Filmmaker’s 60-city tour hit Del Mar after initially being declined by CSU San Marcos By Yara Souza, Managing EditorThe anticipation and excitement surrounding Academy Award-winningdirector and author Michael Moore’s San Diego visit Tuesday night wasunmistakable amid the intense traffic and deafening cheers andapplause of the sellout crowd in attendance.
Moore’s stop at the Del Mar Fairgrounds is part of his 60-city “Slacker Upris’ing Tour” to 20 battleground states, which began Sept. 26 in Elk Rapids, Mich., and will end Election Day in Tallahassee, Fla., according to www.michaelmoore.com. The event, hosted by CSU San Marcos, was initially the subject ofcontroversy because of university administration’s decision not tofund a biased political discourse using state money, according to TheSan Diego Union-Tribune. According to the newspaper, CSU San MarcosPresident Karen Haynes said last month it would be illegal for Mooreto speak on campus before the election, and therefore retracted hisinvitation.
An outpouring of student, faculty and community support helpedraise more than $40,000 to bring Moore to speak at an alternatelocation, Manal Yamout, president of CSU San Marcos’ AssociatedStudents Inc., said.
Moore then announced to the audience he would not accept a dime ofthe money for speaking. He said the $20,000 remaining after venuefees will be given as a $5,000 scholarship or grant each year forfour years to the nominated CSU San Marcos student who is mosteffective at standing up to the university’s administration.
“You’re changing (the system), and that’s what they’re afraid of… they think they can control free expression with theirpocketbooks,” Moore said.
“What was going to be a very small event with about 1,200 to1,500 students, because of the Republican conservative attitude oftrying to prohibit free speech in San Diego County, has now become10,000.”
Moore, best known for films Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit9/11, rallied the crowd for approximately two hours.
He discussed a broad range of topics – from the war in Iraqand his fervent desire for Bush’s removal from the White House, tothe significance for America’s youth – “the slackers” -to vote.
About 100 protesters holding anti-Moore signs and cheering forBush stood on the corner of Jimmy Durante Boulevard and Via de laValle. They received honks and jeers from drivers moving into thefairgrounds.
“I’m very pleased Michael Moore put on a thought-provoking,engaging show,” Yamout said. “I expected nothing less.”
Folk singer Joan Baez and Rage Against the Machine guitarist TomMorello each sang a few politically-charged songs, pleasing differentgenerations while surprising the crowd with their appearances.
“History is made by people like you standing up for their rights,and you have demonstrated tonight that the people united can never bedefeated,” Morello said. “I look forward to Nov. 2, when we get thatjackass and his cronies out of the White House.”
Morello called Moore, “a great American hero, a great Americanrebel, a great American patriot and a kick-ass filmmaker.”
Moore said Republicans don’t represent the majority anymore,because many American people don’t want assault weapons on thestreets, want stronger environmental laws, are opposed to the war andbelieve women should be paid the same as men, Moore added.
“After the Republican convention, the Liberals were crying, saying’Bush is ahead,'” Moore said. “Have you heard Republicans cry? No… they’re relentless and committed — like sharks,they never stop moving.
“That’s how they live — on fear. That’s the wholeprogram of George W. Bush.”
Kelli Kedis, San Diego State’s Associated Students president, said she liked how Moore kept referring to working-class peoplebecause the audience could relate to it more.
“I thought it attached more passion to his message because itdidn’t focus on just political issues; it focused more on Americanideals,” she said.
Moore apologized to the soldiers in Iraq and said he is eternallygrateful for their lives, which he considers a gift given in a warnot fought on a last resort.
He brought a man named Dante to the stage. Dante, who lost hisbrother, Sherman, in the war, was a voice that reflected on everyperson’s duty to be active and do what’s right.
“Each of us must search among the rubble around us for truth, andthen it’s your duty to go out and spread that truth with conviction,”he said.
Deafening applause followed by standing ovations erupted every fewminutes of the filmmaker’s presentation.
Toward the end of Moore’s speech, clean underwear and Top Ramenwere thrown out to audience members in exchange for a promise fromthe “slackers” to vote for the first time. Moore also gave awaycopies of his Fahrenheit 9/11 DVD to people who vowed to assist incampaign efforts in the battleground states bordering California:Oregon, Arizona and Nevada.
“People aren’t sitting this one out,” Moore said. “They’re gettinginvolved … five, 10 years ago, it used to be uncool if you wereto talk politics; now you’re not cool if you don’t know what the hellis going on in the world.
“It’s an informed electorate in a democracy that keeps thedemocracy strong – not an ignorant population.”
