A lack of political diversity on campus is often cited as a problem by Whitman students. ASWC Programming made an attempt to change that by showing two films documenting the events of Sep. 11, 2001, in starkly different ways.
Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11,” and its response, “Fahrenhype 9/11,” were shown on campus on Sep. 10 and 11, respectively. “Like toast, every issue has two sides!” read one e-mail advertisement for the event. The ad suggested that students attend both films or attend the one they disagree with.
ASWC Films Chair Teal Greyhavens said the decision to show both films was based on an “active interest in bringing the full spectrum of ideologies and perspectives [to campus] when doing programming.” He cited an overarching emphasis placed on diversity by the college and the specific desire of ASWC to extend that emphasis to all modes of diversity as motivating factors for showing the two films.
“Fahrenheit 9/11” documents Moore’s view of the effects of Sep. 11 on the United States, and alleges that the Bush Administration used the event to push forward its agenda to start unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also criticizes the role of the media in covering this sequence of events.
“Fahrenhype 9/11” is constructed as a scene-by-scene counterargument to the claims presented by Moore in his film. It questions what was presented as fact in “Fahrenheit 9/11,” attempting to expose the “lies” presented by Moore to push his own agenda in this documentary.
To a certain extent, said Greyhavens, “Fahrenheit 9/11” represents the “flagship” political argument on Whitman’s campus. At a college where the majority of the student body leans politically to the left, such a documentary readily garners support.
On the other hand, “Fahrenhype 9/11” represents what Greyhavens calls “little-seen” films on Whitman’s campus: films that are more allied with conservative viewpoints.
“What ‘Fahrenhype’ has to say about ‘Fahrenheit,'” Greyhavens said, “is the exact same complaint that many of those who are not in the liberal majority on this campus make of the liberal sensibilities on this campus, which is that it’s overly simplistic, it won’t listen to the other side, it doesn’t take into account all the factors, it’s advancing its own agenda more than listening to what everyone has to say.”
“Both of [the films] make good points, and both expose the fallibility of the others,” Greyhavens said.
Although no formal discussions or other events followed the showings of the films, Greyhavens hopes the program will provoke discussions in politics classes, in the residence halls and out on Ankeny. He stressed ASWC’s desire to expose students to both sides of political issues in the hope that it will create greater dialogue and understanding of different perspectives.
“Look forward to this being the kind of thing that we’re interested in bringing to campus this year,” said Greyhavens.
Suggestions for more “little-seen” films more allied with conservative viewpoints on campus have already been suggested to the ASWC Programming Committee, indicating student interest in further events promoting diversity of this sort.
