Saturday, February 12, 2011

Enfield Public Library's Showing of 'Sicko' Attracts 50


'Sicko' Draws More Than 50 Viewers To Enfield Library. (Hartford Courant, 2/12/2011)

Excerpt: Aside from sound glitches, Friday's screening of "Sicko" — filmmaker Michael Moore's documentary critical of the U.S. health care system — went smoothly, and attracted more than 50 viewers to the Enfield Public Library, including a 9/11 first-responder whose story is featured in the film.

John Graham, a since-retired emergency medical technician from New Jersey, said he found out through the Internet about the controversy surrounding the town's cancellation of a showing of "Sicko" at the library last month.

Graham suffered from lung problems and post-traumatic stress disorder after working at ground zero following the 2001 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. Like two other 9/11 first-responders in the film, he couldn't afford his treatment.

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"I heard about the trials and tribulations" in Enfield after the decision to cancel the earlier showing of "Sicko," said Graham, an advocate for universal health care. "I wanted to make sure that the movie was shown."

He thanked the library for showing the movie and for "taking the heat."

Since the decision to cancel the first showing of "Sicko," the library has addressed complaints by adding movies to its Friday Films series that offer different points of view on health care, education, religion and the environment.

Library director Henry Dutcher said Friday that the film screenings are selected without an agenda and that the library staff doesn't attempt to moderate or foster debates on the films.
[RG emphasis]

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

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