Dear Mr. Clark,

I am an Irish citizen who keeps up with US politics avidly. In response to your M Moore article on realitycheck.org [Le Pig and Le Pen: Why Michael Moore doesn't live in France (1/22/05)]; Moore is as sly as a fox when it comes to editing and filming and getting his point across. I must say however that you are guilty of his crimes as you quote him as saying there is little chance of being caught in a terrorist attack etc, etc -- indicating he doesn't care. He is actually illustrating that there is not "as much" to fear as the current slimey administration is trying to advocate.

I know it is not your fault, as you are American and could not have a clue what happens outside your own country, but the Le Pen you talk of is a fascist, racist little thug that has nearly been banned from many countries here as his vile presence incites racial hatred and intolerance. Equating him with Moore shows a certain intellectual retardedness and arrogance that is symptomatic of self righteous republicans, or mouthpieces to republicans like yourself in recent years, and what makes it so infuriating for me is the fact that if this swine was not a white christian, [and i use the term lightly -- he is about as christian as your Pat Robertson] -- but Arab, you would arrest him and throw him in Guantanamo for a couple of years for torture and degradation.

You all live in a glass jar over there, you were born into it so you can hardly be blamed -- but please just forget Moore's editing and disgusting mass of flesh and look at the issues, or at least the inconsistencies in the government's conduct that Moore writes about and films -- DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THEY TELL YOU!!!

Yours Sincerely,

Rory

-- I'm tempted to let this letter stand on its own, because I don't think the tone of it is any help to your argument. Since there seem to be some misperceptions about America among Europeans, however, I find it necessary to point a few things out. (1) Michael Moore is not sly at all. He gets caught lying practically every time he turns on his camera, sits at his keyboard, or opens his mouth. (2) At least Le Pen seems to believe his own balderdash. Moore deliberately fabricates claims in order to damage his own country during a time of war. Aside from the terrorists themselves, it is difficult to think of any person in the world more loathsome than Moore. Please stop trying to pass him off as just some concerned citizen with an alternative point of view. (3) In fact, Moore has a pretty distinguished record of inciting racial hatred himself. He even saw the 9-11 attacks as yet another opportunity to pit blacks against whites. (4) I have quoted Moore accurately and in context regarding his contention that terrorist attacks are nothing to worry about. If he has contradicted this opinion at other times, then that's only a matter of which position suited his purposes at the moment. (5) You seem to have missed the entire point of my column, which is that Moore refuses to appreciate the country that so generously tolerates him. Over here, people have the freedom to state their political beliefs, even if they are irresponsible, dishonest and hateful. If Le Pen lived in the U.S., he would be subjected to public scorn and ridicule, but he would not be prosecuted. Maybe you think that makes our way inferior. I don't. (6) Your view of the way Arabs are treated in America is downright cartoonish. If anything, our government has gone to maddening lengths to avoid any perception of prejudice. We have no shortage of Muslims preaching hatred in American mosques. In fact, many of them would find Mr. Le Pen's opinions quite agreeable, but we don't go rounding them up. (7) The prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay are enemy fighters captured on the battlefield, not domestic thought-criminals. (8) I'm assuming that when you twice failed to capitalize "Christian," those were only typos, and not a deliberate attempt to belittle other people's religion. I mean, I wouldn't want to get you in any trouble with the EU "hate speech" police. (8) If you think Pat Robertson is relevant, you are less well schooled in American politics than you have led yourself to believe. (9) I can't help but notice that this "you're just an American" line of yours does not extend to America's leading anti-American, whose fraudulent films and writings you encourage me to trust. If Moore is the kind of American you're willing to listen to, then it's no wonder your view of us is so dim and distorted. Finally: (10) Condescension is a poor substitute for an argument. Or to put it as Yankily as the Duke did in The Alamo, "Step down off your high horse, Mister." -- DC

I am a 57 y/o Republican and there ain't no "moderate" in me. You did an excellent job in paralleling what the Demo's have been doing and what they've been continuing to do as the moonbat nutcases they are. They're losing and losing it big. Thanks for a great post!!

