Bowling for Columbine, 2002

May, 2023 | DESMOND MBANG

Gun control is an urgent issue in the United States today. Time and time again we have seen countless mass shootings that have devastated communities across America. One event that forever altered our perception was the tragic Columbine High School massacre in 1999. This horrifying incident involved two teens in Littleton, Colorado who went on a shooting spree, killing 13 people and leaving countless others injured and traumatized. The documentary Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore explores America’s obsession with guns to help understand why this horrific event unfolded.

In Bowling for Columbine when Michael Moore suggests that stricter gun control laws will lead to less gun violence. Michael Moore compares gun ownership rates in the United States, with countries such as Japan, Germany, and Australia. In particular, he highlights a mass shooting in Australia in 1996 that claimed the lives of 35 people and injured countless others. In the aftermath of this devastating event, Australia swiftly enacted stringent gun control laws, including a ban on semi-automatic guns and shotguns. To encourage compliance and enhance public safety, a gun amnesty program was established, allowing citizens to voluntarily surrender unlicensed firearms. Michael Moore highlights Australia has not experienced another mass shooting since 1996. This example reinforces his argument that countries with lower rates of gun ownership tend to have significantly lower levels of gun violence compared to the United States. Moore suggests that the implementation of stricter gun control laws can ultimately serve the greater good by reducing harm and promoting societal well-being. This reflects the ethical theory of utilitarianism because it forces us to consider the greatest overall happiness and well-being of society as a whole.

Michael Moore displays genuine empathy toward the victims of gun violence throughout the movie. Virtue ethics is one of the three main approaches in normative ethics, which emphasizes the character and virtues of an individual instead of the consequences of their actions. According to virtue ethics morality is determined by good character traits like honesty, courage, wisdom, and kindness. These virtues can be developed through constant practice until it is a habit. Virtue ethics is demonstrated when Michael Moore interviews survivors of gun violence, including the parents of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre. He shows genuine empathy towards all the victims he interviews, and it is evident he feels passionately about this topic because he tries to inspire change. An important moment in the documentary that displays his commitment is when Moore, accompanied by two survivors of the Columbine High School massacre, visits a Walmart store, and purchases all the ammunition in stock. They subsequently bring the purchased ammunition to Walmart's headquarters, where they hold a press conference. Moore and the victims draw attention to the potential dangers of allowing a single individual to acquire a vast amount of ammunition. By raising awareness about the negligent practices surrounding ammunition sales, Moore and the victims shed light on the possibility of preventing future mass shootings.  Walmart acknowledged the significance of their message and made the decision to halt the sale of ammunition in all their stores. This shows how much Moore cared by showing empathy towards the victims and actively striving for change, he exemplifies the virtues of compassion, justice, and courage.

Finally, Kantian ethics is also exemplified in Bowling for Columbine because Americans' fear of each other violates the categorical imperative. According to Kant, moral actions are those that are done out of respect for the moral law, which he defines as the categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is a universal principle that states that one should always treat people as ends in themselves. In Bowling for Columbine Moore explores why America has a high rate of gun violence. He explains that Canada also has similar gun ownership as the United States but have drastically fewer gun violence compared to the United States. Moore discusses that a reason for this can be Americans deep seated fear of each other. The American news cycle usually consists of news about violence occurring. He states that this contributes to Americans fear of each other. He travels to Canada to explore if Canadians feel the same way about each other. Moore was shocked to find that not only did this not exist, but Canadians also trusted each other to the extent of leaving their doors unlocked. The news cycle did not consist of violence, so Canadians had no need to fear each other. This fear of the other can be seen as a violation of Kant's categorical imperative, which requires us to treat all people with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, religion, or nationality.

In sconclusion, Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore explores America’s obsession with guns. Utilitarianism is showcased through Moore's argument that stricter gun control laws can lead to reduced gun violence. He compares gun ownership rates between the United States and countries like Japan, Germany, and Australia and concludes that countries with lower gun ownership had lower gun violence. Also, virtue ethics is highlighted through Moore's display of genuine empathy towards victims of gun violence. The documentary emphasizes the importance of character virtues such as honesty, courage, wisdom, and kindness. Finally, Kantian ethics comes into play as the documentary explores the fear Americans harbor towards one another, which may violate the categorical imperative.