UNIVERSITY OF DENVER : MARCH 24, 2003

MALE
I think it's great to have Michael here in Denver. And especially it's great to have the students here like this. And, and knowing that they have seen Bowling For Columbine and they're so engaged in it. 'Cause I, I think it's so important for young people to see this movie 'cause this is the hope. My greatest hope is having young people see this and think about it. Because that's how we're going to make change in the future in how we view guns. I think Bowling For Columbine has done a great job of really opening some eyes about gun violence in the United States.

MICHAEL
Thank you. I am so honored by this turnout here tonight. It's completely overwhelming to come back to Denver. In the year after this film came out and then it's now a couple of years since we spent so much time here in the Littleton area. And so we'll talk a little bit about that tonight, I hope.

I was raised in an Irish Catholic family and, I wonder sometimes who this God is that Mr. Bush, Mr. Ashcroft and Mr. Cheney invoke as they attempt to lead us to war. As they attempt to convince the American public that that American dream is still for them. Who is this God that they invoke 'cause the one that I was taught about said that we will be judged by how we treat the least among us, right. What happened to that story? Was that not taught in their Sunday School?

You know, I was taught that a rich man will have a harder time getting into Heaven than a camel will have passing through the eye of a needle. Isn't that in there somewhere? Isn't that story there somewhere, help me out. Anybody go to Sunday School when they were a kid? Do they think they're just gonna get away with this? Do they think that the American people are just gonna sit back and take it. I think they do think that because we did. We did take it for so long.

And what better confirmation of that than in November of 2000 when they were able to actually steal our White House from us. And we didn't do anything. There was no revolt. The people were not in the streets, although the demonstration on the inauguration that day was an incredible, incredible demonstration against the commander and thief. Wasn't that cool day when they had to stop the limo on Pennsylvania Avenue because they had all these people throwing eggs.

And they didn't know, because he was supposed to take the last block, you know, to walk, the last four blocks like all the presidents do now and he couldn't make the walk because of the demonstrators and they had to floor it, they had to hit the gas pedal and the Secret Service guys couldn't catch up to the limo, that was one of the most incredible things I've seen in my lifetime. That he had to run for cover into the White House.

We do need to remove Bush in 2004, there’s no doubt about that. How about this? What if everyone in here tonight decided to run for office? What if everyone in here tonight, I’m serious, and I I don’t mean governer, or Senator, or whatever. What if you just ran for precinct delegate? What if you just showed up, is this a caucus state or a primary state? Caucus state. So what if you just decided you were going to go to your local caucus about a year from now, roughly, less than a year, right? What if you went? What if you took five people? What if they got so overwhelmed they didn’t know what to do? What if this 6,000 in here tonight became 30,000 and just flooded the caucus meetings next year? It would send people to the state conventions and then on to the national convention. What would happen if it worked that way? What if we keep working on two tracks here? Build a Green Party, or any kind of third party, alternative party, anything that represents the true will of the majority of Americans. And at the same time, took over the Democratic Party, which is the lamest excuse for a party that ever existed.

I want to say a few words about Columbine and then we'll open it up for some questions. The day that the tragedy occurred at Columbine High School, I came into work and people were gathered around the TV set watching what was going on, like most of the country was. And the image that really, really kind of, I mean, just assaulted me was the one where the kids were all told to put their hands up. And all told to line up against the wall with their hands up, with their hands behind their heads. In other words, you are all suspect. You are all a potential murderer, you will all come out with your hands up and keep them up. And I just felt that day I had to do something. And I had just had it. I've thought about this issue about what a violent country we are for a long time.

I came here to Littleton and spent time talking to a lot of the people from the town, people who went to the high school. And I wanted to do something that was not so much about Columbine, but about the country that Columbine sat in. Because I don’t think it really is about Columbine.

I think this could have happened anywhere and that's the scary thing. But I wanted to put it into some sort of context. And, and the nut of that context came when I just happened to ask somebody in Littleton, so who's the largest employee here and she said Lockheed Martin. I said, you've got to be kidding me, Lockheed Martin? It's the world's number one defense contractor. The biggest weapons maker in the world. And I thought, gee I wonder why nobody ever mentioned that.

I mean there isn't, you know, A to B correlation here. It's, you know, otherwise they'd be a shooting at Columbine everyday. I mean, that's not the reason Columbine happened. But I began thinking about the larger context of this, this fabric of our society. And all the threads that weave into the fabric of what a violent, violent nation we are. Toward each other and toward the rest of the world. And just driving around Denver, seeing those pods that are out there on the other side of town communicating with the Pentagon satellites.

