Michael Moore Takes 9/11 Workers To Cuba For Health Care, NYPost Claims
Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Celebrities and Controversy, Cinematical Indie
The release of Michael Moore's upcoming documentary on the U.S. health care industry, Sicko, is finally approaching and so is the inevitable controversy. The NYPost, which is of course no friend to Moore, is claiming to have some advance details on the film. They claim that, in classic Moore fashion, the filmmaker decided to show the failings of the U.S. health care system by taking Ground Zero responders, who are now suffering from a variety of illnesses, to Cuba for medical treatment.Moore apparently went to the Fealgood Foundation, which is trying to raise money for the responders who are now ill from exposure to toxic debris, to find willing participants. Some stayed astonishingly tight to America's anti-Cuba roots: "I would rather die in America than go to Cuba," Joe Picurro said, even though he has so many 9/11 ailments that he needs fundraisers to pay his expenses. I can see not buying into Moore's stunt, but wow, animosity to Castro sure runs deep!
Another man, Michael McCormack, was all set to go and was left in the dust. The responder said: "What he [Moore] wanted to do is shove it up George W's rear end that 9/11 heroes had to go to a communist country to get adequate health care." But then they went without him: "It's the ultimate betrayal. You're promised that you're going to be taken care of and then you find out you're not. He's trying to profiteer off of our suffering." While I feel bad for him, I can't help but want to say "duh." The Post says that he played them a tape of a conversation with a Moore producer where "the woman is heard apologizing for not taking McCormack, while saying the production company was not offering anyone guarantees of a cure." I can't help but wonder if one day, Moore will just tick off too many people, and his controversial buzz will finally be the death of his career.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-17-2007 @ 12:06PM
Kevin said...
As a freelance reporter (with a collegiate minor in Film), I've always been a little offended that people refer to Moore as a documentarian (and I am a liberal). Bowling for Columbine was sloppy, made no real connections and asked the viewers to make a leap, a connection that didn't exist between Columbine's proximity to Lockheed Martin's munitiions facility and the shootings. It really was disgraceful and irresponsible film making...and his 9/11 "documentary" failed to produce anything revelatory. There was nothing new there unless you lived in a cave. This just sounds like a publicity stunt that he's filming...once again, not really giving us a documentary - now if people wanted to call him a propagandist...that I have no problem accepting.
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4-17-2007 @ 12:07PM
brian said...
Wow...sounds like someone hates Michael Moore as much as that other person hates Castro and Cuba. I hope to see Sicko, and hope a good dialogue comes from it. I once lived in Japan, and for I think it was 60 bucks a month, I got full health coverage. Was a nice difference from the land of plenty here...it's a big business...and any time someone uses any heavy tactic to open people's eyes...let 'em bring it.
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4-17-2007 @ 12:36PM
KateG said...
This is hard to believe.
I've been to Cuba. It's a beautiful place with wonderful but very poor people. Most people who go, fall in love with the place and the people and go back every year and bring supplies with them, such as medicine, baby clothes, diapers. So where is this superior health care and to whom is it available?
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4-17-2007 @ 3:39PM
Bill Pilgrim said...
Fidel Castro was suffering from a life threatening case of diverticulitis. Serious stuff for a geriatric patient but certainly no mystery to the medical profession. What did he do? Castro went to democratic Spain so Spanish doctors could operate on him. Now he's back in Cuba working with "useful idiots" like Michael Moore to do remedial propaganda for his communist regime. Adequate health care? Sure. Coming right up. Roll camera!
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4-29-2007 @ 7:51PM
Sal Diangelo said...
Cuba has substandard health care HOWEVER I rather have that then be one of Americas uninsured.
Awhile back I hurt my elbow very badly and tore a bicep (construction accident) I had my own health coverage because worked in construction 30 hours a week .
I am a veteran and worked while going to college. My coverage was the cheapest I could find for emergencies .
It didnt help with the elbow surgery I needed and the bicep attachment I needed as I could still use my arm it wasnt an emergency. I than turned to my United States PROMISED VA health care (I have honorable discharge ,Medals) but that was no good as I made "to much" money the year before and it was a MAJOR run around.
I needed my arm "fixed" within the next 50 yrs lol thus I went to Cuba for the surgery. It was either that or commit a crime and go to jail for surgery (I kid to make a point).
Everything is fine now but I had the money to pay for the surgery I needed in Cuba unlike most Cubans.
Thus I cant say which system is truly better but I can say I will never fly the American flag again or do a SINGLE thing to help this country in any way .
This country is a lie and as a Veteran I feel lied to .
I would love to see Canadas health care system offered in America -If you have private health care thats great if not as a tax paying Citizen you should have something not be treated like an animal unless its an emergency.
I would burn the flag before I salute it after this experience.
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6-12-2007 @ 10:36AM
The-truth said...
Michael Moore may have exposed the dirty secrets of the denial factor in the insurance industry. But my problem is with the woman he took to Cuba. This woman is not who she appears to be. I know her well and she is media driven. She excellent health care, she is not poor, she is not affulent, nor educated, but non the less she has coverage. In addition she is married with a husband that has an excellent income. I believe Michael did not investigate his prospects too well. The-truth
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6-12-2007 @ 10:42AM
The-truth said...
Health care in Cuba is rather questionable for what I have read. The 9/11 workers that went with Michael Moore I hope they received what they went after. My problem is that this is against the law. Not just under the Bush Administration but has been since the 60's. Regina Cervantes Miller claims that she was "pregnant" but after returning she "could not hear a 'fetal' heatbeat." Now ask yourself was this a smart choice?
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