ABSTRACT
We started writing this chapter at the end of October 2004. At the same time, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore released his controversial film Fahrenheit 9/11 on DVD and video to influence U.S. citizens to vote President George W. Bush out of office. If you have seen this film, you probably know that it sharply attacks President Bush and the U.S. corporate elite, which is one of the key reasons why on October 31 President Bush’s father made the following statement in a television interview in West Palm Beach, Florida: “Michael Moore is a despicable character. He has smeared my family. He has been gravely unfair about the President and he’s part of that Hollywood elite who loves the limelight” (quoted by Harper, 2004:A16). Bush’s father and his corporate supporters are also upset with Michael Moore because of statements like this one included in his best selling book, Dude, Where’s My Country?: “The fear drug works like this: You are repeatedly told that bad, scary people are going to kill you, so place all your trust in us, your corporate leaders, and we will protect you” (2003:138; emphasis in original).
