Bowling For Columbine

Michael Moore's documentary Bowling for Columbine gave him the reputation as a very conservative film maker who isn't afraid to say what's need to be said. His documentary is centered on the Columbine High School massacre back in the early 90s but he discusses more on the bigger issue of gun control and violence in America. In his documentary Moore visits several US as well as Canadian cities to prove his point to the world that America is lacking the proper gun control to protect its citizens. The film also focuses on the impact of the media on the violence in America as well as showing everyone the power of the press. The three big issues in Michael Moore's documentary on Bowling for Columbine are; the ease at which someone can obtain a firearm, the lack of gun control in the United States, and how much of an impact the media has on the culture of American citizens.

The film begins with Moore entering a bank in a small town in Wisconsin where an ad promotes a free gun upon opening a checking account. With in a very short period of time Moore opens a checking account and undergoes a brief back round check and walks out of the bank with the brand new, ready to shoot rifle. From the bank Moore stops at a local barbershop with his gun, he walks and holding the gun and gets his hair cut. While the barber is cutting his hair Moore purchases a couple cases of ammunition and proceeds to load his gun in the middle of his hair cut. Moore's point is that it requires very little effort in America for an average man like himself to purchase a gun and the necessary ammunition to use it. The kids who took over the Columbine High School purchased their ammunition they used during the shooting at a local K-Mart. Towards the end of the movie Moore meets up with to victims of the shootings who where shot 9mm bullets purchased from the K-Mart and takes them to the to the K-Mart corporate offices to complain about how any one can purchase ammunition at K-Mart. They succeeded in getting all ammunition taken off the shelves in all K-Mart stores.

Moore also tackles the issue of gun control in America, or lack there of. He asks local hunter and members of the Militia who use guns on a constant base. These are all for the right to bear arms and to be able to have as many guns as they please. Moore also realizes that it's not just hunting weapons or pistols for protection that people own but one man claims to have an M-16 assault rifle in his house. Moore also visits protest rallies against guns where protests say how automatic weapons shouldn't be allowed to be should to citizens because the serve no other purpose but to kill, hunters don't hunt with automatic weapons. When Moore asks people why they think there is an enormous murder rate in America he is told that Americans play more violent video games and watch many more violent movies and that America has more guns. When Moore heard this decided to visit Canada which has a significantly lower murder rate to see if what people are saying is true. In Canada he finds out that they play the same amount of violent video games and watch the same amount of violent movies but one thing is shocking, Moore