Associated Press Doesn’t Call Out Calderon Lies

If an American politician suggested something that wasn’t true we’d expect the American mainstream media to call them out on it. Even when a foreign leader says something that is patently wrong, the MSM usually steps up. The exception is when it involves guns, and then the MSM just gives politicians a pass, as the Associated Press has once again done with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

In a recent news story the AP offers what Calderon says without much response, despite the fact that we know the statements border on factually untrue:

“During the meeting with senators, Calderon stepped up his criticism of the U.S. government for not doing enough about drug consumption and the smuggling of guns into Mexico. Mexican and U.S. law enforcement officials both say that many of the guns used by cartels are smuggled in from the U.S. Calderon said Mexico should mount an international campaign to bring attention ‘again and again to the irresponsibility of the Americans, even if they get upset and even if it disturbs their (election) campaigns.’ ‘It’s unacceptable that the voracity of the weapons industry is fomenting the levels of violence we have here,’ Calderon said.”

A couple of points need to be addressed. The article suggests “many of the guns” are smuggled from America, but fails to note the percentage. This is a sly trick on the media’s part, as it allows the story to sound credible. What exactly is “many” we ask?

Second, couldn’t we respond by saying that the Mexicans have long been irresponsible for allowing drugs to flow north? Their irresponsibility is what has resulted in the situation that they now face! And how is this the fault of our “weapons industry” exactly? Many of the guns used in Mexico have been described as being AK-47 style assault rifles. Note to President Calderon, but those aren’t made in the United States.