Mike Moore's letter to Aladdin Casino

Thought you all might like to read this. All Linda Ronstadt did was exercise free speech, and look at the reaction she got. Here's Mike Moore's response letter . . .

July 19th, 2004 9:05 pm
Open Letter to Bill Timmins, President Aladdin Casino and Hotel


Bill Timmins
President
Aladdin Casino and Hotel
Las Vegas, NV

July 20, 2004

Dear Mr. Timmins:

I understand from the news reports I've read that, after Linda Ronstadt, one of America's greatest singers, dedicated a song to me from your stage on Saturday night, you instructed your security guards to remove her from the Aladdin, which they did.

What country do you live in? Last time I checked, Las Vegas is still in the United States. And in the United States, we have something called "The First Amendment." This constitutional right gives everyone here the right to say whatever they want to say. All Americans hold this right as sacred. Many of our young people put on a uniform and risk their lives to defend it. My film is all about asking the questions that should have been asked before those brave soldiers were sent into harms way.

For you to throw Linda Ronstadt off the premises because she dared to say a few words in support of me and my film, is simply stupid and Un-American. Frankly, I have never heard of such a thing happening. I read that you wouldn't even let her go back up to her room at your hotel! Are you crazy? For crying out loud, it was a song DEDICATION! To "Desperado!" Every American loves that song! Sure, some people didn't like the dedication, and that's their right. But neither they nor you have the right to remove her from your building when all she did was exercise her AMERICAN right to speak her mind.

Of all the things that go on in Las Vegas, this is what creates the need for serious action? What about the other half of the crowd at the Aladdin who, according to the Las Vegas Sun, cheered her when she made her remarks? Did you throw them out, too?

I think you owe Ms. Ronstadt an apology. And I have an idea how you can make it up to her -- and to the millions of Americans you have offended. Invite her back and I'll join her in singing "America the Beautiful" on your stage. Then I will show "Fahrenheit 9/11" free of charge to all your guests and anyone else in Las Vegas who wants to see it.

Mr. Timmins, as the song "Desperado" says -- "Come to your senses!" How can you refuse this offer? I await your reply.

Yours,
Michael Moore
Director, "Fahrenheit 9/11"

and so showing just how ignorant michael moore is.

as i stated in the other ronstadt thread, the first protects your right to free speech, it does not protect you from the consequences, which is as it should be.

what happened here was an example of free speech and free association at its purest.

as far as i'm concerned, neither ronstadt or the casino showed any class here - she should've been smart enough to just perform, and the casino should've had the class to not boot her out.

of course expecting anything vaguely resembling class, logic or informed opinion from michael moore is a bit like expecting george bush to develop a rudiemntary intelligence.

[Edited on Jul 22, 2004 by ecky]

This issue really wasn't about Michael Moore.

c'mon, this michael moore - the mans more self-centered than a black hole (although given his mass... ) - his major skill is making anything be about him.

really? Because I thought his major skill was making really controversial films that stimulated intense dialogue over the legitimacy of his topics...

kudos to him for offering her a place to sing, but i'm confused: where exactly was her right to free speech restricted?

*slips into freud outfit*

yes but those films primary functions are to garner attention to him... i think moore just needs a hug...

[Edited on Jul 22, 2004 by ecky]

michael moore is kinda like freddy kruger. (nightmare on elm street) if you stop thinking about him he goes away.

and the fact that anyone apologized for this crap fest is horrible.

I'm getting so tired of Michael Moore.

agreed.

Freedom is a two way street - they can boot her for any damn reason they please; it isn't "Un-American" at all.

Having played a few shows myself I know that speaking inbetween songs and audience involvement is crucial to putting on a good show. I also believe that I should be able to say whatever the hell I want to ... within reason and I don't think that ronstadt was out of reason dedicating a song to someone. (although I don't know exactly what she said.. .if she said fuck bush and let him burn on a cross of all his sins and michael moore can light the torch ... maybe that'd be out of line)

this whole thing to me is just further proof that bush is creating a dictatorship or at least censoring your american and my canadian right to free speech.. such as to say you can have free speech as long as it doesn't go against the presidency.

