Bowling for Columbine Question...

JesFine · 11th February 2003, 07:24 PM

In Michael Moore's film Bowling for Columbine, they allude to the fact that the NRA is some sort of offshoot of the KKK. This was news to me, and I haven't been able to find anything to back up this claim. Mind you, they never come out and say that the two are linked in any way, it is just kind of hinted at. Specifically they say it is a "weird coincidence" that the KKK and the NRA were both founded the same year, but the implication is that this is more than just a coincidence. Does anyone have any sources or more information about this?

crackmonkey · 11th February 2003, 07:32 PM

With all due respect - you expect Moore to factually support his mythology? Don't hold your breath, pal.

Vorticity · 11th February 2003, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JesFine
...Specifically they say it is a "weird coincidence" that the KKK and the NRA were both founded the same year...

Actually, I think their claim was that the NRA was founded in the same year that the KKK was outlawed in some state (I forget which), the implication being that all those KKK guys just changed the name of their organization. I've no idea if this is true or false.

11th February 2003, 08:09 PM

I watched the sequel to "Shanghai Noon", whatever it was called.

With Jackie Chan!

It was an incredibly stupid (yet entertaining) movie, but probably a lot more factual in its historical accounts than the 'Bowling in Columbine' movie.

fishbob · 11th February 2003, 11:48 PM

Bowling for Columbine is a comedy. You didn't take it seriously did you?

(Jackie Chan is my movie hero)

corplinx · 12th February 2003, 12:30 AM

Bowling for Columbine was hilarious. Moore and Heston were better than Abbott and Costello.

Moore: Who's on first?
Heston: Where am I? Who are you?

bangdazap · 12th February 2003, 09:11 AM

The NRA was founded by two Union veterans in the state of New York in 1871 (congress did pass anti-Klan laws in 1871) and I believe that at that time Klu Klux Klan existed only in the Southern states. It might be that ex-Klanners used their local NRA chapters as fronts for Klan meetings/training and such, but it doesn't seem like the NRA was founded with that intention.

crackmonkey · 12th February 2003, 09:21 AM

Wait a minute... didn't Moore say that he'd been a lifelong member of the NRA?
That white-hooded racist sonofabitch!

Michael Redman · 12th February 2003, 09:33 AM

So it's not true because Michael Moore said it? But, . . .

Sorry, I forgot that in social and political matters, the rules of skepticism do not apply.

Thumper · 12th February 2003, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bangdazap
The NRA was founded by two Union veterans in the state of New York in 1871 (congress did pass anti-Klan laws in 1871) and I believe that at that time Klu Klux Klan existed only in the Southern states. It might be that ex-Klanners used their local NRA chapters as fronts for Klan meetings/training and such, but it doesn't seem like the NRA was founded with that intention.

Interstingly enough, in most of its incarnations, the KKK has been active in the Northern states. Indiana's political machine was a KKK establishment for some time. In Oregon, the KKK was responsible for much anti-Foreigner, anti-Catholic violence.

While most people do think of the South when they think of the KKK, that's not accurate.

JesFine · 12th February 2003, 01:37 PM

Yeah, despite some of the sarcastic responses on here, I figured he must have had some evidence to back up this claim, even if it was weak evidence. I mean despite some people's claim otherwise, it was a documentary and much of his "mythology" is backed up by facts.

crackmonkey · 12th February 2003, 01:38 PM

Well... facts that he invented, anyways.

