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July 28, 2005Letters to the EditorAt Issue: Traverse City Film Festival'Alteration' of truthDoes it bother anyone else that when Genie Aldrich, organizer of the "Freedom FilmFest," addressed the Traverse City Commission, she told them that she is a city resident, when in fact she lives in Leelanau County? Later she admitted that she gave a friend's address, a place where she sometimes stays in inclement weather. As a city resident the idea that someone from a neighboring community would address our city commission doesn't bother me at all. What I see as a problem is when someone like Ms. Aldrich leads council members and the public in attendance to believe that she lives in the city, pays taxes and votes here, and therefore has some kind of an edge when presenting her viewpoint. Has this kind of alteration of the truth become so commonplace that we simply accept it? Are we going to allow the "end justifies the means" style of politics to replace our participatory system of government, which relies on honest discourse from citizens with diverse viewpoints? I urge Ms. Aldrich to check out the ninth Commandment. It's the one about honesty. Kathleen Prentice Traverse City Vitriolic viewpoint "This alternative (film) festival is a protest to what Aldrich calls Moore's extremist outlook on the world." Has Aldrich viewed any of the upcoming films? The only reason for an alternative film festival seems to be based on the hatred of Moore's political or social viewpoints? If a "protest" is what's wanted, then host a discussion forum after each day of films or submit critiques of the films after viewing them. How sad that conservatives are so quick to spread their own agenda of hate without any honest evaluation of the film festival after it's occurred. Aldrich's idea is to present the conservative agenda through her own alternative film festival. She wishes to cleanse us and the TC Film Festival of extremist points of view, yet conservative, right-wing extremism is just as offensive as any liberal extremism. The vitriolic viewpoint of condemning all things touched by Moore seems narrow minded. "We do not need outsiders coming in here telling us what is good for us and what is not good for us," Aldrich, a recent 32-year resident of California, tells us. Ms. Aldrich ought to use her efforts to positively enhance the TC Film Festival for future years. Thomas Stokes Traverse City Wolf in sheep's clothes Beware, Traverse City, of a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing: namely Michael Moore and the Traverse City Film Festival. Since they lost the last two elections, liberals have increasingly become more creative in going after those in the middle for support. The film festival is a perfect example of this treachery. Mr. Moore's real goal is to educate our backward little town, first by spoon-feeding it tepid palatable movies for the whole family and then slipping in his lies and political spin. I'm afraid that this town that is so hungry for entertainment and recognition has already bought the bait but we can only hope that those who have an ounce of moral character will not fall into a similar trap. Peggy Stinnet Traverse City Put differences aside I'm writing in response to the "Dueling Festivals" article that was published Tuesday, July 26. I have lots of friends that are Republicans and I totally respect their choices, but in my opinion, the Traverse City Film Festival has nothing to do with politics. It's just a bunch of great, award-winning movies that we can all sit down and watch with our family. These movies are bringing people together, and the Freedom Film Fest is pushing them apart. And, in all respect, if Mrs. Aldrich is so upset because she thinks there's political movies in the Traverse City Film Fest, why does she go and put movies like "Michael Moore Hates America," which is most definitely political, in the Freedom Film Fest? I don't know about you, but I would much rather watch "Princess Bride" at the Open Space than "Confronting Iraq" at the Freedom Film Fest. It's your choice. Katie Stanton Traverse City P.S. (Heartland Values include being nice and telling the truth.) The writer is the 10-year-old daughter of Doug Stanton, co-founder of the Traverse City Film Fest. Things to think about The reason I dislike Michael Moore is a simple one. He makes me think. He made me think about the effects of large corporations moving out of our small communities for larger profits, our culture of violence in America, and about the damaging results of a country sold on being afraid and seeking revenge. Lastly, he made me think about the positive impact one person can actually make on our community and its economy. What I really want to do is shut my eyes, drive my SUV, pretend my country can do no wrong and support this war unfailingly as long as no one I know is risking their life. I don't even care that my president's friends are making money off of it. I just don't have time to think about anyone else. I've been too busy supervising some migrant workers who are putting down sod after I had all the trees removed on my lakeside property. Yea, that Michael Moore, he sure is a real bad guy. Mindy Hawley Traverse City Who is an 'outsider'? So Genie Aldrich doesn't want "outsiders" coming to Traverse City and telling us what to see or not see? Let me get this straight: