Christian Science Monitor Continues to Cite 90 Percent Number
Is it possible that some in the media just like a fact so much that they’ll continue to report on it, despite the “fact” that it isn’t even true? The latest example comes from The Christian Science Monitor, which notes the number of gun shops along “the border” with Mexico, but worse the outlet continues to spew that notorious 90 percent number, long after it has been disproved.
“The cartels hire people without criminal records to buy a handful of weapons at a time, from licensed dealers – there are 6,600 along the border alone – or private individuals at gun shows, and then drive them across the border. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Explosives estimates that 90 percent of the traced firearmss [sic] recovered in Mexico originated in the US.”
First, what exactly is meant by along the border? It isn’t as if there are gun shops with signs that say, “last gun shop before you leave the U.S.A.” No, these just happen to be privately owned shops located in towns 100 or so miles within the border. When you factor in that there many reasonably sized cities near the border with Mexico, it is easy to understand that there are going to be gun shops. Should these businesses close because they happen to be too close to Mexico?
But worse, how can the CSM cite a number that even BATFE doesn’t support anymore. There has never been proof of this number, and on the contrary it has been essentially disproved, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping the mainstream media from quoting this figure.
Detroit Buy Back Nets 400 Weapons, Even Media Asks If It Will Do Any Good
The City of Detroit has faced some hard times in recent years, and this week the police used donated funds to buy back some 400 weapons. But as Time magazine asked, “Can a Gun Buyback Program Stem Violence in Detroit?” We have to say we don’t believe it can.
Darrell Dawsey, writing for Time, questions the efforts further, saying, “I still can’t shake the feeling that this program will end up as little more than a giant symbolic placebo. Feels good to note, sure. But will it do any real good in the city’s streets. I have my doubts.”
Dawsey sees the same problems we see. Criminals don’t hand in guns, and there should be better efforts by policing than just paying a pittance to get people to clean out their closets.
Kansas City Star Editorial Says U.S. Shares Blame for Mexico’s Woes
In an editorial for The Kansas City Star, Mary Sanchez notes “Mexico’s drug problems are ours, and vice versa.” That is debatable. She tries to offer a misguided history lesson, which is fine. But then she attempts to point the blame at American firearms, and that’s where her editorial needs to be called out. Read more
Cliffview Pilot Calls out Critics of Buyback
In a heavily editorialized “news story” for the Public Safety section of the CliffviewPilot.com community news site, publisher/editor Jerry DeMarco says that “Critics of Bergen’s first gun buy-back program are off-target.” He notes complaints from critics, but yet didn’t take the time to actually talk to any, and the points he addresses are vague at best. DeMarco notes that critics suggest the programs are futile, as the “antique” guns turned in – “both from World War II” he says” serve as an example of this.
As critics of these events, we don’t believe the buybacks are futile because World War II guns – which we wouldn’t exactly label as antiques, but that just shows that DeMarco doesn’t know guns – were among those handed in. It isn’t the age of the guns to us that matters. It is the fact, in this case anyway, that these guns were doing no harm to anyone. These were veteran bring-backs and were family heirlooms. How were these guns any sort of a problem? These guns could have been easily donated to a museum instead, and the owners would have gotten a tax credit likely that was more than the $75 they were handed. Read more
Feuding Neighbors Shoot and Kill Each Other, Huff and Puff Blames CCW
In an editorial for the Huffington Post Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center in Washington, D.C., notes that two CCW holders shot and killed each other. He puts the blame not on the fact that these two men had a long-standing beef with each other, but instead points out that each had a concealed carry weapons permit.
The sad fact of this tragedy is that the two men might have met the same fate without or without the permit. So what exactly is Sugarmann trying to say?
California Rejects Open-Carry Gun Ban… For Now
The gun owners of California have spoken, and it has been reported that this week the California Senate apparently listened, as it rejected a bill that would have made it illegal to carry unloaded guns in public. However, the vote on Monday fell one vote short of the majority (20-16) needed to ban the measure.
The irony is that the bill, AB1934, was actually introduced following a series of gun-rights demonstrations in support of the open-carry law. If passed, and it does appear that the legislation could try again today, it would make it a misdemeanor to openly carry a handgun in any public place.
Portland Mayor Tries to Impose New Gun Laws
OrgeonLive.com reported that Portland Mayor Sam Adams is attempting to follow other large city mayors by adopting strict new gun control laws, “that state lawmakers would not – or could not.” This has upped the ante in the war of words that is waging between Adams and local gun rights groups. Read more
Chicago Didn’t Enforce Gun Laws Reports New York Times
Irony in the Windy City indeed. We’ve been continuing to report that Chicago had had for years one of the strictest gun laws on the books in the country and yet has seen a wave of gun violence. Mayor Richard Daley, among others, pointed the blame at guns.
The Supreme Court overturned the city’s gun ban earlier this year, a move that Daley has been trying to find a way of fighting at all costs. But in another example of true irony, it is being reported by The New York Times that the gun ban in Chicago wasn’t all that well enforced. Read more
NJ.com Blames Straw Purchases for All of New Jersey’s Problem
When in doubt blame someone else. That often seems to be the New Jersey way of doing things, especially from its mainstream media. This past weekend NJ.com noted that illegal guns are being smuggled into New Jersey and that this is the reason for crime in the Garden State.
The news site notes that there has been a wave of shootings in the past year, “most of the shootings were drug or gang-related.” Additionally, NJ.com stresses, “New Jersey has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, but contradictory laws exist from state to state, and Interstate 95 and its connector highways have earned the name the ‘Iron Pipeline’ as a popular gun smuggling route.” Read more
Who Guards the Guards: Sheriff Deputy Cited For Carrying Two Guns While Drinking at Bar
The Ada County sheriff’s office has cited Deputy Ron Love for carrying a gun while drinking at a downtown bar in Boise, Idaho reports the AP via KHQ.com. The officer was riding a mechanical bull it seems when he was spotted carrying a gun.
Deputy Love was reportedly asked to leave the bar, refused and was later escorted outside by police. He was found to be carrying a .40 caliber Glock handgun, as well as a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver, neither of which were his service weapon.