Lloyd -- Hallandle Beach, FL

-- Editor's note: This letter is in response to Durbin and Durbiner: The senator's rant is nothing new (6/18/05).

Mr. Clark,

I read your article on the unconstitutionality of the property tax [Home Free? Think Again: Property taxes are anti-American (3/22/02)], and I applaud you for it. I have always said that the property tax must be unconstitutional, because it never abates and thus the "owner" of the property never truly owns it. Ever.

Any strategies on how to get property taxes abolished? My guess is politicians will not side with the people, even though they purport to represent them. Any thoughts?

Pete

This means that what we need is for state governments to take that power away from the school districts by force, and compensate for the lost revenue with increased consumption taxes. While there are individual politicians proposing to do just that, the prospect of selling a majority of legislators on the idea looks like a long uphill battle. In short, politicians need to be made more afraid of angry property owners than they are of accusations that they're depriving "The Children." If you recall the demagoguery over school lunch "cuts" in the mid-90s, you can see what a formidable opponent the education establishment can be. -- DC

If you take the moral high road in this stem cell adventure then I guess you also protest in front of abortion clinics as much as you protested against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Certainly innocent beings are being slaughtered everywhere on the face of this earth but appears that none more than in the US by abortion or by the Government of the United States of America as they bring freedom to a part of the world that happens to have the most oil. I know when we figure out what Africa really has we will be bringing freedom over there too.

But WHY BE CYNICAL - Our President has decided to defend the rights of cells in a petry dish over the potential to cure millions of people from horrid disease that disable, dismember and kill. Aye, that is a real tradeoff, what a forward thinking individual that guy must be.

Oh, the political cowards will hide behind the adult stem cell banner. I can see them now "Oh, yes I voted for stem cell research" but really if you know what Geron is doing then you would have to be a very stupid person not to see the difference in fact you would be an idiot. Did you see the paralyzed rats that were walking after being injected with pluripotent hesc's or the cardiomyocytes that responded by growing new tissue in the heart. Of course they were only rats but that looks like pretty good company for this crew. I know we didn't land on the moon either but you know I'm a sap for good video's.

Anyway, If you believe in God the maker of heaven and earth -- that includes us -- then God already knows we have this ability because God gave it to us. I think therefore I am. What God messed up on was giving us narrow minded people intent on controlling the existence of God in our government, in a sense dictating how our minds can be used and then running a political campaign forthwith. Yipes! sounds like we are becoming a bit like the Taliban. Didn't they tell everybody what they should believe in!!!!???? I think that is what we are doing.

So we can kill innocents for freedoms sake and we can send our children to do the dirty work but we won't fund THE NEXT REVOLUTION IN SCIENCE. If you recall the same things were said about recombinant DNA- God will strike you down if you mess with my genetic code. Didn't happen. Oh my gosh it even saved thousands of peoples lives. Maybe even hundreds of thousands of lives.

Of course the private sector is more than capable of moving the research along, that is fine. In the end though I would like to someday be represented by a person who is not a puppet of the oil companies nor how it now appears the United States of America's own Taliban.

Thank you for allowing my diatribe.

Warmest regards

Bob M.

Mr. Clark, Just a quick note to thank you for putting together such an entertaining site.

My colleagues and I often visit your page for inspiration when trying to devise new comedic material.

Your skewed commentary on America and zany political musings rank as some of the most creative and believable tongue-in-cheek humour that we've read.

Keep up the great work.

J. Chaucer

-- Gee, thanks, Mr. Chaucer. It's always rewarding to receive constructive feedback from a fellow devotee of sarcasm. I especially appreciate all input on American politics from people who spell "humor" with a second "u." Please convey my gratitude to your colleagues.

Wish I was there. XOXO. -- DC

Hello Daniel Clark,

Not sure if this is being forwarded to you [from Therealitycheck.org], but hopefully it is.

It's just a note to applaud your "Why Michael Moore doesn't live in France" story. You reminded me that while the French Revolution came just a few years after our own, theirs never got past puppyhood. Like Mr. Moore's thoughts. And, well, his admirers.

All the best to you,

Lee Troxler -- Co-Executive Producer & Writer, FahrenHYPE 9/11

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