Going to the Lockheed factory where they built the rockets. Uh, Mike those are rockets for Direct TV And what else? Um, weather satellites. And what else? Um, private Pentagon payloads we're not allowed to discuss The parents in Littleton go to work to build rockets that send up into space satellites and telecommunication devices that will allow us to watch the missiles anywhere in the world on Armageddon day. But just like those of us who come from Flint, Michigan, who build the one thing that will be responsible for melting the polar ice caps and never questioning what that is we're building as we go to work each day.

No one ever questions anything. Nobody ever asks about what the larger consequences of all this is. And just driving around this area and seeing the dependency on weapons in the Denver area from the Air Force base that this stuff is shipped from to the Air Force Academy where that B52 bomber, that bomber that participated in one of the largest bombing campaigns ever, the Christmas bombing of Vietnam in 1972. And they've got a plaque on there proudly proclaiming that this bomber, this B52 killed thousands upon thousands of Vietnamese, innocent civilians.

That's the Denver that we don't discuss. Rocky Flats, Norad, the missile silos all around the state. That's what we don't want to discuss. What's that got to do with this. It's all part of the same American mentality that says that it's okay to use violence as a means to an end. Whether it's in the home or whether it's in Iraq. That has got to stop. That has to to stop folks. I watched the footage of that day, April 20th, 1999. And I noticed that the police weren't go into the school. And I'm watching tape after tape after tape.

SWAT teams hiding behind what looked like some kind of makeshift tanks and fire trucks and whatever and they don't go into the school. They don't go into the school for you guys probably know the exact, how many hours? Three hours, close to three hours, before they went in. The two boys who'd committed the murders had killed themselves I think in the first hour, is that correct? Yeah. They were already dead. There weren't any gunshots for another two hours.

And I asked, I didn't put this in the film because I didn't know what to do with this. I didn't know, it's just so painful and I think the town has been through enough and they don't need Michael Moore coming and asking these questions. I asked one of the police officers in Jefferson county, one of the sheriff's deputies, why didn't you go in? There were people there bleeding to death. Well, we were afraid we might be shot.

I know, know, I know and I don't blame you. You know, you're not paid enough as far as I'm concerned. And God bless you for doing this job but there were people in there dying. These were the children of Littleton. And I talked to, you know, in Denver, saw the people in the Denver SWAT team, they wanted to go in but Jefferson County said no. Suburban police controlled the day and, and they say no. There's a yellow police tape you see it around the school during these hours.

Do not cross, that's what it says. Do not cross. And you see a couple of people attempt to cross. There's, there's a brother in law, there's an uncle runs in, there's a guy in the white t-shirt, you've probably seen these images right. The police tackle them, they drag them back. And you see all these parents just in tears, they're just, just in a state of horror kept behind the little yellow police tape. How do you do that? High alert. Fear, fear, fear, fear, fear. I can be shot. I might be shot.

You could be shot. Obey the police. Obey the authorities. Do what you're told. Stand right there. Do not move. Do not move. We will take care of things. We're in charge. I don't know I just, it's bugged me for a long time. I didn't put it in the movie because you know, who am I. I would have done the same thing right. I don't want to get shot either. You know, but it's our kids right? It's our kids. What is that about us as human beings, you know?

Why wouldn't hundreds, thousands rush the police line? Why, what, I mean, if it won't happen then when will it happen? It's like that, 'cause nothing is more primal right? Nothing is more basic, those are our kids. Do not cross. Do not cross. And if you do, we're gonna beat the shit out of you. So it, a teacher bled to death. We don't know who else or what else. Well, I decided, you know, I gotta make this movie. I gotta make this movie and I've got to try and tie this together. And I've got to point out something that's happening to us as Americans.

'Cause it's not just in Littleton, it's over the whole country. We are being lied to by those in authority. We are being told to be afraid of this or that or whatever. And we have got to somehow find the courage, we've to find the courage to do something here. How long is it gonna take. What's it gonna take really. I don't want to be shot. Who does right? Well, maybe one way to make sure that Columbine never happens again is everyone in here tonight to call your state legislator in the morning and tell them they'd better not touch that gun loophole bill. Do not touch that law. Everyone in here, who will do that tomorrow morning. Who will make a phone call? Who will send an e-mail? Is that all? That's all come on. Come on. Don't let them get away with this.

