After his appearance at Occupy Oakland last week, Michael Moore stopped off at Occupy Portland, where he gave a pep talk to a crowd of thousands at Portland’s Terry Schrunk Plaza.

During his speech, Moore argued that the disorganization and leaderless nature of the ‘Occupy’ protests – something that has often been declared a weakness by critics of the demonstrations – was actually one of their greatest strengths:

“The reason why this has spread is specifically because it is ‘disorganized.’ The reason this has spread is because it doesn’t have a ‘leader.’ I don’t want politicians to co-opt this in any way. We’ll tell them what to do, not the other way around.”

The crowd gave Moore a rousing reception as he said the movement had been organized by “greedy bastards” at the nation’s banks.

He also compared the Occupy movement to historical rallies against Vietnam and to the protests that led to womens’ rights, and warned protestors that giving up their protests now would be a waste:

“This movement is only six weeks old and it has spread like wildfire across the country. This is happening everywhere. And it can’t be stopped. The American people have had it. They are counting on you and me to go away. They think this is just the latest fad.”

Moore was in town to do a book-signing for ‘Here Comes Trouble,’ his latest book that he describes as an “anti-memoir that blends personal reminiscences, history, and politics.” You can see his full speech below:

Michael Moore: ‘Occupy’ Protests Successful Because They Are Disorganized [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Michael Moore joined the protesters in Oakland this week to congratulate them on successfully killing apathy in America.

Moore said:

“We’ve killed despair across the country and we’ve killed apathy.”

The Occupy Movement has spread across the country and around the globe in the last few months, but the movement seems to have found its epicenter in Oakland. Last week, Iraq veteran Scott Olsen was critically injured by a police projectile during a protest in Oakland. The incident brought Michael Moore, more protesters, and the media’s attention to the California city.

Moore said:

“This week in Oakland, California, will go down as a watershed moment (for the Occupy movement)…  I’ve never seen a movement take form so fast… There’s no turning back, is there?”

To which the crowd emphatically replied: “No!”

Here’s a video of Moore’s speech. (It’s a long video. Moore starts talking around the 6 minute mark.)

Moore asked the crowd for a moment of silence in honor of Scott Olsen, saying:

“It’s absolutely criminal that this young man went to Iraq for a war he didn’t agree with and the only place he had to worry about was here in his own country, in Oakland, California.”

Earlier this week Moore wrote a post confessing that he was part of the 1%. He explains how he came to wealth and what he does with his money. Which according to Moore, includes a lot of charitable givings.

What do you think of Moore’s speech? Does the fact that he makes millions and is part of the 1% make his opinion irrelevant? Has the Occupy movement killed apathy?

Michael Moore: The Occupy Movement has ‘Killed Apathy’ [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Director Michael Moore is calling for an economic boycott of Georgia to protest the execution of Troy Davis. Davis, who was convicted of killing an off-duty police officer in 1989, was executed earlier this week.

Moore published a short statement on his website, saying:

“I encourage everyone I know to never travel to Georgia, never buy anything made in Georgia, to never do business in Georgia. I will ask my publisher to pull my book from every Georgia bookstore and if they won’t do that I will donate every dime of every royalty my book makes in Georgia to help defeat the racists and killers who run that state. I ask all Americans with a conscience to shun anything and everything to do with the murderous state of Georgia.”

Brian Robbinson, a spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal, said that the filmarker’s rant was “cute.” Robbinson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

“We think it’s cute that he thinks anyone in Georgia would buy his book, but if any Georgian does, I’m happy to double the royalties and buy a pack of gum for a charity of Michael Moore’s choice.”

Davis maintained his innocence from the day he was convicted to the day he was executed. Before Davis was executed, 7 of the 9 witnesses whose testimonies helped convict Davis, came forward to recant their statements. Several high-profile individuals, including president Jimmy Carter, former FBI director William Sessions, and 51 members of Congress, also came out in support of Davis, saying that the evidence against him was unreliable.

Do you think justice was served when Troy Davis was executed? Will you be boycotting Georgia?

Michael Moore Wants to Boycott Georgia After Troy Davis Execution is a post from: The Inquisitr

Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Michael Moore locked horns on Wednesday’s episode of The View, engaging in an entertainingly heated debate over the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Things kicked off when film-maker Moore argued that bin Laden should have been put on trial by the U.S., pointing out that “we did a very smart thing putting the Nazis on trial.” Hasselbeck returned fire, pointing out that the Nazis were tried in peace time, while the U.S. was “still at war.”

