Liz Wolf

10/24/10

Reaction Paper

Even before the Columbine massacre, the media has driven the American culture into

discrimination; especially against black people, violence, and fear. Thus the American thinking

in our everyday lives; Americans accept danger in their lives, even if it doesn't exist, if the media

says there for some kind of reason the public immediately is on guard, without questioning why

or what the warning is about. In general the public blames crime on whatever the government or

media declares is causing it. The public generally doesn't research into crime causation, why

would they, they trust their government and thinks that it has its best interests at hand, which

sometimes does and sometimes doesn't.

While watching Bowling for Columbine in the beginning of the film the first thing that

caught my attention was the conflicting claims that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were either at

bowling class early, but after investigation by Glenn Moore from the Golden Police Department

the boys were actually absent from bowling class this day. Moore went on to ask if the school

responding to the real needs of students or reinforcing to the fear of students. Clearly after the

Columbine massacre it changed the way the American people talk, and added more fear to our

lives, to places we thought we thought we were safe.

Throughout the film Moore asks the question over and over again; who is to take

responsibility for violence committed with firearms? America blames a lot of things, but

themselves; violent films, video games, breakdown of traditional family, cultural diversity,

popular genres of rock music, bowling (Michigan Militia uses bowling pins for target practice).

Moore later in the film interviews Marilyn Manson and asks him what he thinks is to blame for

gun related violence because Manson is such an easy target to blame because of Manson's

appearance. Manson version of gun related violence causation is fear and consumption, the

media fuels the fear and I'm response the public buys whatever and everything that will save

them. Moore makes the conclusion that there is no connection between gun ownership and gun

violence, it is also implied that violence is the governments and the public’s solution to conflict.

At the end of the film Moore concludes that gun violence is not due to amount of guns but the

exploitation of violence through media and government. Fear in America is intensified by the

media and controlled by the government, so they can keep a level of fear in the public and

control society. Equality and violence; there is none, there is so much discrimination, especially

against black males and minorities. As far as freedom goes; the Michigan militia is a great

example that takes that right to the max, it values the fact and thinks it is necessary to own a gun.

But here is the thing about that that freedom, if the Michigan militia gets to own guns, so does

the rest of America no matter what ethnicity/race or culture you are, if you pass the background

check. Moore interviews NRA, supports gun ownership, President Charlton Hesston and asks

Hesston why he thinks we have so much gun related violence among other questions. Hesston’s

answer to the gun related violence question was, that we have a racially diverse population,

which is, in my opinion is a ridiculous answer and racist. Hesston couldn't answer any of the

other questions, which man of his position should be able to do.

Gun control policy in America is a very controversial issue and it has been for a while

now; the debate is between the right to own a gun, which is protected by the constitution, and the

duty of the government to prevent crime and maintain order in society. The Second Amendment

of the constitution says that an American has the right to protect them, own a gun for the purpose

of protection and sell- defense within their home. Polling has been done in repetition on gun

control policy and found that America believes people have the right to own a gun, but promote

more harsh enforcement of current laws. The American identity is a gun culture. The gun is

symbol of power and masculinity. The biggest gun support avocation groups is the NRA, which

Moore interviews the president of, Charleston Hesston, they supposedly say their goal is to have

safety programs and to educate the use of safe gun use.

Gun related violence is most common in poor/urban areas/ involving young adults or

juveniles. Majority of gun related deaths in America, oddly, are suicides, 16,907 in 2004.

Personally I wouldn't think that suicides would have been the highest I would have guessed gang

related gang related gun violence deaths. Under the Gun Control Act of 1968; there are certain

people who are ineligible for gun ownership; convicted felonies, illegal drug users, certain

misdemeanors, those who have been in a mental institution/ mental detectives/ have a serious

mental illness, non-U.S citizens, illegal aliens, people who renounced their U.S citizenship, prior

armed forced service members that were dishonorably discharged, minors, have a restraining

order, or have been convicted of domestic violence.

In the Second Chance Act of 2007, if the record of the offender is expunged; they must

meet all five criteria to qualify, which are:

1.) No other convictions for violence besides the one trying to be

expunged

2.) Fulfilled all requirements of sentence

3.) Has been drug/alcohol free for at least one year and rehabilitated to courts

satisfaction, only if it is a part of their sentencing

4.) Obtained a high school diploma or GED

5.) Completed one year of community service, determined by court

Although the offender’s records are erased from public viewing, there are some exceptions that

the record could be released. If the ex-offender wants to obtain a license to carry a gun, if they

are involved in a criminal investigation, and if they applying for a job for the city/ state/ federal

position. So even with the Second Chance Act helping ex-offenders get back on their feet,

America is still driven by fear and enforced by the government. Example: even if the ex-

offender was to get their record expunged, the record which was private to the court where the

sentencing was held becomes public to the seller and licensure of the gun, when the ex- offender

might be trying to obtain the gun to protect them. I am sorry to say that as of today we won’t

know what the cause of crime. We need look at the theory future of crime caution. All the

theories in my opinion are not developed enough and do not thoroughly explain the Columbine

massacre.

I believe that the Future of Crime Causation Theory best explains crime theories crime

theories because it's not possible to explain crime solely in terms of immediate social

environment. Sociologists are starting to research other factors other than social environment;

sociologists are looking at gender age, biological, psychological, individual traits; such as

intelligence, impulsivity, and irritability. Sociologists predict that these factors affect the

person’s social environment. In the factor theories will be more complex and developed which

will give people more accurate information. In reality violent crimes in adults and juveniles have

been declining over the years.

References

Crime Causation. (2010). Retrieved October 24, 2010 from sociological theories:

http://law.jrank.org/pages/824/crime-causation-sociological-theories.html.

Reentry Policy Council. (2010). Retrieved October 24, 2010 from Second Chance Act:

http://www.reentrypolicy.org/government_affairs/second_chance_act.

Wikipedia. (2010). Retrieved October 24, 2010 from Gun Law in the United States:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gun_law_in_the_united_states.

Wikipedia. (2010). Retrieved October 24, 2010 from Gun Control Act of 1968:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gun_control_act_of_1968.