Love him or hate him, at least give him a chance. When Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 comes out on video Oct. 5, the controversy will start anew.
What's fact and what's fiction? Better yet, what's completely true and what's carefully fabricated?
For many Americans, it's easier to just close their eyes. "Michael Moore is a left wing nut-job," they'll say, shushing us as they turn up the volume of "The O'Reilly Factor."
Well, maybe there's less truth in Bill O'Reilly's programming than there is in Michael Moore's.
And, if you've never seen his latest film, how can you argue?
The problem in our country isn't a lack of information - instead, it's a lack of open-mindedness.
People watch what they want to watch and hear what they want to hear.
And, unfortunately, many are so caught up in their own tunes they forget that there are other composers as well.
Moore is just another face in the crowd - a little fish in a big pond with a lot on his mind. And the least we can do is hear what he has to say.
Carefully crafted and meticulously researched, Moore's film is a deeply moving commentary on the current state of our Union.
Through the victims of Sept. 11, the words of our Head of State, the testimony of concerned politicians and images of our own conflicts throughout the world, Moore has created a piece that - if nothing else - makes you stop and think.
Many have been quick to point out the errors in his work. And while there are a few, to focus only on them would be to blind yourself from the bigger picture.
Democrats and Republicans alike should be asking the questions Moore poses: Was there really evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?
What is the link, if any, between Saddam Hussein and Sept. 11? What is Bush's connection to the Bin Laden family, and how have his business ventures influenced his presidency? What role has the media played in the events of the last few years? How do the Iraqi people and the soldiers fighting in the Middle East feel about their cause?
And what really happened in that 2000 election anyway?
The American people have the right to hear all sides of the story - if they want to, of course.
Sadly, people on opposite sides of the fence are reluctant to listen to one another. Just as Republicans are unlikely to pay mind to Moore, Democrats are probably not going to tune in to O'Reilly.
Everybody thinks everyone around them needs convincing, when perhaps they're the ones who need to be persuaded.
The release of Moore's documentary signifies a unique chance for everyone - an opportunity to see one side of a very big story.
So go rent it. Make up your own mind and believe what you want based on your interpretation of the facts.
Clearly, Moore is hoping for an administration change, and his film is a propaganda piece slanted in that direction.
More importantly, however, it represents a political viewpoint shared by many.
So give it a shot, and who knows - you might just become one of those people. Or perhaps, at least a bit skeptical.