“No, we’re not, actually,” replied Moore. “(We are) spending ‘billions’ of dollars of our money on something that has nothing to do with a real threat. The way we show the world that we’re different that we give even the most heinous person their day in court. If we start to say that we’re afraid to hold trials because terrorists might hurt us, we look like a bunch of wussies.”

Hasselbeck seemed genuinely angry at this point, snapping back with, “You’re telling me Osama bin Laden & deserves a trial, but where, in New York City at the site of the slaughter of our own 3,000 on 9/11? Absolutely not. How dare …”

Afterwards, Hasselbeck Tweeted that the two had “passionately agreed to disagree,” and they would grab lunch together. You can check out a video of the full debate below.

While I don’t agree with all of his views, I’d have to side with Moore here: giving even the most despicable individuals their day in court (and no, not “in New York City at the site of the slaughter” as Hasselbeck emotionally screeches) is the sign of a mature, confident nation that believes in sticking to its core values. What do you think, readers?

Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Michael Moore Scrap it Out Over Bin Laden [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

As Julian Assange remained jailed without charges in Britain awaiting a bail hearing this, the popular narrative regarding Wikileaks shifted massively.

While the previous week centered more on censorship and (in case you forgot) the content of the leaking diplomatic cables, the nature of the charges of which Assange has yet to be accused took center stage this week. Confusion about what the charges could entail reigned, and despite the absence of formal charges against Assange, lefty bloggers dissolved into two distinct camps.

1.) This is an OUTRAGE, Assange was accused of RAPE, and anyone who breathes a word in the opposite direction is a RAPE APOLOGIST;

and 2.) This is an OUTRAGE, Assange hasn’t been charged with anything and this whole brouhaha is a clear attempt to smear him/honeytrap/CIA/FREEDOM OF SPEECH!

…which, as you can imagine, hasn’t been all that productive. The latest casualty in the Julian Assange Rape Allegations Flamewar of 2010 is Keith Olbermann, who drew the ire of one of the most rabid subsets of bloggers- feminists- after allowing Michael Moore to speak on his show regarding his partial bailing out of Assange. I’m sure there’s a “bingo card” somewhere that will insult me for this, but engaging with this area of the blogosphere is particularly headache inducing. It’s a bit shoutier than most, and the rhetoric is peppered with an off-putting condescension that even for the internet is stunning and unique in its audacity. It also insists upon itself loudly, rapidly dismissing counterpoints with all caps usage of the words “DOUCHE” and “RAPE APOLOGIST.” (When noted feminist Naomi Wolf broke ranks in defense of Assange, she was lazily lambasted by Bitch Magazine as a “douche,” despite her reasoned critique of the use of women’s issues to pursue larger, unrelated political goals. Kind of proving that that strategy, as a whole, works.)

So it really comes as no surprise that when confronted with the accusation of being an all-caps RAPE APOLOGIST, Olbermann fled Twitter in heartbreak, shame and frustration. Part of the frustration surrounding the Julian Assange brouhaha is that it is impossible to defend Assange without being accused of defending rape, rapists or being a DUDEBRO. While it is possible, as many feminist bloggers point out, to defend Wikileaks and want to see Assange prosecuted, the opinion that the timing and motivation behind the charges is suspect is PATRIARCHAL RAPE APOLOGY and will not be tolerated.

Olbermann posted a brief Twitter explanation behind his flight, which only served to heighten the furor and prompt a mostly-inactive Salon writer to pen a piece titled- I kid you not- “Keith Olbermann quit Twitter because of me.” Which seems a bit high-handed and self-absorbed considering the amount of outrage spewing forth from both sides of the Assange supporter and detractor saga, not even considering the disgusting level of self-promotion into which the post happily, shamelessly descends. It seems pretty likely Olbermann left Twitter because of the sheer cacaphony and ugly accusations behind the campaign, not one user who managed to invent a hashtag that caught on. (I hate to break it to you, Sady Doyle, but 11-year-olds with Bieber fever do that every single day.)

In Olbermann’s measured and thoughtful five-tweet long response, he addressed himself but not Michael Moore (the original outrage target)- serving only to increase the clusterfracas:

Rape has touched my family, directly and savagely, and if anybody thinks I have addressed it without full sensitivity, then that assessment is the one that counts, and I apologize. But these accusations that I “revealed” an accuser’s identity by retweeting Bianca Jagger’s link, or that I ‘shamed’ an accuser by asking a question about the prosecution of a man governments are trying to bury, or that I do not ‘understand’ charges that have yet to be presented in their final form, reflect exactly the the kind of rushing to judgment of which I’m accused, and merit the same kind of apology I have just given.

