Michael Moore's new book, "Stupid White Men," is a hell of a read. It's one of those exhaustive, nagging, delightfully one-sided polemics and it's selling like hotcakes. His signing tour is proceeding with marvellous success (despite a lack of publisher support) so much so that his reading at a San Diego middle-school was "breathing room only." When 11PM rolled around, he hadn't finished signing all the books for the crowd, and the police showed up in riot gear and forcibly cleared the auditorium.
Somewhere around 11:30pm, I hear a commotion at the back of the auditorium. I see people start to scatter. The San Diego police are coming down the aisle, their large flashlights out (the auditorium lights are still on, so we all understand the implied "other" use of these instruments). The police are telling everyone to "VACATE THESE PREMISES IMMEDIATELY OR YOU WILL ALL BE ARRESTED!" I cannot believe what I am hearing. "YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER WARNING. LEAVE NOW — OR FACE ARREST!"
The cops approach the stage where I am signing the books. People are visibly frightened — and about half the book-line bolts toward the doors. I stand up and speak to the officers. "I am the author of this book," I tell them politely. "These people are only here to get a book and all I am doing is signing them. We will be done shortly."
(Thanks, Amanda!)
