News & Politics - Michael Moore controversy at my university (U of NE Lincoln)

mh67511 · 08-24-2004, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Michael Moore may speak here [University of Nebraska Lincoln]
BY MATTHEW HANSEN

He's on CNN, bantering with Larry King. He's on Fox News, arguing with Bill O'Reilly.

You can still find his latest movie - the highest-grossing documentary ever made - showing at a Lincoln theater two months after its release.

And, on Oct. 12, Michael Moore may be at Lincoln's Pershing Center, urging people to vote against George W. Bush.

Moore will be there courtesy of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student group that has reached an oral agreement with him.

UNL's University Program Council will pay Moore $40,000 as per a contract that awaits only his signature.

In return, the student group is betting the filmmaker packs Pershing Center as his movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" has packed the university's Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center for the past two months.

"Ithink the controversy he's stirred up is going to pique people's interest,"says Karen Wills, a University Program Council adviser.

"It's why we decided Pershing was the better place to have it. - Most of our events are in the (student) union."

Moore's likely Oct. 12 visit to Lincoln - the tentative starting point for his pre-election speaking tour - excited some and angered others Wednesday.

The news had well-known conservative chemistry Professor Gerard Harbison threatening protests and the state's Republican Party chairman questioning the speech's timing.

But UNL officials, the leaders of the state's Republican and Democratic partiesand a University of Nebraska regent all say the student group should have the right to bring the controversial filmmaker to Lincoln.

"You can bet I won't be there," said Regent Jim McClurg of Lincoln.

"But this is all part of the process of college students maturing, making choices and learning how to disagree.

"I'll leave those choices up to them."

During an April meeting to select this fall's speakers and entertainment, the University Program Council made the choice to pursue Moore.

The 20-person student group eventually offered Moore the appearance fee and received oral acceptance from the talent agency booking his October speaking tour.

The tour, which won't be officially announced until September, is expected to span several weeks and more than a dozen college campuses.

The program council has committed more than a third of its $135,000 annual budget - a budget entirely paid by UNL student fees - to bringing Moore to campus and booking Pershing Center Auditorium.

The council likely will recoup some of the expenses by charging for tickets, said Wills, the council adviser. Pershing can hold 7,500 people.

Dan Ladely, director of the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, doesn't think the student group should worry about attendance.

He has watched more than 15,000 people pour into his movie theater since Moore's latest film opened there in June.

The theater has now grossed more than $100,000 on "Fahrenheit 9/11," and may quadruple its previous all-time box office best - $30,000 from Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" - by the time the movie closes late next week.

Ladely is also planning a Michael Moore film festival in the weeks preceding his visit if the filmmaker does sign the council's contract. The festival will include "Fahrenheit 9/11,""Bowling for Columbine,"and Moore's first acclaimed movie, "Roger and Me."

"As far as filmmaking is concerned, Michael Moore has made history,"Ladely says. "No matter what you think of his films, you can't argue that fact."

David Kramer, the state's Republican Party chairman, says he won't argue the student group's right to bring Moore to campus.

He is worried, however, that the university won't have a conservative alternative to Moore in the weeks leading up to a hotly contested presidential election.

Board of Regents' bylaws state that student groups must try to bring in an alternative viewpoint at some point during the 2004-2005 school year, something Wills said the council would do in the spring.

That isn't good enough for Kramer, who wants that alternative to come before the November election.

"Iwould be happy to start working with them tomorrow to have a significant Republican to come in there, too," he said. "Otherwise this has the potential to be a $40,000 political rally paid for by university funds."

Steve Achelpohl, the Democratic Party's state chairman, says he would welcome a conservative firebrand like Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity on UNL's campus.

He says he's excited about the debate Moore is sure to spark if he comes in October.

"It's about time somebody came in and ruffled some feathers in this state."

I think this is RIDICULOUS! $40,000 FREAKING DOLLARS? This is a PUBLIC university, so I have problem with them spending SO much on a speaker that appeals to one select group of people. He sure as hell aint work $40K! I am looking forward to hearing what big name conservative they will bring to speak, IF they even do that!

I cannot believe that my student fees, which were over $350, are going to fund bringing him here!

Why the hell couldn't they just bring a good band or something like that?

**ROCKSTAR** · 08-24-2004, 11:28 PM

I'd be upset too!

In election year, everything turns into a circus.

Enigma, I.C. · 08-25-2004, 01:26 AM

I had some friends in a film group at my university who tried to get him to come to their film festival and he wanted $15,000, so that killed that idea.

He's gotta make a living too, you know. I think it'd be more reasonable to pay his expenses and a small gratuity.

Milt Palacio · 08-25-2004, 01:45 AM

My university paid Maya Angelou $22,000 to come speak.

mh67511 · 08-25-2004, 02:34 AM

Yeah he's gotta make a living but at a college campus he is NOT worth $40K, not today, not tommorow, not ever really.

imajica · 08-25-2004, 05:40 AM

Well I guess if they are expecting to fill a space that big there must be a fair number of people on campus who want to see him. Personally I would love to see him speak but regardless of who it is I do think that student councils/unions need to be more accountable if they are going to spend such huge chunks of money but maybe they think that in this case they might make a profit. I do think that it is fair enough that someone from each side should speak - if you are really passionate about this maybe you should suggest someone you think would be appropriate to the council.

mh67511 · 08-25-2004, 06:24 AM

Actually, it is in the Board of Regents law that there must be equal and opposing viewpoints. So it would break the rules if they brought him, but not a big-name Conservative. The problem is there might not be enough money left to bring in a Conservative, so they would have to do fund-raising or find a donor.

I doubt they'd make a profit off this and I believe more people from the city would come than the actualy university. Personally I'd rather they just not spend all that money and get somene else. It's nice that they are trying to be political but really I'm sure there are good people who could speak for far less money.

mh67511 · 08-25-2004, 02:51 PM

Update: He's not coming!

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/vnews/.../412c0efa77c25

They decided last night...scheduling conflicts and lack of a written contract, i.e. actual costs were not knowing.

I was kind of hoping to protest LOL, but still am glad he's not coming!

stargazer123 · 08-25-2004, 05:39 PM

thanks for the update-sure would've caused a stir now wouldn't it?

Katis · 08-26-2004, 10:41 PM

Good that he isn't coming. It wouldn't have been fair for them to use your money to pay for someone to come and push one side and not represent the other.

But it would have been fun for you to protest

Ai Ninjai · 08-26-2004, 11:57 PM

good--i was just about to post a long rant..


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