Editing Bowling for Columbine (section)

===Climate of fear===
Moore contrasts his portrayal of the U.S. attitude toward guns and violence with the attitude prevailing in areas of Canada where gun ownership is at similar levels to the U.S. He illustrates his thesis by visiting neighborhoods in Canada near the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–U.S. border]], where he finds front doors unlocked and much less concern over crime and [[security]]. In regards to the film, Farber states "Moore's thesis, which he later elaborated in ''Fahrenheit 9/11'', is that the fear-mongering that permeates American society contributes to our epidemic of gun violence". Moore shows news stories in Canada which do not follow the "if it bleeds it leads" mentality. This adds to Moore's argument that the media is driving America's fear and their need for protection. The cartoon "A Brief History of the United States of America" encompasses Moore's view of where the fear in America started and how it has progressed and changed over the years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farber |first=Stephen |date=30 November 2007 |title=Michael Moore's 'Bowling for Columbine' (2002) |url=http://www.documentary.org/magazine/michael-moores-bowling-columbine-2002 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504085435/http://www.documentary.org/magazine/michael-moores-bowling-columbine-2002 |archive-date=2016-05-04 |access-date=2016-05-01 |website=IDA}}</ref>

In this section, there is a montage of several social pundits stating possible causes for gun violence. Many claim links with violence in television, cinema, and video games; towards the end of the montage, however, the same people all change their claims to [[Marilyn Manson]]'s responsibility. Following this is an interview between Moore and Marilyn Manson. Manson shares his views about the United States' climate with Moore, stating that he believes U.S. society is based on "fear and consumption", citing [[Colgate-Palmolive|Colgate]] commercials that promise "if you have bad breath, [people] are not going to talk to you" and other commercials containing fear-based messages. Manson also mentions that the media, under heavy government influence, had asserted that his influence on the acts of Klebold and Harris was far greater than that of President Clinton, who ordered more bombings on [[Kosovo]] on April 20, 1999, than any other day during the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia|NATO campaign against Yugoslavia]]. When Moore asks Manson what he would say to the students at [[Columbine High School|Columbine]], Manson replies, "I wouldn't say a single word to them; I would listen to what they have to say, and that's what no one did."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-10-11 |title=Marilyn Manson Interview on Bowling for Columbine |url=http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/media/clips/windowsmedia.php?Clip=manson1021LG |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615135947/http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/media/clips/windowsmedia.php?Clip=manson1021LG |archive-date=2011-06-15 |access-date=2010-11-15 |publisher=Bowling for Columbine Official Website}}</ref>

''[[South Park]]'' co-creator [[Matt Stone]]—who grew up in Littleton—agreed to talk with Moore about his hometown and the shooting in the film. Although he did not feel that Moore mischaracterized him or his statements in the film, he harbored ill feelings about the cartoon "A Brief History of the United States of America". Both Stone and his fellow ''South Park'' creator [[Trey Parker]] felt that the cartoon was done in a style very similar to theirs, and its proximity to Stone's interview may have led viewers to believe that they created the cartoon. "It was a good lesson in what Michael Moore does in films. He doesn't necessarily say explicitly this is what it is, but he creates meaning where there is none by cutting things together," Stone remarked in a later interview.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anwar Brett |date=2005-01-13 |title=BBC - Movies - Interview - Matt Stone |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/01/13/matt_stone_team_america_interview.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302120005/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/01/13/matt_stone_team_america_interview.shtml |archive-date=2016-03-02 |access-date=2016-03-11 |work=[[BBC]]}}</ref> As a humorous retort to this, Stone and Parker portrayed Moore as "a gibbering, overweight, hot-dog-eating buffoon" who ultimately commits a suicide bombing against the protagonists in their 2004 film ''[[Team America: World Police]]''.<ref name="msnbc 6228221">{{Cite web |date=October 15, 2004 |title='Team America' Takes on Moviegoers |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/team-america-takes-moviegoers-wbna6228221 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921170848/https://www.today.com/popculture/team-america-takes-moviegoers-wbna6228221 |archive-date=2020-09-21 |website=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref>