The Culture of Fear

Michael Moore impressively criticizes the American news and politicians in his film "Bowling for Columbine". In his opinion, the Americans have now been driven so far, that you don't even have to give reasons for spreading fear, i.e. bomb threats, killer-bee warnings etc. They will believe anything, whether it makes sense or not...
But not only Michael Moore recognized this problem, Joyce Carol Oates, the author of "Big Mouth and Ugly Girl" also integrated it in an indirect fashion.
As you can see in the passage "He saw, that Mr. Parrish, the school principal, was standing a few yards away,..., just standing there, waiting."(p.29,l.11f), that he is used as a symbol, standing for the fearful Americans. As it turns out, Matt, who is a well integrated, popular and witty young man, is suspected of wanting to blow up the school and massacre as many people as possible.
The problem is clear: Neither the group of children, who snitched on him, nor the principal, who instantly called the police, or even the students, who spread the most horrendous rumours, thought for a second, whether Matt Donaghy, who they all knew, would do such a thing or even think of it as a stupid joke.

Of course, this culture of fear has the good side to it too, as potential crimes can be prevented! On the other hand, you need to ask yourself, whether you are willing to live in such a humourless and manipulable society, as the book and "Bowling for Columbine" show.