On Tue, 2 Dec 2003, Ilene R. Tyler wrote:

> Michael, I'll admit it, I'm a liberal, and I like Michael Moore,
> although I don't read his books.  He is from my state, Flint, even, and
> I for one am proud of his success for saying it is like it is here in
> Michigan.  Besides he is funny and does a great "show".

I'm a Michigan liberal, and I have mixed feelings about him.  He's our
version of Peter Pan, a kid to whom growing up is anathema.  I wasn't
impressed by "Roger & Me", since I had already read most of it in the
pages of the Michigan Voice.

"Bowling for Columbine" was a lot more interesting -- the candor of his
interviewees is just astonishing.  When I saw the movie, Moore himself was
on hand for some Q&A.  I asked him how he got all those folks to open up
to him like that.  "That's the $64,000 question," he said.  "You'd think
they would know who I was.  Nobody should talk to me.  Hell, *I* wouldn't
talk to me."  But his slovenly appearance (worse than you imagine)
probably reassured them: "They probably thought I'd be lucky to get on
public access."  Still, the movie has plenty of eye-rolling cheap shots
and breathtakingly dumb generalizations.

> Some day I want the satisfaction of working on/for/around a synagogue.

When we joined Beth Emeth (Ann Arbor synagogue), the leaders there were
still pretty steamed at historic preservation, and specifically at the
HDC, because they had to go to extra expense to redesign the parking lot
around the Wisdom House (a small three-bay portico-front Greek Revival
designated landmark on the grounds of the complex the synagogue shares wih
St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church).  I was advised not to mention to
people that I was a member of the HDC.

> we are hopeful to be involved in an old Detroit Synagogue rehab, if
> there is grant money for the project.

I had not heard about this.  Do you mean the old Temple Beth El on
Woodward?  Hasn't that been used as a church for many years now?

By the way, there is a construction site a few doors north of your old
house on Eberwhite Boulevard.  Was that a tear-down of an earlier house,
or an infill project on a vacant lot?

                               Larry

---
Lawrence Kestenbaum, [log in to unmask]
The Political Graveyard, http://politicalgraveyard.com
Polygon, the Dancing Bear, http://potifos.com/polygon
Mailing address: P.O. Box 2563, Ann Arbor MI 48106

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