And turn off the TV. Turn off the TV, folks. I hate to say it, I love my TV, but you got to turn it off, you got to turn it off. Because it, if you, I’m telling you, it’s warping the mids of America, this non-stop, high alert, the terrorists are going to get you. It’s 1984, it’s about the enemy is everywhere, the enemy is going to kill you. Put your faith in me, I will protect you, I am your leader.

We’ve got to say no to this. We’ve got to turn it all off and we’ve got to get active and involved. And you’ve got to get five other people to do the same thing. It’s the only way it’s going to turn around. I know I began tonight by talking about all the hope I had, and I am filled with a lot of hope. I am an optimistic person. I do believe in the basic good in all people. But, they’re just kind of waiting. Everyone’s just kind of waiting for a few people to do something. You could be those few people. You could be those few people. And I hope like hell you are, whether it’s with your legislators tomorrow morning, whether it’s at the caucuses next year, I hope that you will do that. Because it’s, you know, what’s our choice? Four more years of Bush and Cheney? The next war for oil in the former Soviet territories. I don’t want to live in that world. And I want us all to draw the connections between Columbine and Iraq and everything else. Because these people in charge believe guns are the answer. And we believe in a different way and we are the majority in this country. We are the majority.

MALE
I just wanted to say thank you to you as a member of Columbine community, during the shootings. And there was a long time there when nobody was talking about anything over and above a let's pray to Jesus level. And your movie was very painful for a lot of us to watch. But it did get us talking. And thank you for that, I think we're getting something done

MICHAEL
Thank you for having me here.

MICHAEL
Even at right wingers I don't feel like shouting at them. In fact I'd like to write a book that's, that's essentially my letter to conservatives asking them to stop and consider a few things. 'Cause I think that they are people who are good at their core. And they've lost their way somewhere. And, and I'd like to just present a few ideas to them as to why they should think about these issues because I think they want the same things that I want. I don't think they what to see their children killed. I don't think they want to see a plant that's polluted and air they can't breathe. I don't think conservatives want to see any of these things. I think there's just a disagreement of how to get to where we need to get. You know, because it may be you tomorrow that is without a job. It may be you tomorrow on that welfare to work bus.

It may be you tomorrow standing outside of Columbine High School not knowing if your child is alive or dead. And so, do you want to wait until til then or do you want to do something now. You know, I, I think everybody would like to do something now. I think they just feel helpless and they have a sense of despair that if they did anything nothing would ever change. That is the biggest lie. That's the biggest thing that we've got to get through to people's heads that, that actually you can make a difference. Just a few of you can make a big difference.

We all remember Richard Castaldo, here. The star of the film over here. You were the man who brought K-Mart down. And you just kind of nod your head, yep, that was me.

WOMAN
No one made a big deal about it until it was in the film. We told people, this is what we did. Yeah, yeah, yeah right.

MICHAEL
Yeah, I know. Isn’t that funny? It’s like once it’s up on a fifty foot screen, then it was important?

WOMAN
You did that? Well, I told you we did that six months ago, you know? Weren’t you listening?

MICHAEL
I know, I know.

MICHAEL
See, we’re on a first name basis now. Ahmad is easy.

WOMAN
Yeah, but see, it’s a perversion of the real pronunciation.

MICHAEL
Oh is it? Ok. Alright, there you are.

WOMAN
Thank you so much.

WOMAN
It was excellent. And I totally agree with you. And I was one of those people clapping when you mentioned the Holocaust.

WOMAN
We’re definitely excited to have you here and the turnout is incredible, so.

MICHAEL
Thanks for bringing me here tonight.

MAN
Yeah, thank you so much. I’m glad that there was such a good turnout and really well received.

MICHAEL
Yeah, great.

MAN
Yeah, keep up.

MICHAEL
Yeah, I will. Thank you so much.

Devon Adams
My name is Devon Adams. I graduated from Columbine High School in 2001. And, sorry . . .

MICHAEL
That's okay.

Devon
Your film meant so much to me and your book. I work in gun control now, anti-war it helps to know there's support out there.

MICHAEL
Yeah, there's a lot of people.

Devon
Yeah.

MICHAEL
Seriously, the majority of people in the country they're sick of this.

Devon
Yeah.

MICHAEL
You know, it's good to be involved doing something with it, you know. That's pretty painful isn't it?

Devon
Yeah. I, uh, wanted to let you know when you talked about the police officers, my best friend returned to the school six times and saved a number of lives.

MICHAEL
Oh, that's so great to hear that.

Devon
The kid in the white shirt you were talking about.

MICHAEL
The one that the police were after. Oh really? Give me a hug.

Devon
I’m sorry.

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