Bowling for Columbine Web-quest: CON Michael Moore
You are now a respected member of Springfield Elementary School’s school board. The principal has just announced that he wants to invite the controversial celebrity Michael Moore to give a speech on his stand on America’s high rate of gun-related homicides. You are firmly opposed to the idea, but unfortunately the suggestion is met with much approval within the board. It is now your job to criticize Michael Moore and his film as much as possible (and don’t be afraid to use mudslinging and slander – the future of our children is at stake!).
During this web-quest, your overall task is to find strong arguments to prevent MM and his film Bowling for Columbine from being exposed to your beloved pupils. For each link you will visit, there will be one or more questions that you need to answer in the boxes below, but you have to remember the main purpose of your visit: to support the principal’s idea of having MM give a speech at your school. You must answer the questions in your own words. You will need all your best points and arguments in the end of this course when you will face your opponents in a red-hot debate.
1. Look at the summary of the film. What are Moore’s main arguments?
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_for_Columbine
2. What is the Second Amendment?
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmentii
militia = milits, mindre selvorganiseret forsvarshær
infringed = krænket, indgribe (i rettigheder)
3. Visit the NRA, the National Rifle Association. What seems to be their main purpose as an non-governmental organization?
http://www.nra.org/
http://www.nrahq.org/business/alliance.asp
3a. What does the NRA say about the Brady-campaign?
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=168
6. This article comments on the research results of a report released by Dr. Arthur C. Kellermann, who speaks against keeping guns in private homes. What are the NRA’s arguments against this report? What is the NRA-ILA?
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=119
7. Charlton Heston was a front figure in the NRA. Check him out on http://www.nrawinningteam.com/heston.html
Who is he, and what does he stand for?
> try to click ”Quotable quotes....” and note down some of his points.
8. On what points is Bowling for Columbine being criticized here? Find as many points of criticism as you can in the webpages below.
http://www.petitiononline.com/nooscar/petition.html
http://www.hardylaw.net/Truth_About_Bowling.html
http://www.bowlingfortruth.com/