Michael Moore Apologizes for Mumia Remark

Michael Moore Apologizes for Mumia Remark

By Jeff Mackler

Author/director Michael Moore stopped at Philadelphia's Temple University
in late October to address a crowd of several thousand students while on
tour, stumping for "lesser-evil" pro-war John Kerry. Moore opened by
inviting to the stage and paying homage to the mother of the first National
Guardsman killed in a U.S. war since 1945. The overwhelmingly antiwar crowd
responded with applause as the honoree graciously and proudly signaled her
appreciation. She was followed by a Marine who had recently returned from
Iraq. The disillusioned soldier reported on the horrors perpetuated by the
U.S. military on the Iraqi people. He too was enthusiastically welcomed.

Soon after a final introductory speaker, the applause again subsided and
strong voice was heard from the crowd, "What about Mumia Abu-Jamal?" The
question was presented by a young supporter of the International Concerned
Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, (ICFFMAJ).

The reference was to Moore's statement in his 2003 book, "Dude, Where's My
Country?" On page 183 Moore falsely and without substantiation asserts in a
section entitled "How to talk to your conservative brother-in-law" that
Mumia "did indeed kill the cop," referring to the 1981 murder of Police
Officer Daniel Faulkner.

Mumia's frame-up for Faulkner's murder by corrupt Philadelphia police and
prosecutors has been repudiated by organizations ranging from Amnesty
International and U.S. trade unions to the European Parliament and the
presidents of France and South Africa. Hundreds of thousands have marched
for his freedom around the world.

Moore has since apologized for what he now considers to be a mistaken and
errant remark. He did so several months ago, mildly, on Amy Goodman's
Pacific Radio talk show, "Democracy Now!" He followed correctly by
refraining from repeating the lie in the paperback edition of his book.

However, supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the innocent Pennsylvania death-row
inmate, political prisoner, and award-winning journalist, believe that,
given Moore's prominence, the damage done to Mumia's fight for his life and
freedom resulting from the false charge in his best-selling book far
outweigh the positive action he took in his less publicized retraction.

The Mumia supporter who questioned Moore was followed by other Mumia
activists, who marched down the auditorium's center aisle with a huge
poster of Mumia. Moore immediately responded with an open and frank
apology. He told the audience that he was mistaken and his remark was
without foundation. He said that Mumia had not received a fair trial.

Moore challenged those present to respond by stating that he was certain
that they were in agreement. His request was received from a rather
surprised crowd with a strong round of applause that drowned out the
handful of catcallers, who shouted that Mumia was a "cop killer".

The meeting was preceded by the wide distribution of a leaflet authored by
the ICFFMAJ, scoring Moore and explaining the details of the case. The
leaflet , signed by several members of the newly-formed National Task Force
to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, requested that Moore meet with Mumia and his
attorney Robert R. Bryan at Waynesburg prison, where Mumia has been
incarcerated for the past 22 years.

The successful intervention was prepared by ICFFMAJ leader Pam Africa, the
central organizer of Mumia's national and international defense effort.
Africa was seated in the front and center row of the meeting hall next to
Moore's honored guest, prepared to challenge Moore had he failed to retract
his false charge against Mumia.

The article above first appeared in the November 2004 issue of Socialist
Action newspaper. http://www.socialistaction.org