A different take on Fahrenheit 911 : Melbourne Indymedia

"It's not a matter of whether the war is not real, or if it is, Victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. Hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. This new version is the past and no different past can ever have existed. In principle the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects and its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or East Asia but to keep the very structure of society intact."

- George Orwell 1984

It is with this quote that Michael Moore concludes Fahrenheit 911 (F911). I wonder what his intention was in using it? To give the impression that he is widely read? More likely to have the audience leave the cinema with the impression that it is the theme of this quote that his film had just addressed. And there is no doubt that they will also take away the films implied 'solution' of voting Bush out of office.

How does changing the leader of a hierarchical society solve the problems of a hierarchical society? It doesn't. It is no different to a campaign to replace the CEO of a multi-national corporation that had just been exposed of committing one atrocity or another. It will not change things. The atrocities will continue but with a newly legitimised public image.

A film like F911 reinforces the illusion of democracy and that is why it can be made and shown. Sure one particular wing of the two headed fascist regime (the Republicans) aren't happy with the film and are pulling out whatever stops it can to discredit it but so would any CEO in similar circumstances. After all, as the film all too well illustrates, there are significant personal benefits that accrue to whowever claims the title of President of the United States. As usual the true rulers, the corporations, will simply cover their bases to ensure that whichever head gains control this November they will always be answerable to them.

The film is littered with references of removing Bush from the White House and constant mentioning of the Democrats as though they are the saviour in waiting. There is only one negative reference about the Democrats and this is quickly brushed aside, obviously included in an attempt to imply a balanced critique. Moore gives the impression that the problems of the US began with Bush's election in 2000 and will conclude with Democrats winning the next election.

The film does contain very moving footage of the Iraqi victims of US bombs. The footage is graphic, but probably not graphic enough. Especially when you consider the relative time given to the costs of the lives of US troops. It would appear that the lives of an illegal occupying military machine are of greater importance than obviously innocent Iraqi civilians.

Moore devotes significant screen time to following around a mother from his home town of Flint who lost a son in Iraq. Here he really screws notions of innocence around so that both he and his first world audiences can absolve themselves of any personal guilt. This is a woman who admits to always having hated anti-war protesters from Vietnam onwards because she has always encouraged family members to enter the military. She claims that she took it as an attack on her relatives but now that her son has been killed she sees that they were protesting the idea of the war not the troops themselves. She now wants to get rid of evil George, so life can return to the way it was. She hasn't stopped raising her American flag, she doesn't question further because she ONLY needs to address the specifics relating to the loss of her son. I'm sure you think that I am being harsh on her. I only singled her out because Moore decided to allocate so much time to her. She is symptomatic of the entire first world culture. It is only when events directly touch them that they start to give a stuff.

Which brings us to the September 11 attacks. The film does not address WHY these attacks took place at all, it merely focusses on Bush's response to them. The implication is that there was not justification for the attacks at all, after all that would implicate Democrats as much as Republicans. A serious investigation of this would also run the risk of finding little innocence in the 'victims' on the upper floors of the World Trade Centre and the US military headquarters otherwise known as the Pentagon.

F911 is essentially a patriotic film and Moore himself says that the US is a "great country". The message is that Bush is guilty while the Iraqis, America and the American public are innocent.

Who in the first world can really claim innocence anyway? We benefit significantly from death and exploitation committed in our name yet refuse to see or hear of it. I experience this with my family who will simply change the subject or cease to listen when I attempt to discuss anything that challenges their world view. Were they to fall victim to a "terrorist" attack, I would be devastated BUT I would not be proclaiming their innocence.

And what of the hundreds of thousands in Australia and millions around the world who protested the invasion of Iraq? How can they claim innocence when they are aware yet do nothing to put a stop the atrocities? A peaceful weekend march in protest does NOTHING other than to falsely ease the consciences of the marchers, who then return to business as usual to play their role in the death machine. If the same hundreds of thousands of Australians rioted and continued to riot would the government still have sent troops? If people had of refused to work thus bringing the economy to a standstill would troops still have been sent? But to do something more than marching would have meant giving up their privilege. Their privilege of bearing moral witness to the atrocities while continuing to benefit from them.

This film will do nothing to decrease the likelihood of a terrorist attack. It is a business as usual film encouraging one man to step aside and to put a less accident prone one in charge. Then we can keep the focus on the "terrorists" as being the bad guys, instead of us.

I learnt no significant new facts from F911. All that is contained in the film has been within easy reach of anyone with an internet connection or able to afford thirty dollars for a book. There is little excuse for being ignorant. The real issue isn't not knowing, it is not caring.