Ms. Aldrich, who professes to know what's best for area residents, doesn't even live in Traverse City. She's spent all of five years in Suttons Bay -- which is probably just as close to town as Antrim County. This self-described "Midwesterner" from California -- there's an oxymoron -- solicits local support by bringing in a group from Texas to promote her agenda. That makes sense -- after all, who better than Texans would know what's best for Traverse City residents? She claims to list "hundreds" of supporters, but declines to name them. Finally, she states many of the movies are anti-business or anti-American and should not be shown. So who are the outsiders coming to town and telling us what to see or not see? The Film Festival is like anything else -- if you're not interested, then stay home. Why get worked up over such a small issue? But, in this age of reality television, what better way to get your picture in the paper than by drawing attention to yourself? Craig Rosenberg Traverse City No more remakes With the first Traverse City Film Festival beginning, maybe those movie producers will hold a seminar and start a drive against remakes of film classics. Movies such as "The Longest Yard," "The Bad News Bears" and "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" should be off-limits to movie producers. The roles of Gene Wilder as Willie Wonka and Walter Matthau as Wannamaker should have been left unscathed. What next? Madonna as Scarlet O'Hara? Pete Sandman Frankfort Not activist, reactivist Arrogant that Genie Aldrich should say: "I'm a citizen, not an activist," when what she really is, is a re-activist, using Michael Moore's initiative as a rationale for badmouthing his politics. We have the good fortune to see special, international films here in Traverse City, and Ms. Aldrich's counter is to screen films as a her grandstand to show what a bad citizen Moore is. Amusing that she claims she's not an activist when her childhood parallels Moore's -- coal miner's daughter. Mining workers struck, demonstrated for better wages, safer working environment. Moore, from Flint, grew up with the United Auto Workers doing the same thing for improved conditions for auto workers. Genie worked in a factory; Moore was an auto factory worker. What did Moore do with his heritage? Made films that set the country talking and thinking. What did Genie do with her exposure to activism? Schlep it off to plastic California, until she found a quasi cause to tout. Michael Moore would proudly accept being a citizen and an activist. And Genie Aldrich should admit the truth -- even if her activism is just in response to Moore, (and consistently negative) it's activism. They need to meet for lunch. Katy Garrett Elk Rapids Independent thinkers While vacationing in Traverse City this past weekend, I picked up your paper on Sunday and Monday. Wow, was I surprised to find out that a Ms. Aldrich from a "coal mining town in Pennsylvania" was living here in Michigan and had come to save us. I have been a resident of Michigan for all of my 55 years, and consider myself a "true Midwesterner." My definition of the people of this region is that we are independent, hearty and we make our own decisions. It was disappointing to know Ms. Aldrich had to depend on a "secret agent" and they both had to tap into the state of Texas for assistance. What an adventure! Perhaps she hasn't realized that some of us actually like to think for ourselves. Even our president, George Bush, has declared the people of the Middle East "Hate us for our freedom." My vacation, unfortunately, is over but, perhaps next year I'll plan to attend Michael Moore's film festival. Marcia Aho-Smith Lincoln Park Think for ourselves I want to acknowledge Ms. Genie Aldrich and her California and Texas friends for coming to the rescue of those of us lifelong residents of Michigan who are too simple-minded, in their view, to make our own decisions regarding the films to be shown at the July film festival. How could we possibly entertain any alternative views of life, politics, the war in Iraq or the economy not endorsed by the right-wing establishment? With 90 percent of AM talk radio being conservative, and the Fox Republican news network blasting away with the truth as we simple Michiganders should see it, why are they so fixated on Michael Moore? Could there be some snippets of truth the public might be interested in which would change the view we have about the competence of our leaders? But, not to worry. Ms. Aldrich, the five-year resident of Michigan, is here to save us from thinking for ourselves. She is to be commended for her selfless, open minded and nonpartisan effort in choosing the alternate movies for us. Give us a break! David Sciamanna Traverse City Dissension spoils fest Let's all encourage Genie Aldrich to take her "one-woman show" on the road. Then let's remind her that her candidate won the presidential election! She has a zealous vendetta against Michael Moore, but she might ponder the concept that winners can afford to be gracious and magnanimous to the losers. While we all might have a chuckle over a Pennsylvania girl coming to Suttons Bay after making her fortune in California and deciding to protect her "roots," we have to take note of the fact that she doesn't live in Traverse City. And, we have to wonder why, with all of the terrible things happening in the world