Michael Moore: Americans Buy Guns Because 'We're a Very Frightened People' With an Unresolved 'Race Problem

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore said the reason Americans buy guns is "we're a very frightened people" with an unresolved "race problem."

"I think we've been frightened ever since we landed on these shores," Moore said, speaking to Current TV for a broadcast of his 10-year-old film "Bowling for Columbine" about the Columbine High School massacre. "We were frightened of the native people, we were frightened of the slaves we brought over -- as we should have been. And those in power have known how to manipulate us with fear."

He said one reason he wanted to make "Bowling for Columbine" was to examine "how fear is used to the point where everybody feels like they’ve got to have a gun in the house."

"We’ve got over a quarter-billion guns in people’s homes. And they’re mostly in the suburbs and rural areas where there is virtually no crime and no murder. So why is that? What are they really afraid of? What do they think of -- who’s going to break into the house?" he asked.

"Do they think it’s little freckled-face Jimmy down the street? I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s who they’re afraid of. And it cuts down to the heart of our race problem that we still haven’t resolved," Moore said.

(h/t NewsBusters)