2008 Woodie Awards
Wilson praises America
Director of "Michael Moore Hates America" tells the other side of the story.
Brian Fanelli
Issue date: 4/19/05 Section: News
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WCU?s LUVIM series, the College Republicans organization, and Young America?s Foundation, a national conservative origination, hosted the writerproducer-director of "Michael Moore Hates America," who showed clips of his film and criticized Moore?s statements and views Thursday night in Philips Autograph Library. Michael Wilson was inspired to create a film opposing Moore?s viewpoints after he watched "Bowling for Columbine," Moore?s 2002 Oscar-winning film that analyzed the causes of violence and aggression in the United States.
One particular scene in "Bowling for Columbine" prompted Wilson to oppose Moore?s views. In the film, Moore tells the story of a first grader that shot a classmate. Wilson believes that the film blamed economic woes and poverty for the boy?s crime, since the child?s mother worked two jobs and was rarely around her son. Wilson labeled the boy?s mother as a "bad mommy" in his speech and criticized the mother for not teaching her child morals. "My mom worked two jobs and went to school full time, but I didn?t shoot anybody," Wilson said.
He also claimed that Moore left out crucial parts of the boy?s history and the murder. According to Wilson, the boy stole the gun, had problems of aggression in his past, and stabbed a classmate before committing murder.Wilson also said that the boy?s family has a history of drug abuse and drug trafficking. Wilson said he produced "Michael Moore Hates America" to portray America in a different light than Moore. "I wanted to talk about America in a way that wasn?t done in documentaries," he said.
Through his film, Wilson talks to entrepreneurs and praises the American dream, the idea of coming from nothing and becoming successful. In a clip shown Thursday night, Wilson interviewed a young man who owns a deli in Flint, Mich., Moore?s hometown. The clip was shown to further Wilson?s argument that anyone can be a successful entrepreneur in America.
Wilson also showed that particular scene in his film to contrast the view of Flint as a run-down, gloomy city, which Wilson claims is the portrait of Flint presented in Moore?s films. "It?s not a dead city, it?s a struggling city," he said. "There was this undeniable optimism about the town."
One particular scene in "Bowling for Columbine" prompted Wilson to oppose Moore?s views. In the film, Moore tells the story of a first grader that shot a classmate. Wilson believes that the film blamed economic woes and poverty for the boy?s crime, since the child?s mother worked two jobs and was rarely around her son. Wilson labeled the boy?s mother as a "bad mommy" in his speech and criticized the mother for not teaching her child morals. "My mom worked two jobs and went to school full time, but I didn?t shoot anybody," Wilson said.
He also claimed that Moore left out crucial parts of the boy?s history and the murder. According to Wilson, the boy stole the gun, had problems of aggression in his past, and stabbed a classmate before committing murder.Wilson also said that the boy?s family has a history of drug abuse and drug trafficking. Wilson said he produced "Michael Moore Hates America" to portray America in a different light than Moore. "I wanted to talk about America in a way that wasn?t done in documentaries," he said.
Through his film, Wilson talks to entrepreneurs and praises the American dream, the idea of coming from nothing and becoming successful. In a clip shown Thursday night, Wilson interviewed a young man who owns a deli in Flint, Mich., Moore?s hometown. The clip was shown to further Wilson?s argument that anyone can be a successful entrepreneur in America.
Wilson also showed that particular scene in his film to contrast the view of Flint as a run-down, gloomy city, which Wilson claims is the portrait of Flint presented in Moore?s films. "It?s not a dead city, it?s a struggling city," he said. "There was this undeniable optimism about the town."
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