Film Fahrenhype 9/11 and student forum challenge alleged liberal bias on campus

Right On, a recently developed conservative campus organization, showed a screening of Fahrenhype 9/11 last Wednesday night in Doherty Hall in response to filmmaker Michael Moore?s appearance on campus. The group decided to bring the film to campus prior to Moore?s first scheduled appearance on October 6.
Fahrenhype 9/11 is a documentary that rebuts many of the anti-Bush themes of Moore?s film Fahrenheit 9/11 and interviews myriad political figures and others in the public eye, including Ed Koch and Ron Silver. The film is unrated and was directed by Alan Peterson.
The film alleges that in several instances in Fahrenheit 9/11 Moore used incorrect information. Interviewees state that Moore took information out of context, such as the famous scene from Fahrenheit 9/11 when President George W. Bush states he is among ?the haves and the have mores.? According to Fahrenhype 9/11, this footage was taken at the Al Smith Benefit Dinner for Catholic hospitals and medical centers, where large names in politics are encouraged to ?make fun of themselves.?
Laura Calise, a junior English major and a member of Right On, helped coordinate the viewing of Fahrenhype 9/11. Though Calise said the content of Fahrenheit 9/11 misleads the audience, she saw admirable qualities in the production of the film. ?I think it?s a brilliant work ... it served its intellectually dishonest purpose very well.? In response to Moore?s lecture, Calise said, ?I don?t think there?s a single one of us [conservatives on campus] who agrees with Michael Moore?s ideas. But, regardless, I think all people see an exorbitant, unfair amount of money being spent to bring a person with the sole intent to sway an election.?
The choice of political speakers on campus has been debated often during the campaign season, most recently at a forum last Wednesday addressing whether or not the Activities Board should be allowed to invite such speakers. Jonathan Hersh, a sophomore information systems major and member of College Democrats, stated, ?I think that AB should bring speakers ? especially in an election year. It helps students feel closer to the political scene, and it?s a great confidence booster in terms of making them think that they can make a difference, which they can. As for liberal [speakers], I think that we?ve been having liberal speakers simply because we?re a liberal campus. It would be great for Bush to speak here, and I?m sure AB would invite him....? Hersh also said that though Bush has supporters on campus, he might hesitate to come to campus due to the possibility of a poor reception.
At this time, Calise is working on a project to introduce a political publication to the campus. The publication will be called Balanced Measure. Calise said of the project, ?While it will promote diversity by giving conservatives a voice on campus, we want liberal content as well.? She hopes that efforts with the newspaper and events such as the Fahrenhype 9/11 showing will increase awareness of more diverse political views. ?The advantage to having this is that it encourages people to question,? said Calise, speaking of the benefits to be gained from having a conservative rebuttal to the Michael Moore lecture.