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Moore lecture lives up to its billing
Controversial filmmaker takes on health care, education, political leaders
By KEVIN FRYLING
Reporter Staff Writer
Controversial award-winning documentarian Michael Moore lived up to his billing this weekend, delivering a nearly three-hour address in Alumni Arena that featured his trademark blend of humor and outspoken, incisive criticism against the American health care system, education system and leaders on both sides of the political aisle.
The inaugural speaker in the 21st annual Distinguished Speakers Series, Michael Moore offered his unique take on such topics as the American health care and education system, and leaders from both political parties.
PHOTO: ENID BLOCH
The appearance by Moore—the inaugural speaker in UB's 21st annual Distinguished Speakers Series—was his first before a college audience outside Michigan in three years.
A director who's taken on big business, gun violence, health care and the war in Iraq in such award-winning documentaries as "Roger and Me," "Bowling for Columbine," "Sicko" and "Fahrenheit 9/11"—the highest grossing documentary of all time—Moore told his audience that all his most recent films have been asking the same central question: "Who are we as a people?"
"There is a sense in our country that we're not our brother's and sister's keeper; that it's every man for himself and you're expected to pull yourself up by your bootstraps," he said. "[But] in Canada, and throughout much of the rest of the world, is this notion that we're all in the same boat and we sink or swim together."
The number one cause of home foreclosures, bankruptcy and homelessness in the United States is medical bills, Moore added, noting that nearly 50 million Americans are without health insurance.
"How does that make us a better country by setting up a system where so many people go without?" he asked. "Where so many people have to suffer?"
In support of his comments, Moore screened several clips that were not part of his latest film, "Sicko," but which will appear on the DVD, including an interview with Marcia Angell, aformer editor of the New England Journal of Medicine. Angell criticized the Federal Drug Administration for not testing new drugs against treatments previously on the market, as well as a system in which private pharmaceutical companies can maximize profits by charging high-prices for medications, most of which are developed using public research funds.
In his opening remarks, Moore also noted that a UB alumnus, George Zornick, served as a researcher on "Sicko."
In his address, Moore spared little criticism for the American education system as well, saying competition for federal funds based on standardized test scores has replaced the "three Rs," reading writing and arithmetic, with the "three Cs": "consistency, complacency and conformity."
"Those of you who are in college now, it's almost incumbent upon you to figure out how to throw off what has been handed to you on that assembly line during the 12 years before you came here," he said, encouraging students in the audience to ask questions, refuse to accept injustice and be unafraid to take risks for fear of the judgment of others.
In response to a question from an audience member later in the program, Moore also spoke out against the practice of some colleges and universities profiting from the student loan system.
"I think college education should be free; there should be no student loans," he said, pointing out that in his opinion health care should be considered a human right and that the cost of child care should not be a burden on young parents. He added that the most common objection to these proposals is cost in taxes, but countered the claim by asserting that citizens in Canada, as well as such European nations as France and Great Britain, bear a lesser financial burden than most Americans, who are responsible for meeting the high cost of student loans, health care and child care. "You add up all that—we pay more," he said. "We don't call it taxes; that's how we get away with saying we pay less than they do."
Moore also shared opinions and answered questions about current political candidates and the war in Iraq.
"What on Earth makes you think a Democrat is going to be elected next year when they don't even have the spine to take the victory that's been handed to them and do something with it?" he said, noting that in a recent debate, none of the top three Democratic presidential candidates would commit to a complete withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by 2013, despite 4,000 U.S. troop deaths and at least 20,000 injuries in the conflict since 2003. "Last November, they were given a very clear message by the people of the United States to stop this war," he added. "Not only have they failed to stop the war, they are enablers of the war."
On the subject of President George W. Bush, Moore was even more outspoken: "A lot of people talk about impeaching Mr. Bush, which should have been done, certainly, by now," he said. "But impeachment is too good for him: The man is a war criminal."