Letter 7/21/05

July 20, 2005

Park Place not involved
The management staff of the Park Place hotel would like to clarify that we are not supporting any political agenda by being the venue for the American Film Renaissance film festival. We are simply renting out our meeting space to a paying customer, and hope that the local citizenry will respect that fact, and not use the occasion to further their personal political agendas.

Bill Knopp • Sales Manager

Film fest spoiler begone
The Traverse City DDA should tell Genie Aldrich to go to Dallas with her American Film Renaissance organization and quit being such an obstructionist!
Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival may bring hundreds of people to
Northern Michigan, generating millions of dollars for the local economy-partisan politics set aside! What a great chance for TC to be the host of so many first-time visitors.
And to Genie, I will say, people are “fed up and tired” of close-minded, arrogant, right wing zealots defining what progressive thinkers like or dislike.
“America haters”? I think not. They hate WAR and any administration that lies to the country concerning the reasons for such an objectionable invasion of a foreign country. They hate an election that does not allow all the people to vote, votes not counted and the selection of a president by one Supreme Court justice.
“Family haters”? I think not. They hate government meddling in their private decisions and in their bedrooms. They hate the threat of a Supreme Court overturning a decision that gives women the right to make decisions concerning her own family. They hate self righteous, far-right people professing to be “pro-life” concerning abortion and then singing the praises of the WAR and the killing of hundreds of our own military and thousands of innocent Iraqi families.
“Christian hater”? I think not. They hate bigots who have no tolerance for people’s differences, including religious practices other than their own. This country was founded on religious freedom including Judaism, Buddhism, Muslim, and no religion. (Is she aware that the Puritans tried to abolish Christmas?)
Genie can pack up her Tom Cruise “Top Gun” movies, get out of the way and let the real TC Film Festival begin!

Carolyn Bourland • Petoskey

Doesn‘t like Moore
While I admire and appreciate such a comprehensive publication (and free at that) I can‘t help but comment on its political leanings. I am by no means a die-hard right-winger, but your one-sidedness does not do credit to the spirit of your publication.
Michael Moore IS first and foremost pushing a political agenda. An agenda that many in this area are firmly against. I am, however, very glad that he decided to be the catalyst for the film festival because it is nothing but beneficial to our community. I do not like the fact that you have given him yet another forum to expound on his decidedly uninformed opinions. Your political cartoons and opinion section are decidedly left wing, but this doesn‘t bother me. I voted for Bush in 2000 for a simple reason, Al Gore was NOT informed about the environment. I know this because I am a practicing, professional environmental engineer.
I suggest to you and your readers that you judge politicians by what you know, not what you read about in the papers or see on TV. Also, defaming FOX News is ridiculous. Why is there an animosity toward a news network that gives a different viewpoint? My opinion is, read EVERYTHING, then make your decision. Anyway, thanks for your work, I enjoy your publication.

Brett Yokom, P.E. • TC