The Foundry Offers Thoughts on Border
In a response to the “latest” findings from The Washington Post, our friends at The Foundry offered this thought about the issue of guns being smuggled to Mexico:
“Similarly, to the extent that there is gun running across the border from the U.S. into Mexico – and it certainly does exist – this, like the illegal immigrants that cross the other way, is a testimony to the fact that neither the U.S. nor Mexico controls the border. It would be a wonderful thing if U.S. newspapers, and politicians, campaigned as vigorously for border control as they do for gun control.”
The piece further notes that Mexico’s government blames America for somehow supplying the guns; and yet most seized firearms are never sent to the United States for tracing – because it is obvious the guns didn’t come from here in the first place.
Kudos to Theodore Bromund for nailing the subject so squarely!
AFP: “US guns body doesn’t work closely enough with Mexico: report”
Another mainstream media outlet that shows it bias by saying that the “US doesn’t work closely enough with Mexico.” A story from AFP doesn’t pull any punches, offering this commentary:
“Insufficient cooperation between the top US body for gun rules oversight and its counterpart in Mexico is undermining Project Gunrunner, which seeks to curb US-Mexican cross-border arms traffic, a US report found Tuesday.”
But we ask, why is this an American problem? As we’ve asked before, isn’t the problem really the drugs flowing north, not the guns flowing south? Stop the drugs, and there is no money to buy guns.
New York Post: “Guns to Mexico flowing like drugs in the other direction”
The story won’t die, and this week The New York Post picked up on it, with a rather biased headline: “Guns to Mexico flowing like drugs in the other direction.”
We at FirearmsTruth.com first dispute the claim that guns are flowing as rapidly as drugs to the north. That is simply absurd. If this were the case there would be enough guns for every man, woman and child several times over in Mexico at this point.
But let’s assume it is true, which is a greater problem for America? Seriously, are guns, which are bought and paid for in the United States, really as much of a problem as the drugs heading into this country. Yes, we’re being serious in asking this question.
Consider this point. If the drugs were to stop there would be no reason why the guns would flow south. It isn’t guns that are paying for the drugs. It is drug money that is really fueling this war, not American guns. So the real problem remains the drugs. Stop the drugs, and there is no money to buy the guns.
NBC News Story: “.50 caliber machine guns bought over the counter”
In a news story from NBC Nightly News, Senior Correspondent Richard Engel actually makes this statement:
“Cartel-related killings in Mexico are carried out with assault rifles and .50 caliber machine guns bought over the counter in the United States.”
We have to respond. What counter is this guy talking about? A .50 caliber machine gun is a squad weapon. It is a military gun, and while there are some in private hands, those that do come up for sale probably cost tens of thousands of dollars. Here are some other facts: The gun is 65.2 inches long and weighs 127.87 pounds with tripod! That’s not counting the ammo!
So, first Engel is off-base for even mentioning such a gun is generally available. But someone should have fact checked his report. This isn’t exactly a “gang banger” gun. This is the sort of firearm that is mounted on a vehicle! And while that might be an insurgent tactic, that is NOT what is being employed by the drug cartels.
Watch the full video via our friends at Ammoland.com
Washington Independent Parrots WaPo While Adding Own Misinformation
The Washington Independent didn’t offer much of an independent voice, instead just restating the same biased reporting as The Washington Post on the topic of guns supposedly heading to Mexico. The paper noted:
“It is very difficult to purchase firearms in Mexico, and the Mexican government claims 90 percent of weapons it confiscates come from the U.S., the Post reports. (U.S. law enforcement agents — and gun lobbyists — claim the percentage is actually lower.)”
Why exactly is the counterpoint in parentheses? The use of parentheses is to enclose words or figures that clarify or are used as an aside, or to include material that you want de-emphasize or that wouldn’t normally fit into the flow of the text. By these grammar rules, it suggests that the editors are de-emphasizing the counterpoint argument (but should hardly come as a surprise – and yes, we’re doing this for effect).
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.
BBC News Quotes Mexican President: “US Irresponsible on Gun Trade”
In a news story from the BBC, Mexican President Felipe Calderon offers a few bold statements. First, he is quoted as saying, “I don’t honestly think the United States has many any significant efforts to deal with drug addiction,” but he then makes the even bolder statement of saying, “the American weapons industry is a veracious and ambitious industry. It’s clear to me that they’ve created conflict in poor country in Africa just to sell weapons, and in the same way they’re making money in this situation here in Mexico.” Read more
WaPo Still Claims 80 Percent of Mexican Guns Come From the United States
Do the editors at The Washington Post think that if they say something enough times that it will make it true? While much of the mainstream media has finally accepted the fact that it is a bold face lie that “80 percent of guns used by Mexican cartels come from the United States,” as recently as last weekend WaPo again cited those numbers in an editorial.
In a piece titled “The U.S. is turning away from Mexico’s failing drug war,” dated Saturday, August 14, the editors offer this take:
“Mexican authorities have seized more than 84,000 weapons, including thousands of high-powered assault rifles, grenades and other military-caliber equipment. More than 80 percent of the guns whose provenance could be traced came from the United States.” Read more
Automatic Weapons Heading to Mexico
Numerous sources are reporting that a 19-year-old U.S. citizen has been arrested at the border to Mexico, and according to 760AM KFMB, the man was caught with a cache of weapons. The news radio reports the items as including:
“…five automatic guns, two pistols, numerous rounds of ammunition, 23 loaded magazines, 10 rifle slings and other gun accessories.” Read more
Border Crisis: Did Mexican Soldiers Point Guns at US Officials?
While we have recently heard that NPR has found that the Mexican Army maybe supporting one side over another in the country’s showdown between drug cartels, now comes word that Mexican soldiers may have pointed guns at American law enforcement. The Dallas Morning News reported:
“Mexican security forces pointed their rifles toward U.S. authorities investigating the shooting of a 15-year-old Mexican by a U.S. Border Patrol agent on the banks of the Rio Grande, the FBI and witnesses said Wednesday.”
We’ll be watching this story as it unfolds, especially to see if Mexican President Calderon offers any commentary.