Remember when people were bashing Clinton ... its funny that they didn't get booted off a stage, or have their CDs dropped from stores and boycotted (cough dixie chics cough), but hey thats how america makes itself the top nation in the world. By having one side so for something and one side so against something that it always appeals to everyone else.

i don't see why people have such guff with michael moore. i'm not one to put him on a pedestal,nor am i one to shun his opinions simply because of his notoriety. i just take his information or opinions, research them myself, and come to my own conclusions.
what really gets me is how the global community is up in arms about george w. bush being the so-called leader of the free world when he is obviously incappable of such responsiblity, then when mr. moore goes out of his way to prove it, members of the same community form proverbial lynch mobs for mr. moore because (insert lame reason here ) .
it just goes to show you that there is no way to please everyone; not even most everyone.
but just for shits and giggles, i'd like to see moore take a swing at blair so the brits could get off our back and back to their own affairs.

ah, the "something i didn't like happening happened. its must be bush's fault"

your rooms papered with tinfoil right?

and i ask again, where was her right to free speech infringed?

this really has nothing to do with bush or moore. this has to do with a singer saying something to make a crowd go ballistic. then the crowd starts tearing up the venue so to calm the crowd (mob) down the owner kicks the singer out to the curb. thats it.

if i was the owner of this casino i would have done the same thing.

well he didn't actually apologize, he was just sorry it happened, which is fair enough.

hopefully when she next plays she'll have a more sympathetic audience.

what? the tinfoil thing was bushes idea ... I don't wanna suffocate. but tinfoil is reflective and I can look at my narcissistic self all I want then couldn't I. (that was a great arguement)

going back to what you said about protecting free speech but not protecting you from the consequences of free speech. If people are being punished (thrown out of a hotel and not being allowed back in, public view being tarnished, boycott of sales and banned from certain stores) for saying certain things then other people aren't going to want to say them. And hey thats great that works when we don't want to hear certain things, But protest is patriotism and people need to stand up and say something if they think something is wrong. I don't know everything and about everything thats going on in the states I only know a little bit about a little bit and I won't profess to know the being all end all of Mr. Bush or Mr. Moore. I do know that I find Mr. Moore entertaining but skewed in his facts and his beliefs. I do respect your view and if I had insulted you then I apologize but maybe you should step back and wonder why it insulted you for me to say what I think.

and oh yeah I don't blame bush for everything ... I have my own prime-minister to blame for all the problems in my country. Im on the outside looking in after all and so like I said I won't profess to know everything .. but its funny that american politics are so much more accesible in Canada then Canadian politics.

hopefully she will stop trying to kick off shit. she knew that what she was saying was going to piss people off and she did it anyway. she should have more tact than that

How is this Bush's fault? How is this him infringing on your "Canadian right to free speech"? This didn't happen in Canada, and Bush didn't cause this to happen; are you related to Courtney Love?

The people going that night didn't pay for a protest, they paid for what they thought would be a nice show with Linda Ronstadt

Right on! I used to work at the Aladdin! Well, at a store there, whatever. When Stevie Nicks came through nobody bought tickets, so they gave them away to staff...apparently nobody took them, because then they started giving them away in the casino. Still, no luck. I sat through the opening band a bit, but they played their entire set and she wouldnt come out because there werent enough people. So they started doing covers. Eventually they ran out of songs and the house lights came up and I left

Oh yeah, and mike moore is a selfcentered ass. Im a left wing nutter and I cant stand the guy.

^ notice how he suggested HE sing with her and then they watch HIS movie clevah, very clevah.

Who said it does?

and I quote:

thats right ... I never said it did infringe on my right to free speech. I was just freely trying to engage in a debate on something that I had an opinion on.

I'll think twice next time.