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Schule > Englisch > Ausarbeitungen, Interpretationen und Zusammenfassungen > Michael Moore / "Bowling for Columbine"

Michael Moore

Wall Street 27
99458 Flint /Michigan
[eigene Adresse]
1st November 2004
Frankfurt/Oder
I was enthusiastic by your film „Bowling for Columbine“!

Dear Mr. Michael Moore,
Last week, I have seen the filming of your second book „Bowling for Columbine“. I was shocked and enthusiastic at the same time. The documentary film was depressing but also very interesting.
I think it is very important to know these shaking facts about the use and the abuse of guns in the United States.
I am shocked about the number of dead people by force of arms. While in other countries, like Germany, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and Japan were between 39 and 255 victims by force of arms in one year, in America were 11.127 victims. These facts hit me formally.
The transactions with weapons and the facts that everybody can buy one and even if one can buy the ammunition in a supermarket are shattering.
While watching the film it was very difficult for me not to cry. The film touched me emotionally and let me feel very sad. If I had children, I would not allow them to go to America for exchange. In general, I can not understand and I think it is very, very sad that one mother in the film said it is a good place, where her children can grow up, because everybody pay attention to her children. I would not be calm down when my neighbours always stand behind the curtain with a gun in the hand and my children play in the line of fire.
The way, how you filming your book is very good. If there were only three persons speaking, I probably have thought their opinion to be exaggerated. The range of position of many people made the film more interesting and more farseeing. One shocking fact after another and I can not believe all these things. You have the main statements of the film underlined with suitable examples of assassinations, attacks and terrorism. Generally, your background questions are praiseworthy.
I think it is admirable to write a book and to produce a documentary film about this subject. I think you are very courageous. I would never have the courage to make a film about the hottest topic in the United States. It is also against the president Mr. Bush, because he has not done anything against the force of arms by forming new laws in the last four years.
It is not normal that the mass of the population sleep with a gun under the pillow. Likewise unbelievable that a town in the state Utah oblige the whole population to have a weapon. Even harder to imagine is, that also blind people must have one, and even if they say, they feel good with a good rifle.
In the film are shown reasons for much violence and the using of weapons. There are sentences like: “As American people it is a tradition to have a gun.”, “[…]live safely in a land of freedom[…]” and “[…]destroy the evil, unite the country[…]”. The history of America is incriminated with violence and that is also a reason why the black people are often condemned. Problems in the population are the wrong company with fears and aggressions. Popular reasons are also films, cartoons, computer games, drugs and idols like Marilyn Manson. The media spread these views. But do not forget the medias, for example the medias hold the people nervousin order that they consume.
Do not forget that all these named reasons also exist in Germany. Here were also a terrible
in a German grammar school. The only conceivable difference is that Americans are controlled by their fears.
I feel safe in Germany, I would not let the door of my house stay open, but however I feel safe without any kind of weapons. I have also lots of fears, for example the darkness- I get panic or also little animals like spiders or beetles but I do not take a gun and aim to the animals or in the darkness!
You justify the fears of the Americans with their terrible history but what is with Germany? Everybody thinks in bad way about Germany and the Germans were often asked whether they have known Adolf Hitler personally….
The Americans grow up in this horror, they do not know a life without weapons and if they had none, I think, they would not feel safe in their own state.
Consequently, I think it is the compulsion of the group or the mass. I think the motto, “Everybody has a gun, when somebody aim at me I must defend myself, so I need also a gun…” dominate in the United States.

Maybe that is the problem?
I miss a concluding answer why the number of victims is 11.000 people higher as in all other countries. The size and the number of inhabitants can not be the only reasons.
Maybe I find answer in your 3rd film “Fahrenheit 9/11”. I will watch this film this evening being full of emotions and with thousand of thoughts in my head.
I really respect your work and think it is very important to bring these facts to the daylight and into people’s minds.
I look forward to hearing from you, maybe in the media…?
Sincerely,

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