Michael Moore to Appear in Ames
by Michael Moore
A letter from Michael Moore, and hey, this one isn't all that condescending!
Iowa State – Michael Moore will present a free lecture at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 17
His appearance in Ames is open to the public. No tickets are required. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m.
In
“An Evening with Michael Moore,” the documentarian will discuss current
events, show film clips, answer audience questions and sign copies of
his books. The performance is expected to be part political commentary,
part stand-up comedy.
Dear Friends,
Today I
begin a little 20-state, 60-city tour to try and convince the fed-up,
the burned-out, and the Nader-impaired to leave the house for just a
half-hour on November 2nd and mark an “X” in a box (or punch a chad or
touch a screen) so that America and the world can be saved. (I don't
mean “saved” as in all workers will henceforth control the means of
production. That's, um, going to take a few more years.)
What I'm
asking is that our fellow Americans, as the collective landlord of a
public housing project at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., take just a few
minutes to evict the tenant who is currently wrecking the place (not to
mention what he's doing to the rest of the neighborhood). After all,
isn't this one of the coolest things about a democracy, getting to give
some payback to those in power? “YOU'RE FIRED!” Oooh, that feels good –
especially if the recipient of the pink slip is someone who wants to
send your kid off to war.
So,
having nothing better to do for the next month (and eager to visit such
swinging states as Iowa!), I have decided to go to every battleground
state in the country and do whatever it takes to get out the vote. I
will do your laundry, I will clean your house, I will give you a year's
supply of beer nuts if you will commit to me to go to the polls on
Tuesday, November 2.
[Hey, Mike, it's a deal. I'll take the laundry and the house cleaning, but I'll skip the beer nuts. Thanks!]
I'm calling it “The Slacker Uprising Tour,” a coast-to-coast effort to bring the non-voting majority out of hibernation and kick some political butt.
[So, what are you saying here, Mike? You'll only do my laundry if this is my first time voting? I knew it was too good to be true.]
My goal is to get as many of the 100 million non-voters in America as I
can to give voting a try – just this once. I want at least 56% of all
eligible voters to vote and thus set a modern-day turnout record.
I'm
putting out the red alert call to slackers everywhere to help me lead
this revolt. I want everyone in their teens and twenties who exist from
one packet of Ramen noodles to the next bag of Tostitos to take your
fully-justified cynicism and toss it right into the middle of this
election. As “non-voters” you have been written off. But if only a few
thousand of you vote, it could make all the difference. You literally
hold all the power in your hands. That's even cooler than holding a TV
remote.
I, the
original slacker – I, who have endured all sorts of attacks for my
slacker demeanor – yes, I am coming to an arena or stadium just outside
your dorm room (or that little space off the furnace room where your
parents still let you stay, rent-free). Why arenas and stadiums?
Because there are so many of us – AND they serve beer and chips. From
the Sun Dome to the Key Arena, from the Patriot Center to the Del Mar
Race Track, I will be there and I will bring prizes and presents and
clean underwear for all in need.
Before I
arrive, I have arranged for free screenings of “Fahrenheit 9/11” in
each city. When I get there, I will have with me dozens of voter
registrars who will register new (or recently transplanted) voters.
Iowa's DEADLINE to Register: Mailed By October 18th or Delivered by October 23rd. Click here to download an Iowa voter registration form.
Absentee ballot applications will also be available.
[Which is even BETTER than going to the polls on Election Day – see why here.]
And the good people of Move-On, ACT and other groups will be present at
each of my appearances to sign up volunteers to get out the vote on
election day.
Details
of where I will be appearing will be available in your local media.
Many venues, due to advance word already out there, have “sold out” (at
most stops, students get in for free and community people pay a nominal
fee – usually $5 – to cover costs). Again, check your local media to
find out the times and dates and how to get advance tickets.
Nearby cities I'll be visiting include Ames, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay.
The
three campuses on the tour which register the most students to vote (or
who have the most non-voters committing to me to vote) will receive a
special scholarship from us at the end of the tour.
Thanks, in advance, to everyone out there who is working hard during this election. I know it will make a difference.
Let's leave no non-voter behind.
Yours,
Michael Moore
www.michaelmoore.com
P.S.
Good news! This weekend our distributor has added an astounding 600 new
theaters to the list of those still showing “Fahrenheit 9/11.” This is
highly unusual for a film entering its fourth month of release, but the
demand has been strong to bring it back in many areas and our wonderful
distributors have responded. This is a perfect time to either see it
again on the big screen or take a friend who hasn't seen it, as it
won't be around in theaters for long. The DVD and home video come out
October 5!
Follow Moore's tour on his blog: click here.
Blog For Iowa 