 Word On Books
with Jeremy Fenton
Stupid White Men
By Michael Moore, Published by
Harper Collins
 Michael Moore has made a name for himself through his first movie (Roger and Me), his bestselling book Downsize This – Random Threats from an Unarmed American; and his two television series, TV Nation and The Awful Truth.
All of which directly address the actions, hypocrisies and lies of the American social, political and business institutions. And all of which use the biting, irreverent humour that is Moore’s signature.
Unlike other author-activists with whom he presumably has a lot in common (think Naomi Klein), Moore presents as the shaggy-dog everyman of the United States of America. An uneducated and opinionated man whose guerrilla-tactics style of media-activism has presented some of the most riveting and truly probing journalism on television.
Whether he’s driving around in his “no whiteys” taxi (he refuses to pick up white people), writing to foreign leaders with his ideas for peace (he advises Arafat to take the non-violent approach of Ghandi and promises media coverage!), or creating a list of carefully composed questions for President George Bush to answer (basically: Are you able to read and write? Are you an alcoholic? And are you a felon?), Moore is always delivering that unique angle to get his point across.
His ideas are often flashy, in bad taste, or just plain silly in presentation (he once hired a “cheer squad” for a state execution), but Moore is deadly serious in his attempts to wake the American people up from their political torpor.
In the last US elections, he fiercely campaigned for iconic independent Ralph Nader. In some loudly spoken pro-Democrat quarters, it’s been pointed out that if Nader hadn’t run (or even run in some states) then Al Gore would have walked all over Bush. In the face of criticism, Moore was unrepentant, believing that both parties are as bad as each other.
Moore begins his latest book, Stupid White Men (written before September 11), on the state of play within the US with a plea to the United Nations for help.
“I am a citizen of the United States of America. Our government has been overthrown. Our elected president has been exiled. Old white men wielding martinis and wearing dickies have occupied our nation’s capital.”
Send in the UN Peacekeepers and help us conduct a fair election, he writes.
Moore’s point being that Al Gore – like it or not – actually won the presidency at the last election. Although I doubt after the terrorist attacks on New York City that many Americans will want to know that their leader is a pretender to the position. Which is a shame because Moore’s evidence appears sound.
The rest of the book strays across racism, terrorism, international politics and monetary aid, sexism, literacy and environmental issues to name the subjects of but some of Moore’s takes on the world’s woes.
As to evidence (when you’re talking about opening one of the biggest can of worms on the planet, it’s would be helpful to have evidence), Moore’s assertions are for the most part pieced together from the public record. Although the book would have benefited from more comprehensive and detailed appendices on where Moore’s facts come from and how he arrived at some of his conclusions.
One of the big things that Mike Moore wants to do is make politics as interesting as sport to the average person – his books are a step in that direction. We all (even in Australia) ignore the sorts of issues that Moore raises at our own, or our children’s peril.
www.michaelmoore.com
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