It seems that the American mindset is that if there is a threat or a fear, protect yourself with a gun. But why? Wouldn't stashing a handgun in the linen closet create opportunity for more threats and cause more fear? Michael Moore attempts to make the audience aware of Americans' overzealous use of guns in his 2002 documentary, Bowling for Columbine.
At the forefront of Moore's persuasive tactics are the number of school shootings throughout the United States. He presented the audience with stories of Columbine, Flint, and an overall American climate of fear. To explore this fear, Moore went to Canada to see if it was strictly home to America -- it was. While Canada is home to more guns than the United States, there are shockingly fewer murders. In one interview, a Canada resident hypothesized that this was because the Americans are afraid of their neighbors while Canadians are more trusting.
But is it a matter of trust? Some say it their social responsibility to carry a gun. And keep it loaded and stashed under their pillow. Moore made a great use of people with similar views in order to create an image of an aggressive America. A short clip of Chris Rock stating that we don't need more gun control, but rather more bullet control also supports this image. Whether it be gun control, bullet control, or fear control; Moore's message is clear; something needs to change.
