Do Reporters Think Before They Type?

One problem with the reporting in the mainstream media is that once someone is said, it becomes fact and then other reporters pick up on it. Case in point; USA Today‘s opening paragraph in a story on how more citizens are seeking concealed weapons permits:

“Gun owners are packing heat in record numbers, fearful of stricter gun control under the Obama administration and higher crime in a sour economy.”

According to this statement gun owners are “packing heat” because they are fearful of gun control? But didn’t the President recently sign a law that would concealed weapons in national parks? While we agree that this administration is most certainly no friend to gun owners, where is the basis that gun owners are carrying more guns because of fears of gun control.

The story should say “gun owners are buying more guns because of fears of stricter gun control…” and maybe that seems like a small point, or maybe it doesn’t. To the anti-gun crowd this opening statement could be somehow be read to imply that every gun owner wants a concealed weapons permit, and while applications are up, this is simply not the case.

As has long been said, the pen is mightier than the sword. The question is whether this was blatant bias or just meant as a clever intro. Either way it comes off as anything but a concealed attack on gun owners.