There is a valuable lesson here. The reason Mike made “Fahrenheit 411” was not for personal gain, but because he knows we are all in this together. Without the truth—and unless we are a nation of laws, not wealth, we all have nothing.

He was probably surprised at the money he made, because his work is not for personal gain, and that’s what makes it so valuable.

Wealth has power, indisputably. Wealth made kings and lesser “nobles” throughout history, until the people founded America. Our government was created to eliminate the power of wealth to dominate and enslave. First it was the Hudson’s Bay Company, then King George III, then the railroads, the oil companies and now genetics, pharmaceuticals, insurance companies who will always seek to influence government for profit.

The republican party has been the party of wealth since Lincoln’s death. When President Teddy Roosevelt, a republican, tried to bust the trusts, limit the huge monopolies that dominated government and people’s lives, the republicans abandoned him as their candidate for re-election.

Now Mike comes along, sees the same deceptions and unfair practices, and says so. He is saying we can do better- we are being taken for a ride. This is a country founded for the people, not for corporations to dominate.

Essentially, this is a Christian message. Unlike the Christians who claim the only way to grace is through their churches, Mike shows that the people have many roads to the truth. The great enduring strength of Christianity is it’s humanity and ethicality, not in amassing the wealth of the church in Rome. America is the same. The innovations of millions of free people will always trump the chains that banks and corporations will foist upon them.

The people of America are an inexorable and indomitable force. That’s why democracy has the chance to endure against the forces of wealth. That’s why Christian charity and compassion will always outlast the latest little religious tyrant, like Falwell. That’s why it’s important for folks like Mike to get the truth out about what the forces of wealth are trying to do to the people.

Sometimes the truth is hard to stand. Like the “war” in Iraq is simply murder for profit. Like the entire oil industry is an illegal monopoly. It’s the oil industry that’s principally responsible for putting millions of us in jail for smoking pot. Because hemp oil would break the petroleum monopoly.

It is not just Mike’s recent payment of his critic’s bills, but his entire dedication to the working class, to the people, to the truth, to compassion and decency and democracy that distinguishes his work as well as his Christianity.
marty weiss
mexico, mo

The debated shouldn’t be about Moore’s character and his personal actions. We should be debating his art. Or some may want to say, his product. Either way, he has packaged his work in an easy to see and understand way. His film is a reflection of our society. Just like Picasso and his Guernica. We may tolerate what he is showing us, but we get especially irritated when he’s asking us to answer his question. In “Bowling” he asked why are there so many guns in America? In “Fahrenheit” he asked why is America at war in Iraq? In SICKO he asks why is our health care system so horrible? The sad thing is that all the answers remain the same, partly because of the refusal of America to address the issues he raises. But you will find the same culprits, with the same motives, and getting the same results, in all his films. In Guernica, Picasso showed us the result of wars. Moore is trying to show more of a process. How did Guernica happen? That someone could delude themselves into believing Moore is a threat to America, and his art not worth looking seriously at, could only happen in the United Stares of Everything.
Hoa binh

Mike - keep on doing what you do best, shaking up the establishment and their corporate interests. We’ve become a nation conditioned not to think through any issue, only respond to sound bites in between commercials. It’s the way our government and their controlling interests want to keep us.
Anything that interferes with their control will be quickly put down.
Much like Fahrenheit 911 this film should be considered mandatory viewing by anyone that wants to be informed. They can then draw their own conclusions and opinions and act accordingly. 
We pay the most for health care coverage in the world and don’t even get the best care. Why? No one in Congress cares - that should be the question - not why did Michael Moore pay for someone else’s health care costs?  Wake up!

It has always struck me that nowhere in any of the criticisms of Michael Moore’s films has anyone actually been able to point to anything that was’t true, perhaps because, as most of them admit, they haven’t even seen the film.  The fact is, they hate him precisely BECAUSE he tells the truth.

Michael Moore has spent his life helping himself & his family by trying to ruin people who screw the little guy.  Kenefick owed Moore long before he had to accept charity from him.
 
I’m not saying it’s his fault but, his opinions about Moore might show a mental deficiency that is related to his inability to make a good living.

He might be better off getting a job and spending less time playing with his computer.

One sure-fire way to NEVER shut up a critic is to respond to him ... in any way.

Seems to me if Moore was going to bribe the man, he would have let him know ... Duh.

The fact remains, we still don’t know for a fact that Moore is the benefactor. Before we hang the man lets wait and see, OK? I mean the guy has enough detractors already. Although personally, if he is the benefactor, I think that’s a darn nice thing to do.

Amazing how people get their knickers in a twit over someone who takes what no-one wants to do anything about and brings it to their attention.

The most vehement of Moore’s critics have probably never even seen one of his documentaries. Proving you cant force the monkeys hands off their eyes, ears and mouths.

I sit here with mouth agape at the cynicism of Mr. Welch. You ASSUME Mr. Moore intended to be found out eventually. Your obvious bias is almost laughable if it weren’t so sad and destructive. People of generous nature, when in need, understand and accept the help of others. You, on the other hand, simply reflect your own greed and lack of compassion by not being capable of understanding compassion when you see it.
A sad sight.

Farenheit 911 took balls. “Sicko” will probably be of the same ilk. Tell the people the truth. Detractor’s seem to demean any, and all, that differ from their opinion. But they do so, usually, out of ignorance. F. Nietche (sic) was lambasted in his time for his “God is dead” statement. The ignorant sees that as a “stand alone” statement/thought, and choose not to look further. In other words, the statement (in itself) was all they needed to scream (at the time) “Burn him at the stake”!! The following line, in the play, said (I use literal license here)“He is alive in each of us. We are God” !  The tenets of religion include charity & giving & sacrifice. Mr. Moore has exibited this trait, quite well. We, as people, need to be kind/considerate/caring/sacrificing to our fellow man. It’s not religion folks, it’s being a good citizen of the world. And, by his anominity, shows us that he is a good citizen of the world and deserves to hear it. Michael Moore…..way to go !!!!

I think Michael Moore just gave a valuable lesson to Right Wing Christian Evangelists what CHRISTIAN CHARITY really means.

For people who go on and on and on about JESUS, they seem to have little compassion for their fellow man.  Though faith can move mountains, it is still as nothing if there is no Charity.

I wonder if they will have even a grain of humility to see what a humane thing was done?

“Kenefick wants it known that “I’m not an idiot.”

Yes you are sir, on two counts ... actually three.

First:
Anonymous Benefactors like to stay that way. It’s only the “see how good I am” who shout from the roof-tops what they’ve done for someone less fortunate.

Second:
Having received no direct confirmation from Moore himself, you are jumping to a conclusion based on a gossip column.

Is that the same questionable type source you use to gather the information you use to trash him? You may have damaged your own credibility.

Third:
If Moore did in fact help you out, it would hardly be to “use” you. How could he if no-one knew? Although no-one would know better how easily insurance companies can give you the shaft. Maybe that’s why you’ve decided to decide Moore is using you. Maybe you have become accustomed to being used.

Anyway, glad to hear your wife received the care she needed.