk/
books/2011/sep
/07/michael-moore-hated-man-america
All because he accepted an Oscar for his film ‘Bowling for Columbine’ and used his speech as an opportunity to call Bush a ‘liar’ and denounced the invasion of Iraq. He followed this up with his next box office breaking film ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ – still the highest earning full screen documentary ever made and the most frequently downloaded film by US troops on Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since then his film about American Health Care ‘Sicko’ whilst seemingly too optimistic about the state of the NHS still exposed brilliantly the horrible state of health care provision in the USA, ending with the treatment of surviving 9/11 workers being given the treatment that couldn’t be provided under the terms of their health care scheme in the US. More recently his film ‘Capitalism a Love Story’ exposed the corruption and deceit at the heart of the banking crisis and achieved the same audiences and success as his previous work. Those who have seen it will never forget the notorious expose of the banking system.
His films are witty and polemical rather than deeply serious but have achieved a rare fame for left wing works. That’s why he was the most hated man in the USA – but not by those whose side he took. Have a look at his web site http://www.michaelmoore.com/
UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.