Letter: ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ is irresponsible propaganda

Friday, July 9, 2004 | 8:48 a.m.

Brian Greenspun, in his Sunday column, referred to "Fahrenheit 9/11" as a "powerful piece of political filmmaking." He wrote that those citizens who do not see the film, or disparage the film, are "afraid" of something. Mr. Greenspun suggests that people who choose not to see the film are "not open to the challenge." I think he is quite incorrect in this assertion.

The Moore claim in the film that key Saudi royalty and bin Laden family members were given special treatment in the days after 9/11, including private jet access to leave the country when commercial flights were banned, is false. No less than former government terrorism expert Richard Clarke confirmed, before the film's release, that he was personally involved in the matter and that the allegation was false.

Disney did not pull the film because of concern about tax rates and the relationship with the White House, but because it has some standards for what is responsible filmmaking. The truth is that the film is mislabeled as a "documentary," when it is in fact a piece of propaganda.

JEFF GIBSON

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