If you’re interested in following the Moore/Olbermann Twitter saga, the anti-Olbermann and Moore tweeters have firmly latched onto the hashtag #mooreandme, and it continues. As for Olbermann, responding to the level of invective with which he is being pummeled is a herculean task, and I can’t blame him for taking a break from Twitter.

Have you been following the controversy on Twitter or any particular blogs? Do you fall into either outrage camp, or are you on Team Don’t Give a Fuck?

Keith Olbermann driven off Twitter by feminist outrage is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are you one of the many people affected by the economic downturn?

Michael Moore, who you may know for his films Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling For Columbine or current film Capitalism: A Love Story, wants to take you out tonight. Moore is screening Capitalism: A Love Story tonight in ten cities with the highest unemployment rates and highest foreclosure rates nationally, free for people who have been affected by the crisis. There’s no proof required (Moore says it’s the honor system) so you can just go on and show up if you’re interested.

You can find a list of the participating venues here, and below is the e-mail invite sent by Moore:

Free Screenings Tonight of “Capitalism” for the Jobless and Homeless in America’s Hardest Hit Cities (plus local benefit premieres all across the country)

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Friends,

We’re just one day away from the widest opening I’ve ever had for any of my movies. Tomorrow, Friday, October 2nd, “Capitalism: A Love Story” opens on over a thousand screens across the United States, a record for an independent documentary.

This follows last weekend’s limited opening in New York and L.A. where “Capitalism” set the box office record for the highest per screen average of ANY movie released so far this year. Not just any documentary — any MOVIE! It was, as the studio said, a good indicator of just how well the movie may do when it goes wide this weekend. I sincerely hope they’re right because I believe deeply in this film.

To kick off the national release of “Capitalism: A Love Story,” I’ve asked the studio to offer a number of screenings in the nation’s hardest hit cities — the ones with the highest unemployment rates and highest foreclosure rates — where those who’ve lost their jobs or who are in foreclosure (or have already been evicted) may attend my film free of charge. They’ve agreed, and so tonight (Thursday), the night before our opening day, ten cities will grant you free admission if you have fallen on hard times. The list of theaters and cities is below. You don’t need to bring any “proof” of your situation — just show up — it’s the honor system, no questions asked.

Of course, a free movie ain’t much when what you really need is a job or a place to live. And that’s not going to change until the party that controls both the Congress and the White House wakes up and realizes the American people put them in charge to fix the mess created by the previous administration. For that to happen requires the active involvement of each of us. And, as I show in this movie, it’s going to also require us to challenge some fundamental assumptions about an economic system that currently allows the wealthiest ONE PERCENT in this country to have more financial wealth than the bottom 95% combined. That concentration of money and power in the hands of so few people is, I believe, at the core of so many of our problems.

So, if you’re going through tough times and you live in one of the areas below, please be my guest tonight, on the eve of my new film’s opening. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

Also, in another five cities tonight, I have made the film available to local groups to hold benefit screenings to raise money for their local organizations — organizations which are working toward a day when a filmmaker doesn’t have to offer free screenings to people who’ve been put through the wringer. If you live in any of these areas (see below for the list of benefit premieres tonight), please come out and support the good work of these grassroots groups.

So, until tomorrow, thanks for your support, and I’ll see ya at the movies!

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Twitter.com/MMFlint
Facebook.com/MMFlint
MySpace.com/MMFlint

Michael Moore screening Capitalism: A Love Story free tonight in ten cities is a post from: The Inquisitr

Esquire hosted a swanky party last night, with models and free flowing booze in a pricey Soho penthouse.

The occasion? Michael Moore taking down those jerks who live in excess while the rest of the country suffers under the worst recession since like, time immemorial. Was the exclusive event supposed to be an ironic nod to the themes of the film? Interesting factoid: the party was held in the Soho Mews, an overpriced downtown building wherein only 13 of 68 multi-million dollar apartments have sold.

