Higher Media - Columbine High School Massacre

Dear Newly Initiated

Here are some useful links to look further into the subject of the shootings and the background to American gun laws before you embark on studying Bowling for Columbine. It is best if you don't just think that this kind of thing is a result of Americans being loopy. Michael Moore makes that quite clear in his film. Anyway - here goes:

Wikipedia - Some good background and information about the tragedy. As always there are some solid (if disturbing links) at the bottom of the page.

BBC News Website- Various archive reports on the massacre. Obviously, be careful with all this stuff - I don't want you to become too morbidly obsessed with it.

Dunblane Shootings - Just to prove these terrible things don't just happen in the US.

Interview with Michael Moore - A script of an interview with the man himself, done at the time the film was released. Part 2 of the interview is here.

A Brief History of American Gun Laws - a short timeline showing how the laws came about, from the National Public Radio site. Useful, if a little dry. However, it is worth noting that the right to bear arms has been in the American Constitution since 1791. Just imagine how different things might have been then and how much more necessary guns might have been. Also, America was formed from lots of different states, each one of them new and naturally distrusting central government from Washington. They had no armies of their own and so needed the ability to raise an militia very quickly, if they needed to defend themselves. Therefore, it was pretty important that people had guns to hand.

More stuff will follow, when I have time. It is also worth mentioning that watching a film called Manufacturing Dissent is well worth watching. It follows Michael Moore around while he films another documentary and calls into question his methods.

Drink full from the cup of Michael Moore related gumph.

Mr K.