today, someone can get so bent out of shape over a film festival that could bring millions of dollars to our city while providing entertainment to those who wish to participate. It's obvious that Genie loves to put labels on people who don't agree with her, and I imagine there are some appropriate labels that we'd like to stick on Genie and her followers. But for now, let's just call them "spoilsports" and let it go at that. Joanna Hill Traverse City A tangled web? Now, wait a minute! "Charlotte's Web" in the Freedom Film Festival? As I remember the story, a subversive spider undermines the Capitalist system by saving her friend Wilber from his rightful position at the marketplace. Surely this can't be a "mainstream" movie, and our conservative Midwestern minds shouldn't be exposed to it. Margaret Goeman Traverse City Films widen our views You just gotta love these self-styled "conservative" critics of the T.C. Film Festival. Their use of irony, however intended, makes one wish Mark Twain were still alive. They object, "Michael Moore is too, too, political." So they include in their film fest such offerings as "Michael Moore Hates America" and a film praising President Reagan. Ms. Aldrich is returning to her Midwestern roots. This has got to be the biggest case of geographical confusion since Christopher Columbus was pretty sure he'd discovered India. The lady was born in Pennsylvania and moved to California. While living in Pennsylvania, maybe she thought she lived somewhere else. Like Iowa. Another criticism offered: Some films are anti-business and show a "bitter" view of America. If the film referred to is the Enron film, doesn't Aldrich think a bit of criticism might be directed at Enron? Cannot she understand the bitterness that workers, stockholders and the rest of America might feel? Good films offer us the chance to see other lives, to laugh and cry, to become angry, to think. Perhaps these emotions are what the conservative critics fear most. Meanwhile, I have tickets to the "Grizzly Man." I'm hoping the bears eat Karl Rove. Jim McAndrews Maple City Forget politics; enjoy! Hats off to Michael Moore and the film festival. Why can't we all just enjoy the films and forget the politics? On with the show! Shirley Larson Traverse City Unspeakable arrogance After reading in the New York Times Ms. Genie Aldrich's sadly misguided characterizations of all those involved in the Traverse City Film Festival as "extreme left-wing radical fringe -- America haters, family haters, Christian haters," I realized that I've just finally had enough. As someone who is likely to attend some part of the Traverse City Film Festival, I find her sweeping characterizations to be both abhorrent and personally insulting. Just when did smug and mean-spirited name calling become "Christian" anyway? As an Episcopalian (not a "Christian-hater") I deeply resent her profoundly anti-Christian point of view. As a Wachovia customer (Ms. Aldrich's employer) and business person, I deeply resent her characterization of me as "extreme, left-wing, radical fringe." As a father and husband, I deeply resent her characterization of me as a "family hater." As a patriotic, taxpaying, voting citizen from a long line of veterans, I most deeply resent the characterization of me as an "America-hater." It would seem that Ms. Aldrich wishes to celebrate "Faith" provided it meets her uniquely distorted criteria; "family," provided it is blindly acquiescent; and "freedom," provided that the expression of that freedom meets with her approval. What unspeakable arrogance! Henry Doss Traverse City Your views in briefEditor's Note: These comments from Record-Eagle readers were submitted via e-mail through the newspaper's Web site. If you would like to tell us your view on any issue of public concern, including comment, criticism or compliment, send your thoughts from the "Sound Off" form on the home page.A Letter to the Editor claimed that Michael Moore took no "political jab at anyone" during the training of volunteers for his upcoming film festival in our town. First of all, Michael Moore's mere appearance is a political jab, and secondly, has the writer ever heard of a "Trojan horse"? Traverse City Thank you, Michael and others, for the Traverse City Film Festival. Traverse City Thank God this country continues to produce people like Michael Moore. But judging from the detractors, the devil has been busy, too. Suttons Bay Ms. Aldrich's comments about Michael Moore and the TC Film Festival are as polarizing as it gets. Traverse City As part of "mainstream" America, I heartily support the Traverse City Film Festival and am very proud that the people working on this event have not been hateful or demeaning. Good work, folks. Bonnie S. Acme Genie Aldrich calls Moore an extremist? She's the one who is telling us what we should and shouldn't watch. What a reactionary. Cynthia S. Traverse City I think it's great that we are having the Traverse City Film Festival. Kalkaska Kudos to Genie Aldrich and her Freedom FilmFest. Why anyone would believe Michael Moore is a mystery. Scottsdale, Ariz. Genie Aldrich is from L.A.; Michael Moore is from Flint. Who's the outsider? Gary J. Traverse City Thank you, thank you, thank you, Michael Moore. We've got great films and the State Theatre up and running. You and the volunteers are terrific. Elk Rapids
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