Cocking the Hammer on Your Glock---Reporters Ignorant of Firearms

C

Cpt. John Park

New member
Dear Friends,

I just followed a link Dutch gave on another thread to a newspaper story about an underaged young man who was able to buy a gun at a pawn shop.

www.insidedenver.com/news/1208guns3.shtml

The report included these "facts."

---There was a Glock 9mm for sale at $106
---The customer was allowed to "cock the hammer back and forth."

I sent the following message to the editor:


Sent Mail



To: letters@denver-rmn.com
From: 1776@baptized.com
Subject: OFFERING YOU MY HELP FREE OF CHARGE
CC:



Dear Editors,

I was just reading an article by Carla Crowder entitled, "Teen Says He
Had No Problem Buying Gun." I am disturbed at the fact that an
underaged young man was able to buy a gun through a federally licensed
dealer.

BUT . . .

There are blatant errors in the facts of the case as reported that give rise
to doubts about the whole matter.

First, a "Glock 9mm" pistol is not ever to be found at a pawn shop
for "about 100." The least expensive one could possibly be, even
if it were in rough condition, would be $350.

Second, it would be impossible for a person to "cock the hammer back and
forth" on a Glock pistol. They have an internal striker, rather than
the traditional external hammer. In plain English---there is no hammer to
cock!

Now, I am not a journalist. And I allow for the idea that no reporter can
know all the facts of every story every time. But these are blatant errors
that would have been spotted by anyone familiar with pistols, had the
reporter or editors taken just a few minutes to have the article reviewed.

If the staff was not concerned enough about the factual accuracy of this
report, why should I believe that you carefully checked the accuracy of the
other details of the story?

In the future, I will be very happy to serve as a firearms proofreader FREE
OF CHARGE if you would like. Feel free to contact me.


This story also brought to mind the reports coming from the Jewish children's center in LA in the moments after the shooting there.

First one report said that the police had found "9mm casings all over the floor." Then the same reporter said that a "high-powered assault weapon" had been used. If I recall correctly, it ended up being a 9mm pistol. So "high-powered" and "assault weapon" did not apply. Actually, an "assault weapon" could not, by definition, also be "high-powered." I am upset over the reporters' lack of concern for whether or not they are reporting the facts correctly.

Maybe the answer is for each of us to volunteer as firearms consultants for our local media. They might not be interested, but then again they might. Surely there are some reporters and editors who still care about the facts.

JP

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Nehemiah 4:18 " ... and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked."
 
Cpt. JP,



I have seen similar shoddy reporting practices locally. One was a television report on a Boy Scout troop that was taken to a firing range and taught how to shoot a semi-automatic .22 rifle. The advertisement/teaser for the story showed a video clip of a soldier shooting a fully automatic, bipod mounted machine gun, with the voice over saying, "Local Boy Scouts learn how to use deadly assault weapons. and now their troop leader is under fire." or something to that effect.



Most of these talking heads are completely ignorant concerning the facts about guns. Even if they would just get their facts straight, their reports on guns may not seem so slanted. Good work on your part to offer your expertise, but I doubt they'll take you up on it.



Post the reply, if any, on this thread if you don't mind. I'm sure many here would like to know the outcome.



------------------
RKBA!

The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security -Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4

Ohio does not allow concealed carry.
http://www.ofcc.net
 
Capt John, that was great. Well done.

CMOS


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GOA, TSRA, LEAA, NRA, SAF and I vote!
 
I have made the same type of offer to the two Detroit newspapers in the past. I even offered to write a booklet for them to use so they had firearm infromation correct. Terminology, models names etc. I received no reply. Nothing, not even a, "Kiss our a**."

Reporters and editors don't want to be confused with facts. They get in the way of a good story.

------------------
Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
I wrote to RMN as well, noting the same problems as JP, and noting further that if they're interested in reporting facts instead of bias, they can contact me for gun stuff.

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"The evils of tyranny are rarely seen but by him who resists it."
-- John Hay, 1872
 
Cpt. Park:

If "reporters are ignorant" was your observation, did snyone ever tell you that you were a master of understatement?

"Ignorant" does not even begin to describe the situation, as there is a big difference between being ignorant, that is suffering from a lack of information, but being, one assumes, open to information, and wallowing, or glorying in ignorance.

Seems that the latter is here, the case, an all to common situation with the genre.
 
The Rocky Mountain News is the same rag it was 15 years ago when I lived there. Check out Carla Crowder's by lines via a search in the RMN. 90% of her stuff is slanted anti drivel. She will never produce a balanced report because it doesn't fit her career path. Gun "violence", Columbine, and Jon Benet is the beat that gets her in print. It's what the boss wants.
 
During the last assault ban debate, the local TV stations were reporting that congress was talking about ban machine guns for sale.
Despite a few calls by myself and others, they still stuck with the premise that machine guns are commonly being sold everywhere.
 
At one point the Washington Post apparently ordered its reporters to use the words "semi-automatic assault" in every crime story. One story reported that a druggie was stabbed with a "semi-automatic assault knife."

Such nonsense is common in all areas. I once was at a party and talking with a dentist, an automotive engineer, and an electronics designer. Each of us mentioned a Post story in his own field of expertise that was either a complete lie or hopelessly distorted. Each of us knew that "his" story was wrong, but each assumed the other stories were factual. We all learned a lesson about a newspaper with an agenda.

Jim
 
Friends...

Ya'll, being the decent and honest people you are, are under the mistaken assumption that the media wants to be truthful and accurate. Only His Billness is further from the truth and thats because he is a better liar than they are. But, practice makes perfect

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 
There are a few genuine newspaper men and women left out there. This electronic medium has optimistic possibilities too, but I hope that the sum integrity of american journalism doesn't go the way of the dinosaur. Let's continue to tend to those rare gardens where it still blooms.
 
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