THe Bowling Source

In seventh grade my father brought me to the Madison Art House Cinema to see a new documentary by a film maker who had sparked my interest when I saw him on Oprah. The film make was Michael Moore, and the movie was Bowling for Columbine, a movie that would launch my interest into politics. A move that would have more of an effect on the direction of my life perhaps more so than any other media source. With out this man's courage and undeniable film making technique on addressing violence in America I may never have found my own courage to find answers.
Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine would become the second highest grossing documentary of all time, only to be second to his later film Fahrenheit 9/11. It would receive multiple awards, including an Oscar and be featured on over 100 top ten movie lists. However most importantly it would spark a conversation in America about gun violence. Most importantly, people would begin to feel comfortable about talking about Columbine. To think about that day.
His official website has become a one way ticket to slew of information encouraging people to question what is going on. For those who claim him to be a man who manipulates facts to fit his own opinion he opened a page on the site for each of his films, presenting the irrefutable evidence.
For my paper I will use his BFC Fact Check page, which uses sources from all over the media and government, both pre-BFC and post. This will inevitably prove to be a valuable source for this topic at hand.

Searching for Answers

Its a vivid memory now, I was only in third grade when it all happened, but yet it would all prove to be a trigger in my life. A question that would push me forward into a life of trying to find answers.

The school doors are flung open, students file out with tears streaming down their cheeks, trembling, struggling to stand. They are met with a swarm of guns pointed in their direction, an all too real and horrifying sight that makes the tears flow faster. A voice echos for them to put their hands in the air. Helicopters circle overhead, as students struggle to find the strength to look up. A swarm of men dressed in black armor surround the building yielding guns. They stand still and wait as the kids, each one a suspect files out. In side, a gun shot rips through the library.

The United States of America is the only nation in the world where so many people of the same nation kill one another. It is also home to the record of youngest murderers. On April 20, 1999 a massacre would occur in Littleton, Colorado when two teenage boys would enter their high school with guns, and begin to open fire on their peers.

Why is there this surge of violence among the youth in our nation? Where does it stop being a system of blame and a system of action? These are questions where answers, and blame, can be found on hundreds of different variables. However one thing is for certain, everybody has an answer.