Moore's 'Slacker' calls for a second uprising

The 2004 Presidential Election. George W. Bush. John Kerry. Michael Moore.
    At least that is the latest depiction of the role Moore played in his new documentary “Slacker Uprising,” a project that was released online last week, free of charge to the public.
    The movie follows Moore and fellow musicians, actors and activists on the Slacker Uprising Tour, a 60-city tour of the 20 battleground or swing states, or those states still uncertain of their choice of presidential candidate, including Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the notorious Florida.
    More important, however, was the Tour’s goal of getting the upwards of 50 percent of people who do not vote - with the largest demographic being college students – to cast their ballots in November 2004.
    “We want slackers all across the country to get off the couch,” said Moore in an impassioned address to a sold-out arena.
    In every stop along the tour, Moore and friends, including Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Michael Stipe and bandmates of REM, folk icon Joan Baez, Steve Earle, comedienne Roseanne Barr, feminist Gloria Steinem and actor Viggo Mortenson, were greeted like rock stars, if not the presidential candidates themselves.
However, not everyone gave the “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine” filmmaker a warm welcome. Moore is frequently called many things: Communist, liar, anti-American, joker and even labeled a “mental midget” by Bush’s brother Marvin.
At several stops along the way, protestors lined the sidewalks, proudly displaying Bush-Cheney signs and spewing hatred for Moore. Arguments of fraud were given by Moore foes over the free gifts – or what were seen as bribes – of slacker favorites of Ramen noodle packets and clean underwear in exchange for a voter registration forms and a pledge to vote.
At Utah Valley State College, threats of impeaching the student government president, an impending lawsuit and generous donations from wealthy community members were a few tactics used to block Moore’s visit. The administration and vocal opponents of Moore at Cal State-San Marcos prevented him from speaking but students relocated the event to a much larger venue at a local fair ground.
    Critics of Moore called this film – and still continue to do so – a work of anti-Bush propaganda. In response to this, Moore criticized the role of the mainstream media.
    “My movie exists to counter the manufactured news, which is essentially the propaganda arm of the Bush administration,” he said in a press conference in Oregon.
     On Nov. 2, 2004, upwards of 21 million young voters cast their votes, many, if not the majority, for Kerry. Still, Kerry lost to Bush, albeit by a historically narrow margin.
So why take note of Moore now, especially since Bush did win a second term?
In light of the upcoming election, Moore does touch upon themes of the importance of political mobilization at the core of democracy, especially among college students, and the value of freedom of speech, two issues that remain priorities today.
    Perhaps the most poignant and pertinent quote in the film is from Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave’s Tom Morello: “But a little reminder…The real work begins on Nov. 3 because no matter which one of those multi-millionaires is elected president, issues like human rights, workers’ rights, your rights, the environment, the way, they do not go away.”
    If you are interested in seeing “Slacker Uprising” or want more information, visit http://www.slackeruprising.com to download the movie free of charge.