In his documentary about gun violence in the United States, Bowling for Columbine, Director/Producer Michael Moore seemingly implied that the government has the greater responsibility for the shooting of a six-year-old little girl, Kayla Rolland, by a six-year-old little boy, Dedrick Owens. Kayla Rolland and Dedrick Owens were classmates in the first grade at Buell Elementary in Beecher, Michigan. On February 29, 2000, Dedrick took a gun from his uncle’s home, where his family had been living, and took it with him to school where he shot Kayla over an argument they had had the previous day. The shooting resulted in Kayla’s death.

Dedrick’s mother, Tamarla Owens, had been a welfare recipient, and as such, was participating in Michigan’s Welfare-to-Work program (WtW). In the movie, Moore and others made several inflammatory comments that insinuated the WtW program contributed to Kayla Rolland’s death. We believe many of these comments to be outright lies or omissions of truth in order to divert attention away from those really responsible – the child’s parents.

Moore’s claims regarding WtW are as follows: it forced Owens to get a job if she wanted continued ben

So what is the point in Moore blaming the state of Michigan for the shooting and death of six-year-old little girl? Why not just tell the truth? Well, the truth just isn’t as interesting and it doesn’t sell movies, but sensationalism does. A self-proclaimed multi-millionaire after three or so documentaries and a number of books, all extremely radical, left-wing propaganda, Moore’s interests are very self-serving. Moore lives in a posh home in New York’s Central West Park and sends his daughter to an elite private school. He flies first class when he jets around the country, rides around in limousines, and tends to stay in grand hotels. He would not be able to support this kind of lifestyle if his books and movies did not sell well. In an interview after he bashed President Bush and the government at the Academy Awards, Moore told reporters that thousands more people rushed to see Bowling for Columbine and sales of his books skyrocketed (Blair 1). Yes, controversy, sensationalism, and apparently lies get people to spend their money when the truth isn’t exciting enough, and Michael Moore has the formula down pat.

Moore’s claim that Owens was forced to work if she wanted to maintain her benefits, such as welfare, food stamps and Medicaid under the Work First program is substantiated. (Urban Institute 8) There is no basis, however, for the claim that she was forced to repay previous welfare benefits provided to her. Clearly, that statement was intended to be inflammatory. As evidenced from the Work First guidelines, the maximum number of hours per week that the state would have required Tamarla to work was forty. Any hours worked beyond that were at her discretion. If Owens had worked only 40 hours per week, at only $5.15 per hour, 48 weeks a year; her average monthly income before taxes would have been $824, which, at the appropriate tax rate, would net her approximately $750 per month. This would compare to a $459 per month welfare benefit if she was not working. If she could afford her rent on $459 per month, it seems reasonable she could afford it on $750. When we consider Moore’s claim that she was actually working about 70 hours per week, and factor in external evidence that she was actually making over $7 per hour, we find her average monthly take home income was approximately $1600 per month. Again, if she could afford her rent on $459 per month, it seems reasonable she could afford it on $1600. The cash benefit would have been in addition to food stamps,

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