An attendee summed the party up pretty well on his Tumblr:

This happened last night…

1. Esquire sponsors the premiere of ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’. Michael Moore’s new shocking and inspirational doc about hard times in America and the evils of capitalism.
2. Following the Premiere, Esquire shuttles many of the attendees straight down to SoHo to the opening of The Esquire Apartment – a fully decadent penthouse where every square inch is paid for by a luxury sponsor. Hot tub, $120k pool table, $60k home theater, fine food. The only thing lacking was a doormat saying “Welcome To Capitalism.”

I had fun….But ooooh the irony. Everyone I talked to was like, “man, this is the most bizarre combination. I bet Michael Moore would freak out if he saw that this was happening.”….And then he showed up. And was eating it up. And then one of the families from the film came.

Alas- the tale ends there. No word on their reactions, but still a pretty amusing story overall. Wish you were there? You can get the dirt on Esquire’s “Ultimate Bachelor Pad” on its very own website.

Irony alert: Esquire throws hedonistic bash to celebrate release of new Moore anti-Capitalism film is a post from: The Inquisitr

You may not agree with Michael Moore regarding a lot of the things he makes films about but at a press event in Toronto for a film festival he said something that most people involved social media and Web 2.0 would be hard-pressed to disagree with.

During the conference that was primarily about his new film, Capitalism, Moore went off on a four minute tangent where he said that the Internet is what is responsible for the killing of newspapers. Moore suggests that it is greed, pure and simple, that has brought the newspaper industry to this point in time.

“These newspapers have slit their own throats,” he said. “Good riddance.”

Moore said that newspapers, bought up by corporations in the last generation, have pursued profits at the expense of news gathering. By basing their businesses on  advertising over circulation, newspaper owners have neglected their true economic base and core constituency, he said.

Source: The Wrap – Michael Moore Says U.S. Newspapers ‘Slit Their Own Throats’

Michael Moore: In 1 to 2 years we will not have daily newspapers [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

You mention the name Michael Moore in any mixed company and you will probably get equally mixed comments. More than once he has proven to be a lightening rod over the issues he has made documentaries about. It seems that lightening will be striking again with his upcoming, and yet to be named, documentary about our current economic situation if a recent stunt he has pulled is any indication.

According to Alex Billington over at FirstShowing.net some of the theaters showing the new Taking of Pelham 123 were to be treated to a trailer of Moore’s documentary. Other theaters though were treated to Michael Moore appearing on the screen asking them to donate money to “needy banks and corporations” at which point the ushers would enter the theater with buckets to collect the money.

This apparently is no joke as Alex has the exact text of what Michael said

"Hi, I’m Michael Moore. Instead of using this time to tell you about my new movie I’d like to take a moment and ask you to join me in helping our fellow Americans. The downturn in the economy has hurt many people, people who have had no choice but to go on government assistance. Yet our welfare agencies can only do so much. That’s why I’m asking you to reach into your pockets right now and lend a hand. Ushers will be coming down the aisles to collect your donations for Citibank, Bank of America, AIG, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and a host of other needy banks and corporations. Won’t you please give generously? Now, I know what you’re thinking – I already gave at the bailout. And I know you did, but even if you’ve given in the past, give some more. It will make you feel… good."

You can hear the full audio portion of his “appeal” over at Slashfilm. This isn’t something that will be happening at all the showings of the Pelham but rather in selected theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C.

Trust Michael to pull a stunt like this.

Michael Moore asking for donations for bailout companies? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Moore’s movie takes viewers along his journey through 62 cities in the 20 U.S. “swing states” that could heavily influence the November vote. Moore speaks to crowds to try to encourage young “slackers” to register to vote — and, not surprisingly, stirs up some controversy along the way.

It’s a risky move for Moore, whose last two documentaries were two of the three most profitable in movie-making history. So will it pay off? Well, financially, probably not. There doesn’t seem to be any major monetization or ad profit plan in place. While Moore does intend to eventually sell DVDs of the project, that certainly can’t compare to the box office cash it would have brought in.

Still, for a guy who probably doesn’t need the money, it may just be worthwhile in the end. As with Radiohead’s pay-what-you-want online album release experiment, the exposure and publicity may outshine any lack of direct income. That, of course, more than pays off down the road. With people already flocking to watch television online, the idea of a free Web movie release undoubtedly plays to a demographic’s video-centric habits — and love him or hate him, the outspoken jolly king of the documentary world may have stumbled onto a smart strategy. I suspect it won’t be the last semi-mainstream Internet movie premiere, but rather the first in a trend that’ll only move upward.

Online Movie Premiere: Will It Work? is a post from: The Inquisitr