11th February 2003, 07:24 PM	#1
JesFine Critical Thinker Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Francisco Posts: 449	Bowling for Columbine Question... In Michael Moore's film Bowling for Columbine, they allude to the fact that the NRA is some sort of offshoot of the KKK. This was news to me, and I haven't been able to find anything to back up this claim. Mind you, they never come out and say that the two are linked in any way, it is just kind of hinted at. Specifically they say it is a "weird coincidence" that the KKK and the NRA were both founded the same year, but the implication is that this is more than just a coincidence. Does anyone have any sources or more information about this?
	__________________ If this isn't making sense, it doesn't make it lies. -- Chris Cornell

11th February 2003, 07:46 PM	#3
Vorticity Fluid Mechanic Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Los Alamos, NM Posts: 2,644	Re: Bowling for Columbine Question... Quote: Originally posted by JesFine ...Specifically they say it is a "weird coincidence" that the KKK and the NRA were both founded the same year... Actually, I think their claim was that the NRA was founded in the same year that the KKK was outlawed in some state (I forget which), the implication being that all those KKK guys just changed the name of their organization. I've no idea if this is true or false.
	__________________ Free lunch. Final wisdom. Total coverage. http://stopsylvia.com

11th February 2003, 08:09 PM	#4
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	I watched the sequel to "Shanghai Noon", whatever it was called. With Jackie Chan! It was an incredibly stupid (yet entertaining) movie, but probably a lot more factual in its historical accounts than the 'Bowling in Columbine' movie.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

11th February 2003, 11:48 PM	#5
fishbob Seasonally Disaffected Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chilly Undieville Posts: 5,666	Bowling for Columbine is a comedy. You didn't take it seriously did you? (Jackie Chan is my movie hero)
	__________________ When you believe in things you don't understand, then you suffer . . . " - Stevie Wonder "Stupidity - a callow indifference to facts or data" - Stuart Firestein -neuroscientist. I hate bigots.

12th February 2003, 12:30 AM	#6
corplinx JREF Kid Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,944	Bowling for Columbine was hilarious. Moore and Heston were better than Abbott and Costello. Moore: Who's on first? Heston: Where am I? Who are you?
corplinx JREF Kid Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,944

11th February 2003, 07:32 PM	#2
crackmonkey Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,057	With all due respect - you expect Moore to factually support his mythology? Don't hold your breath, pal.

12th February 2003, 09:11 AM	#7
bangdazap Thinker Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 206	The NRA was founded by two Union veterans in the state of New York in 1871 (congress did pass anti-Klan laws in 1871) and I believe that at that time Klu Klux Klan existed only in the Southern states. It might be that ex-Klanners used their local NRA chapters as fronts for Klan meetings/training and such, but it doesn't seem like the NRA was founded with that intention.
bangdazap Thinker Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 206

12th February 2003, 09:21 AM	#8
crackmonkey Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,057	Wait a minute... didn't Moore say that he'd been a lifelong member of the NRA? That white-hooded racist sonofabitch!

12th February 2003, 09:33 AM	#9
Michael Redman Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 3,063	So it's not true because Michael Moore said it? But, . . . Sorry, I forgot that in social and political matters, the rules of skepticism do not apply.
	__________________ The rule is perfect; in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane. - Mark Twain

12th February 2003, 01:25 PM	#10
Thumper Thinker Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 234	Quote: Originally posted by bangdazap The NRA was founded by two Union veterans in the state of New York in 1871 (congress did pass anti-Klan laws in 1871) and I believe that at that time Klu Klux Klan existed only in the Southern states. It might be that ex-Klanners used their local NRA chapters as fronts for Klan meetings/training and such, but it doesn't seem like the NRA was founded with that intention. Interstingly enough, in most of its incarnations, the KKK has been active in the Northern states. Indiana's political machine was a KKK establishment for some time. In Oregon, the KKK was responsible for much anti-Foreigner, anti-Catholic violence. While most people do think of the South when they think of the KKK, that's not accurate.
Thumper Thinker Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 234

12th February 2003, 01:37 PM	#11
JesFine Critical Thinker Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Francisco Posts: 449	Yeah, despite some of the sarcastic responses on here, I figured he must have had some evidence to back up this claim, even if it was weak evidence. I mean despite some people's claim otherwise, it was a documentary and much of his "mythology" is backed up by facts.
	__________________ If this isn't making sense, it doesn't make it lies. -- Chris Cornell

12th February 2003, 01:38 PM	#12
crackmonkey Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,057	Well... facts that he invented, anyways.