91% - A Film about Guns in America

2016, Society  -   14 Comments
5.44
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Ratings: 5.44/10 from 32 users.

91% is a tale two tragedies. The initial tragedy lies in the gun-related murders of sons, daughters and others who found themselves on the wrong end of a crazed shooterќs weapon. The second tragedy lies in the warped essence of modern American politics where special interests and incessant inaction rule the day.

The opening moments of the film work to humanize an otherwise incendiary debate. We hear from a mother who witnessed the murder of her daughter at the hands of a mass shooter. In the midst of what was once a picturesque environment in Newton, Connecticut, haunted survivors and bereaved parents speak of the atrocities they endured during the infamous Sandy Hook massacre.

Later in the film, these survivors are joined by a chorus of gun violence prevention advocates, researchers, and NRA members who discuss the challenges and perils associated with passing meaningful gun control legislation. Within this debate, the film sheds light on the gun show loophole, the escalating power of the gun lobby, and the general culture of guns in America.

Predictably, the National Rifle Association (NRA) represents a major talking point in the film. We are told that the organization was once a partner in drafting common sense gun ownership legislation. But the political climate has now changed, and so too has the source of their financing. How else to account for their refusal to listen to the desires of their own membership? According to 2012 survey, 74% of NRA members are in support of universal background checks. And yet, the organization insists that these checks will only result in more government control and taxation.

Few issues rile as much passion and ire as the gun debate. Thereќs little doubt as to which side of this debate the film falls on. Regardless, 91% benefits from its rational and pragmatic tone, and its ambitions to explore multiple facets of this complicated subject. By featuring insights from a diverse array of interview subjects - from the staunchest reform advocates to the most ardent gun owners - it provides a rounded and well-reasoned primer on one of America's most contentious issues.

Directed by: John Richie

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14 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Robert Schock

    Americans are the most fearful paranoid people on the planet. And for good reason. So grateful I don't live in the US! You guys screwed yourselves!

    1. Jon Jonzz

      Is that why people from all over the world risk their lives to come here? No one rushes to Russia, China, India, etc. Its about Freedoms we have.

  2. Robert Schock

    Your history includes the right to bear arms. No-one is going to disarm America. Guns and bullets are entrenched in your culture. For good or bad you are going to have to live with it. There is no solution.

    1. Robert Wyman

      Firearms keep a people a formidable opponent against the tyranny that does exist, a stand other countries are too late in taking. The stats are skewed and gun control is about power and dictatorship. We are a Constitutional Republic not a Democracy. The Clinton's are criminals, Obama is a puppet, Donald Trump is not a politician but the change Obama lied he was. 150,000 plus lives are saved by citizens using firearms every year, lives that police care less about. School shootings are not as prevalent as most think and are committed by youth that have no parental guidance .

      Foreign invaders wish to live here but are not welcome. Apply for citizenship and leave your idiotic culture at home. If we were actually a gun culture nobody would commit a crime as criminals would be met with immediate death or apprehension. US government can go to hell with their Democracy nonsense. Stay away from our Southern border and those who cross will soon be met with our fury. 91% here do not support gun control. "Common sense" is not real, gun control is a curtain hiding tyrants who employ people with gun phobias by lying to them.

  3. Tomas, Galway, Ireland

    NRA. = Stupid sh*t hea-s . For all the murdered people and their forever grieving families...keep up the fight..you will win.

    1. Jon Jonzz

      Looks at the facts and data. In 2017, six-in-ten gun-related deaths in the U.S. were suicides (23,854), while 37% were murders (mostly bad guys killing each other) (14,542), according to the CDC. The remainder (3%) were unintentional (486), involved law enforcement (553) or had undetermined circumstances (338). How many citizens who own guns legally have defended themselves with guns? I have. Why are dangerous criminals released routinely? Why are serious crimes "plea bargained" to lessor, less punishing sentences? People kill. Guns do not.
      The 2nd Amendment is there for a reason. Allows the citizens to defend themselves against a tyrannical government.

  4. Andrew Hardy

    To believe that any group of people that are not accountable for respect of human life is another aspect of white americas inbalance of morals while embracing the m urder of people of color and imbalance of this concept of a free country we live under the daily thought of another citizen being murdered by those hired to serve and protect we must seriously consider a. Remedy for thepolice which are clear and present danger to the citizens that are of certain ethnicity its true that democracy dies behind closed doors all facts actions and training should be accessible to the citizens. All over this FREE nation know white supremacy has infiltrated law enforcement for that very reason a killer police leaves the scene only ti be hired within another department its unions and ranks use propaganda of fear or guilt to kill and demand a pass only to repeat the act whats needed is a police police force in the frame of federal those not tied to the jurisdiction with the power to prosecute the offenders we now like germany in the 30s have Blueshirts where they had brownshirts both are were thugs

  5. voluntaryist

    I judge a gun debate doc on how well all sides of the question are presented. Is the daily gun violence avoided by being armed? The police claim it is, but then contradict themselves by coming out against an armed populace. They claim guns should only be in their hands because they are "special". They are given a "special" exemption from accountability and they use it to shoot down unarmed citizens, without punishment. Then they use their "special" status to hide the number they kill. The populace is unaware because the MSM doesn't report it, doesn't investigate. How many victims are from police killings? Records are not kept or not open to the public. Why? Could it be our so-called protectors are sometimes murderers?

  6. Mals

    When universal background checks fail, as they will, what is the next step? Criminals won't background check each other. Wishful thinking.

  7. Terry West

    Anfrei! you need to read the history of government gun confiscations before you pontificate about the virtues of your unnamed unarmed country, you may have willingly relinquished your freedom but true Americans will fight to the death to remain free!

    1. Valkyrie

      Free from what?? To an outsider your belief is considered as rampant paranoia but then you have citizens that are convinced the Earth is flat and the Apollo moon landings are fake. You really should explore other countries and discover how they manage WITHOUT widespread gun ownership.

  8. Andrei

    I heard people in this video saying they feel safe wearing a gun and without it they arent..ok,but the problem at the core is that because of the guns being everywhere at a specific moment someone will kill innocent people .In my country nobody has the right to wear a gun (only police officers,but they are punished hardly if they use it withouth an hard reason for doing that )and thats why we dont have shootings and all that bs USA citizens has to deal with .

    1. Mari

      Maybe you could share with us what country you live in so we could read the actual stats on what you are saying?
      As you may be aware, cars kill people. Does that mean we relinquish the right to own or drive a car without a back ground check? Sounds good, but what do we do with those people who drive without a drivers license or who steal a vehicle? In other words there is always more to something than what is presented.

    2. voluntaryist

      If guns "everywhere" are the problem, perhaps you should explain why the gun victims had to call people with guns to protect them during a massacre. Most massacres happen in "gun free zones". Why? Because killers know the gov has disarmed their targets. Gov and all who favor unilateral disarmament are partly responsible for massacres. Gun violence is avoided in a well-armed populace because the best defense is the ability to self-defend.