Michael Moore and Principles Over Patriotism

The American President, Barack Obama, has announced that anyone who has any questions about his decisions, and prescribed actions in Pakistan, and the execution of Osama Bin Laden, “needs to have their head examined.” While a generous interpretation of this statement might consider this a reflection of the man’s confidence in the correctness of his decision, as President of the country it has the effect of projecting what can be perceived as a desire to silence and ostracize any who would question or criticize.

This alone is a formidable obstacle to an open and constructive national debate, but combined with a singularly unquestioning and nationalistic message being promoted and propagandized by every national and mainstream media franchise, all intelligent debate gets relegated to ‘the radical fringe.’ For the past ten days, since the President’s announcement of Osama’s execution, every American network has become like Fox News; unquestioningly repeating every new version of the events as they are released, cheering the ‘never to be doubted as absolutely correct’ actions of the military, and the accounting of those actions by  the ‘heroic-and-never-to-be-questioned’ Navy SEALs, while waving enough flags to start a wind farm.

Fox News, in turn, has gone one step beyond and become the network for torture apologists while campaigning for an administration that lives on only through the intrusive domestic policies it initiated, that Obama continues, and the debt it incurred prosecuting two illegal wars in countries that Al Qaeda’s leader, Osama Bin Laden, was not in.

Not only is a dissenter’s, or simply a questioner’s, love of country questioned… but their very intelligence, and mental stability, by none other than the President himself, is questioned as well.

Noam Comsky asked the question:

“...how we would be reacting if Iraqi commandos landed at George W. Bush’s compound, assassinated him, and dumped his body in the Atlantic?” Adding the explanation, “Uncontroversially, his crimes vastly exceed bin Laden’s, and he is not a “suspect” but uncontroversially the “decider” who gave the orders to commit the “supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole” (quoting the Nuremberg Tribunal) for which Nazi criminals were hanged: the hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of refugees, destruction of much of the country, the bitter sectarian conflict that has now spread to the rest of the region.”

Even American’s that share this view of Bush’s crimes would insist that due process be observed and a legitimate court hear hiscase. Why should it be any different with the roles reversed? Why is valuing America’s integrity, credibility, and respect for the rule of law, categorically wrong? Why should anyone asking this, or any other question regarding this event, be considered ‘un-American’ according to the opinion projected through the media and the patriotic, nationalistic, fervor they’ve enabled throughout the country; and ‘mentally irregular’ (to quote Rocky) by the President of the United States?

In his interview with Piers Morgan on CNN, Michael Moore makes two clear points.

1/ He is glad that the U.S. finally caught up with Bin Laden, and that Bin Laden is no longer a threat to the American people.

2/ There are a lot of questions about the events that led up to his execution, and the execution itself.

Michael Moore seems to love his country in a very active and passionate way. His entire career is an offshoot of that passion, rather than if he were a film maker who decided to use his notoriety and pursue political and social activism on the side. Even if I don’t agree with all of his assertions,such as his trust that Obama will expose all questionable activities and potential malfeasance by the Pentagon, I do think that he is asking some very important, and very ‘patriotic,’ questions.  He is honoring his responsibility as a citizen to hold his government accountable.

Michael Moore does not appear to be a victim of the team mentality that permeates American society where fouls are ignored, and even condoned, as long as it is your ‘team’ that is committing them. His opinions seem to be guided by his principles rather than his need to be accepted by the group; ironically, principles that, at one time, were those espoused as the ones that guided the group.  Yet now, the country that he loves with such commitment wants to hear nothing of his queries, and the President that he trusts so implicitly recommends that he has his head examined.

Michael Moore wants America to succeed, and lead the world, as much as, and perhaps more than, the most vocal, nationalist, hawkish, conservative.  But, not by exploitation, invasion, occupation and empire; by setting an example, by respecting the rule of law, and by establishing a sustainable way forward for the global community politically, economically, and environmentally.  Leadership based on principles, not simply power.

Moore is perhaps the only critical voice of all those that command a large audience in the American media. There are many  voices tut there that agree with him, but few reach as many, and across as many demographics, as Michael Moore.  He distinguished himself during a week of mindless, unquestioning propaganda, and an overwhelming willingness to avoid questions regarding America’s increasingly common practice of invading other countries and carrying out assassinations.  He had the courage to stand on principle when others seemed all too willing to simply pursue ratings.

This fact alone Makes Michael Moore’s voice all the more important.  When an entire nation begins to suffer from ‘group think,’ the value of the dissenter increases exponentially.  The insistence that those things that may appeal emotionally to a blind sense of patriotism must be reconciled with the principles enshrined in the laws and constitution of the country can not be allowed to be ignored or silenced by the national media… and, most certainly, should not be mocked, belittled, and insulted, by the President.

It is not only possible to be a patriot and question the actions of your government, it is your responsibility as a citizen, and as a true patriot.  There are some serious questions to be answered.  Michael Moore should not be the only one asking them.