Miami Herald: Bill Would “Loosen” Gun Laws
In a piece for The Miami Herald, one which is essentially a condensed version of a longer story from The State, the editors make a bold statement, “S.C. bill would further loosen gun laws.” First, we find it a little curious that a Florida paper would note a law to a state several hundred miles to the north.
And while the story is condensed and thus only offers a few facts, we still think the biased headline shows the true intentions. The original headline from The State read “S.C. bill would loosen gun rules even more,” and has a more pro-gun stance. In other words, a cut here, a cut there and it takes Gina Smith’s slightly pro-gun story and seems to be more anti-gun in The Herald. The pen is mightier than the sword, while editing is even mightier it seems.
Firing Back: NRA Wants Child To Kill Each Other
Does the headline above make any sense? It does if you believe the liberal media hype that is being spewed in editorials such as the one for Scripps Howard News Service in an editorial written by Dan K. Thomasson. In response to the National Rifle Association’s attempts to overturn a Texas law that restricts the carrying of a concealed weapon to those 21-years or older, he writes:
“If the NRA has its way, that area of violence in our urban sprawl will get much larger with innocent children the victims of gang and individual crime.”
Thomasson also notes incidents of gang related crimes in Washington, D.C. Last time we checked Washington, D.C. was thousands of miles from Texas. So why does an incident where teenage gang members – who had guns illegally – attacked other teens should have any bearing on the law in Texas? Read more
Poor Discriminated Against By Carry Permit Costs
If you live in the poor end of town, where crime is often the highest, you may be unable to afford the license and training costs associated with an open carry permit. As a frontline soldier in the war on poverty, I am well aware of the precarious balancing act that needs to be applied to the family budget. The Texas Tribune posted a story yesterday that examines why concealed-gun licenses are more common in wealthy areas. Read more
Liberal Celebrity Site Gawker Has Problem with “Hidden Guns”
Celebrity news website Gawker posted a story, which picked up news reports, that among the individuals listed on a newly released New York City gun permit-holder list include Roger Ailes and Sean Hannity. Both reportedly have “concealed carry permits,” something that isn’t exactly the easiest thing to get. As we’ve reported there does seem to be a double standard in New York City when it comes to issuing permits. Read more
NBC Chicago Says Brady Endorsement of Pat Quinn “Matters”
In an editorial for the Ward Room for NBC Chicago, Edward McClelland not only explains why it “matters” that the Brady Center has endorsed Illinois Governor Pat Quinn but sums it up in a way that makes it clear that Pat Quinn is probably bad for Illinois. Read more
PoliceOne’s Ron Avery Offers Practical Information on Concealed Weapons
Think the guy next to you is packing heat? Should you try to engage him, should you call 911 as fast as you can on your mobile phone? That’s what many in the mainstream media would have you believe, because clearly only a dangerous person would want to carry a gun. Read more
10News.com Story Paints Bad Picture of Gun Owners
Tempers run hot on many issues, and this is an unfortunate part of any debate. Worse still is that often times the media throws fuel on the fire, as 10News in San Diego did in reporting on California’s open carry law. The news station, in a piece titled “Gun Advocates Take Aim At State’s Leader’s Proposal,” also takes aim but at all gun owners, making many sound like extremists. The news station notes:
“San Diego Assemblymember Lori Saldana is getting threats and being confronted by armed protesters over her latest legislation, which would ban guns in public.”
The news station also noted that “a gun advocate claimed to have driven five hundred miles,” and had a “loaded weapon in a backpack.” The site describes him as a “blogger,” but no link was provided, which begs the question as whether this is in fact a credible source. No name was given, nor was a link, so how can we trust anything about this particular source? It makes for a colorful read, and puts Saldana in a great light as she responded:
”It reflects poorly on all the responsible gun owners when someone takes it to the extreme like this.”
What really reflects poorly is how this story was reported. It reflects poorly on credible journalism.
Capitol Weekly Asks Wrong Questions in Article on Concealed Weapons Permits
From the first sentence it was clear that Capitol Weekly had an agenda when it comes to the concealed weapons permit debate raging in California. The writer offers this introduction:
“Could a bill banning the open carrying of firearms actually result in more guns on California streets?”
The state already has an extremely difficult process for obtaining concealed permits, so is the author implying that citizens would simply break the law? This certainly seems to seem what he suggests.
UK Press Association Story Misses Key Points
Did a story posted on UKPA intend to be biased when reporting on the Texas State Capitol security check point system that allows for a “fast-pass” into the building? The article notes, “people who carry a gun into the Texas Capitol building in the US do not have to be checked by security.”
The article also notes, “a unique loophole in a new security procedure means a gun permit is like a special access pass.” This is only partially true and of course the article from the U.K. Press Association lacks noting what people need to do to get the permit. Instead it makes it seem as if the gun itself, as opposed to the special permit is what gets people fast tracked.
Utah Concealed Weapons Permits Debated
While the Supreme Court ruling is in the news again this week, another story making headlines is Utah’s permit process, which allows out of state residents to get concealed weapons permits. Of course, and as expected, not everyone is happy about this. So here is a recap of some coverage.
In writing for the Huffington Post Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign offers a slanted take on what this means. He offers a commentary that no doubt is meant to strike fear into other liberals who don’t understand all the facts. Among the most infamous statements:
“Utah is issuing concealed weapon licenses — by the thousands — to people willing to pay the mere $65.25 fee. You don’t have to live, or ever set foot, in Utah to get the license. These licenses are recognized as valid in more than 30 states, most of which, wisely, make it harder for dangerous people to legally carry a hidden gun.”
The logic on the surface makes sense, but then when we think about it… why does a dangerous person need a permit? This suggests that dangerous people actually think of such things. It is the same logic that suggests criminals will follow gun laws. Pure nonsense!
Of course we wouldn’t expect Helmke to actually talk to anyone about it. But fortunately National Public Radio did interview someone who probably knows a thing or two about the Utah law, Clark Aposhian, a former chairman of Utah’s Concealed Weapons Review Board. And regarding the law, it is interesting to note that Aposhian clearly describes the purpose of the aforementioned permit:
“We’re not giving them a permit to use the firearm, we’re giving them a permit to conceal a firearm and that is it.”
Again, for reasons that escape us, the anti-gun crowd seems to think a permit is some sort of James Bond “License to Kill,” and this isn’t the case. A permit doesn’t make an individual dangerous, anymore than keeping the permit from someone makes a dangerous person less so. Criminals will commit crimes and most of the time permits and such don’t matter to them. Plain and simple!
