Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
Yesterday I pointed to Byron York's piece showing that the mainstream media's "reporting" on gun control was anything but. Instead, they're pushing gun control and not even trying to hide it.
We've had threads here that assume the gun control fight is over -- such is the one-sided message from the media.
But does this media push for gun control match with the reality of people's views?
Can you believe those percentages? A record percentage support the right to possess handguns? Compare the current numbers with the sentiment back in 1959. I would love to know more about what led to the change.
The Washington Post highlights this polling and adds:
In contrast to other polling, Gallup even shows a majority of Americans remain opposed to an assault weapons ban — something the American people supported as recently as a decade ago.
It makes me wonder whether everyone who supports gun control happens to be working in the media. A friend who is a congressional staffer told me about this riveting interview of David Keene, president of the NRA, by CBS' Bob Schieffer. Keene does a good job of pleasantly responding to Schieffer's biased and inaccurate questions.
The part that struck me? Schieffer asks if the NRA will support a ban on "military-style assault weapons," saying that "even" police chiefs support that. Keene explains that military-style weapons are fully automatic and that the bans being proposed are actually of semi-automatic weapons. They oppose those ban attempts. Schieffer says, showing his ignorance of how semi-automatic weapons work, "How many rounds can these weapons discharge in five seconds?" Keene says, well, "They fire when you pull the trigger." Schieffer says, yeah, "And they keep firing." Keene explains that "No, they don't keep firing."
It's really worth watching to see how someone argues for liberty with facts and reason against the unbridled emotion -- and ignorance -- of the media.
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Comments:
Mar '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
No, but all media members support gun control.
Read Shapiro: The Left bullies the NRA
http://townhall.com/columnists/benshapiro/2012/12/26/the-left-bullies-the-nra-n1473875/page/full/
Problem is that most people support right to bear hunting guns, handguns and other such like, but very few support assault rifles in anyones hand.
Apr '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
Bob Schieffer isn't interviewing Keene, he's debating him in that piece. His questions are maddeningly stupid and leading. What Shieffer's practicing is advocacy at best, propagandizing at worst. It's certainly not journalism.
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
This is increasingly a cultural battle.
Ain't they all?
Dec '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
The left does not understand weapons enough to not be scared by mere appearances.
Mar '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
Stop the presses: someone in the media hasn't the faintest clue what they're blathering on about.........
Oct '12
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
I am shocked, just shocked, that there is journalistic bias and incompetence!
Nov '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
Is there any situation Casablanca can't be applied to? I can't think of one.
Sep '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
Bob Shieffer is an insufferable boob.
I can't stand these shows. Ambush interviews, whether they are overt like Piers Morgan or covert like this CBS product, Face the Journalist, it's always the same story. It's like sitting down at a blackjack table. You have to play perfectly, and you will still lose over time.
Schieffer says, showing his ignorance of how semi-automatic weapons work, "How many rounds can these weapons discharge in five seconds?" Keene says, well, "They fire when you pull the trigger." Schieffer says, yeah, "And they keep firing." Keene explains that "No, they don't keep firing."
It is time to stop playing the game with these people. I wish Keene had said, "How come you don't know this Bob?" "I'm happy to debate you, but you don't seem to be adequately prepared with facts." or at some point, "Is this a debate or an interview? You seem to have a pretty strong position on this issue, Bob"
May '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
After some reflection, I've concluded it would be impossible to write a CoC compliant reflection, especially involving Bob Scheiffer.
Nov '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
And Sheiffer is probably the most open-minded one on that side out there. Though I disagree with many of his positions, he stands out among the loony left commentariat as actually allowing two-way dialog. And regardless of how he skews issues, he's one of the most likeable talking heads on TV today -- so I respectfully disagree with @Nick. It'll be a sad day when he retires, a remnant of days gone by.
Edited on December 27, 2012 at 7:32pmDec '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
At least they're not calling for a ban on cutlery here like they are in the UK, yet.
Sep '12
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
It is appalling that many journalists are either too lazy or ideologically blinkered to spend a few minutes to do basic research, such as to discover the difference between full auto and semi-, or the difference between a "magazine" and a "clip." To the hysterical media, a "clip" is that "scary-looking thing" that holds lots of "bullets" and dangles down beneath an "assault rifle." Imagine a country where 30% of the population had automobiles, and the rest never drove, or had any contact with them, other than seeing one parked occasionally, or seeing them on TV. And after a heinous incident you had commentators blathering on about banning super-chargers and fuel injection, or some other feature that just sounds "scary" to the great unwashed.
Jul '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
I think - that this is the left's last hurrah. They have been stomping on the gun ban issue lo these many years, yet the American public has persistently and steadily moved in the direction of 2A.
Note the arguments. They are ALL repeats of the early 90's, when there actually was some sense that the country might go the gun ban route. It didn't. Now it won't. But the Left doesn't see it. They think if they yell loudly enough, all will fall in place. Perhaps that worked for Obama in the last election, but it isn't for guns. Diane Feinstein standing there and making the exact same arguments she made 20 years ago - that have been DISPROVEN - does not resonate.
DocStu says most people support a ban on assault rifles. ?Really. Must be why the shelves are now BARE of any "evil black rifle" - whole or in parts. It isn't just the gunnies buying them up. People are becoming afraid of their government - and arming up. Take that as you will.
Sep '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
"Military-style" means it looks like military gun. They do not operate the same as the military versions. Machine guns were made illegal in the 1930's. Now people try to ban guns based on appearances (KP's pencil graphic is perfect).
May '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
It's interesting that the two lines on the graph, since about 1967, are mirror images of each other. Any idea of what was happening when the two lines approached each other tending toward convergence? It happened several times. My guess is that crime rates were down and people didn't feel as threatened. What say you?
Aug '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
The idea is to basically push the boundaries of what is legal until soon it's simply too difficult and time consuming to own guns. Also, these laws will basically criminalize ordinary people. You get stopped by the cops-- whoops your concealed carry is too tacticool time for you to go jail. That's one less criminal off the streets!
This won't really bring down gun crime, so what will happen is that liberals will then find an excuse to do more! "We didn't go far enough!" Guns won't be banned in principle, but in practice it will take so long to get one it won't be worth it for most people. Not tomorrow, but soon.
Have conservatives ever said that? "We didn't go far enough!" That's where it almost always leads with liberals right? The next piece of legislation is usually the one that gets you.
Diane Feinstein has also found a way to lock in some more funding for the ATF in her new gun bill.
Apr '11
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
I've often heard that the left only read/watch each other and that little or no effort is expended examining opposing views. If it were only this Shieffer might be forgiven for his editorial position, but his ignorance of the issue at hand is unforgivable for a journalist.
Oct '10
Re: Are All Gun Control Proponents Working In The Media?
These gun control advocates seem to view guns the same way the Native Americans did back in the 17th century. To them, they're magical "boomsticks" that represent some form of the black arts.