Once upon a gun Worksheet 1

How is the power of culture used to influence public opinion on guns in

the US?
Vocabulary
Once upon a time : il était une fois
Pilgrims : des Curés, des Pèlerins
Sail : naviguer
Scared : effrayés
Safe : en sécurité
Greeted : accueillis
Wipe out : exterminer
Frightened : effrayés
Witch : sorcière
Slavery : esclavage
'Walmart' : une chaîne de supermarchés
No way ! : Pas question !
Outnumber : dépasser en nombre
Uprising : soulèvement
Chop off heads : découper des têtes
Freak out : flipper
In the nick of time : juste à temps
Weapon : arme
Reload : recharger
Settler : colon
Freed : libéré
Pass a law : faire passer une loi
Own : posséder
Promote : promouvoir
All Hell broke loose : Ce fut l'Enfer
Flee : fuir
The suburbs : la banlieue
Billion : milliard
Lock : serrure, verrou
Gate : clôture
Snug as a bug : douillettement installé

Events and dates

-Arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower in Plymouth 1620 X
-The witchcraft trials in Salem 1692 X
-War of Independence between Great Britain and the 13 British colonies 1775 X
-Second amendment of the constitution: everybody can keep a gun 1791
-Samuel Colt invents the Colt 1836 X
-Civil war between North and South 1861-1865 X
-Birth of the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) 1865 X
-Foundation of the NRA (National Rifle Association) 1871 X
Presentation:
This animated cartoon is an extract from the film Bowling for Columbine. An animated bullet, with
an American flag in the background, is the narrator of this short review of American history and
guns. The tone is satirical, and the point of view is clearly against gun rights. The cartoon takes us
at a fast rate through centuries of American history, making fear the main cause of the birth and
survival of gun culture.

Bowling for Columbine is a film directed by and starring Michael Moore. It won an Academy Award
in the category of Best Documentary, and has received both praise, controversy, and criticism, both
for the genre of the film (creative documentary), and the claims Moore makes in it. The film opened
on October 11, 2002, and internationalized Moore's previously cultish American status. The film
won the 55th Anniversary Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and received a 13-minute standing
ovation at the end of its screening at the festival. The film's purpose is to explore what Moore
suggests are the reasons and causes for the Columbine High School massacre, and other acts of
violence with guns. Moore focuses on the background and environment in which the massacre
took place, and some common public opinions and assumptions about different particular points.
The film takes an informal, artistic and up-close-and-personal look into the nature of violence in the
United States, focusing on guns as the controversial symbol of both American freedom and its
paradoxical self-destruction. In Moore's discussions with various people, including South Park co-
creator Matt Stone; the National Rifle Association's president, Charlton Heston, who suffers from
Alzheimer's disease and was allegedly interviewed under false pretenses; and musician Marilyn
Manson, he seeks to answer, in his own unique style, the questions of why the Columbine massacre
occurred, and why the United States has higher rates of violent crimes (especially crimes involving
guns) than other developed nations, in particular Germany, France, Australia, Japan, the United
Kingdom, and especially Canada. The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April
20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, near Denver in the United
States. Two teenage students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, carried out a shooting rampage, killing
twelve fellow students and a teacher, as well as wounding twenty-four others, before committing
suicide. It is considered to be the deadliest school shooting, and the second deadliest attack on a
school in US History. The massacre provoked intense debate regarding gun control laws and the
availability of firearms in the United States. Much discussion also centered on the nature of high
school cliques and bullying, as well as the role of violent movies and video games in American
society. Several of the victims who were believed to have been killed due to their religious beliefs
became a source of inspiration to others, notably Christians, and led some to lament the decline of
religion in public education and society in general. The shooting also resulted in an increased
emphasis on school security, and a moral panic aimed at goth culture, heavy metal music, social
pariahs, the use of pharmaceutical antidepressants by teenagers, violent movies and violent video
games.
“Bowling for Columbine” -> Jeu de massacre à Columbine (un jeu de massacre consiste à envoyer
des balles pour faire tomber des figurines...)
WS 2 Gun Control

Picture Father & Son

This picture shows a father and his son in a natural setting (they must be close to Nature...). They
are both smiling and seem to have a close father-son relationship, holding each other lightly. The
most striking thing in the picture is that the young boy is proudly holding a rifle, and the father is
wearing military gear/a military jacket with a handgun tucked in it, and bullets. He is also wearing
earmuffs, but his son is not/unlike his son. This picture was likely taken during shooting practice or
while hunting. This picture was taken to show pride and a certain idea of an ideal father-son
relationship, with guns as the cement that holds them together. The father must be thinking that
he has succeeded in bringing up his son. One may wonder whether he would have had the same
feelings with his daughter...

WS 3 Once upon a gun

Possible recap in French

Ce court reportage de “CBS This Morning” présente la controverse autour de la réécriture de contes
classiques par la National Rifle Association et offre les points de vue de l’auteure, Amelia Hamilton,
et d’un porte-parole d’une coalition contre les armes à feu, Ladd Everitt.

A few pieces of information about those cartoonists

-Steve Greenberg is an award-winning American cartoonist whose artwork is regularly published in

the most renowned American newspapers. His art focuses on the news and on political topics.

-David Horsey is an American editorial cartoonist, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for his artwork. He
now works for the Seattle Times. He focuses on social justice and political comment.

-Nath Paresh is the chief cartoonist of the Indian Herald, and his work has been published in the
USA too. His work criticizes and parodies global political issues, economy and business. He is the
recipient of several international awards.

-Glen Le Lievre is an Australian cartoonist and illustrator of international renown. He was

nominated Australia’s best cartoonist in 2016. His artwork includes the creation of gifs, magazine
covers and short animated films.

-Ken Catalino is an Australian cartoonist who defines himself as an artist with a conservative
approach to politics but a broad-minded view of the world. He publishes his work regularly in
American newspapers.
Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn.
Manson, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, painter, and writer. He is known for his
controversial stage personality and image as the lead singer of the band of the same name. His
stage name was formed by combining and juxtaposing the names of two opposing American
cultural icons: a sex symbol and an infamous criminal; in Manson's case, actress Marilyn Monroe
and cult leader Charles Manson.
His type of music is heavy metal.
Marylin Manson is said to have influenced the two shooters at Columbine.
In an interview, he said that being blamed for Columbine nearly ruined his career.
He claimed that he had to pursue legal action against those who were so avidly associating his
name with the Columbine shooting. He says that he has been blamed for more deaths than any
musical artist in history.

WS 4 GUN CONTROL

The second Amendment to the American constitution and the Bill of

Rights
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Did you know...
The Bill of Rights contains ten amendments to the American Constitution and was ratified in 1791.
Its Second Amendment was written in a precise historical context: it allowed civilians to bear arms
to defend themselves and protect their lands and cities. Those people would form militias. This was
in response to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which had.
pitted British soldiers against such American militias. Now that the context has changed, some gun
control advocates believe the Second Amendment should be amended or removed, while gun
rights lobbyists keep defending their rights to bear arms.

Sue Klebold is the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the two shooters who committed the Columbine
High School massacre, murdering 12 students and a teacher. She's spent years excavating every
detail of her family life, trying to understand what she could have done to prevent her son's
violence. In this difficult, jarring talk, Klebold explores the intersection between mental health and
violence, advocating for parents and professionals to continue to examine the link between suicidal
and homicidal thinking.