TELEVISED WORLDWIDE
Oscar winner denounces Bush's war
By Monica Moorehead
The Oscar ceremony is watched each year by a worldwide
audience estimated at a billion people. The producers of this
glitzy show said the 75th anniversary of the Academy Awards
would be aired on March 23, war or no war. These same
producers, on behalf of the Bush administration, pressured
presenters and winners alike beforehand not to use the podium
to make political statements on the war.
While a few artists took the occasion to call for peace, it
was Michael Moore, the progressive director and producer, who
courageously took it a step further, making the most powerful
statement of all.
Moore's "Bowling for Columbine," a powerful, satirical look
at the symptoms and roots of U.S. violence, was among the
nominees for best documentary feature. As his name was
announced as the winner of this category, Moore called on the
other nominees to come with him to the stage. They all wore
peace buttons in a show of unity.
In his acceptance speech, Moore stated that while
documentary artists focus on non-fiction subjects, Bush was a
fictitious president sending U.S. soldiers to Iraq for
fictitious reasons. Then he shouted, "Shame on you, Mr. Bush!"
This provoked both sporadic boos and a standing ovation from
the divided audience of actors, directors and producers.
Days before the Oscar ceremony, Moore won the Independent
Spirit Award. At that event, he demanded that CNN dismiss all
the retired and active military officers it hires to interpret
the news.
Reprinted from the April 3, 2003, issue of
Workers World newspaper
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