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75 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, July 14, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 26, 2004 Bill Layton, left, chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee, and Jim Ray, a Republican legislative assistant to Rep. Dennis Richardson, talk after seeing �Fahrenheit 9/11� at the Varsity Theatre in Ashland Friday. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Burning up the screen A liberal and conservative share a screening of ‘Fahrenheit 9/11,’ leading to some new insights By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune After viewing a searing satire of President Bush in Michael Moore’s "Fahrenheit 9/11," a Jacksonville conservative and a White City liberal came away from the film Friday expressing serious doubts about the war in Iraq. Jim Ray, a Republican legislative assistant to Rep. Dennis Richardson, said the movie contained a lot of propaganda but did point out how the American public can be duped into a war. "It’s obvious we’ve been misled," said the 59-year-old retired health care administrator. But Ray doesn’t think this will be the last time an administration has misled the public. "Will we be fooled again? Undoubtedly," he said. Advertisement Ray’s comment echoed the final lines in the controversial film when Bush said: "There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again." Ray and Bill Layton, chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee, were invited by the Mail Tribune to the movie’s opening at the Varsity Theatre in Ashland. All four performances were sold out Friday. Moore’s film paints a dark picture of Bush’s deep and lasting financial links to the bin Laden family and the Saudi government, and it questions the administration’s underlying motives for going to war. Layton, 82, said the film showed the duplicity of Bush and his colleagues but he found it a little too long. "I almost went to sleep at one point," he said. For him the most riveting scenes were of the Iraqi civilians being mistreated by the U.S. military. "At the same time, the captain was saying we’re here to win the hearts and minds of the people," he said. Ray, who lost a brother in the Vietnam War, was particularly moved by one woman’s account of how she lost a son in the Iraq war, and how she felt betrayed by the Bush administration. "Can I identify with that lady?" he said. "Of course. It doesn’t matter what party you belong to." Layton said he was surprised that he and Ray shared many opinions in common. "Maybe it’s the Ashland atmosphere," he joked. Both agreed the Patriot Act, which was blasted in the film, was a poorly conceived bill that was a reaction to the events of 9/11. "We can’t be politic when it comes to our freedom," said Ray. He wouldn’t say whether he was going to vote for President Bush in November. "You’ve got to understand the candidates," he said. "If this man Bush can’t step up to the plate, people need to make a decision about who they’re going to vote for." Layton was particularly intrigued by Ray’s comments, jokingly asking if he wanted to join the Democratic Party. "I was interested in him saying that Bush has to prove himself," Layton said. Layton did challenge Ray on the question of weapons of mass destruction, which the Bush administration said existed but haven’t been found. But Ray said the question of going to Iraq was bigger than just the weapons issue, citing the genocide of 300,000 Kurds at the order of Saddam Hussein. Ray said the movie portrayed Bush as hypocritical, but he also challenged Moore, who portrays himself as a blue-collar kind of guy. "He sends his own kids to private schools and drives around in a limousine," he said. He did think the movie, which often portrayed the commander in chief as corrupt, confused and out of touch, was edited effectively for the greatest impact. "I’ve got to give him (Moore) credit for that," said Ray. But he said Moore missed the overall point that Americans are fooled time and time again, citing particularly how President Johnson mislead the public about the Vietnam War. Layton thought the focus on Bush and his colleagues was appropriate. "The Bush administration deliberately attempts to manipulate the American people by fear, as the movie pointed out," he said. Ray said he wouldn’t necessarily recommend the film to his conservative friends. "I’ll let them make up their own minds," he said. "If I had to pay to see the movie, I would have preferred to give the money to charity." Few places to see film The film "Fahrenheit 9/11" is showing at one theater in Jackson County — the Varsity in Ashland. It’s being shown at 10 locations throughout Oregon, including Roseburg, Eugene and Portland. Throughout the country, the film, which gets its title from the Ray Bradbury book "Fahrenheit 451," opened at more than 800 theaters. Showtimes at the Varsity are 12:50, 3:40, 6:30 and 9:20 p.m. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times