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.