This from reagan.com at:
http://reagan.com/HotTopics.main/HotMike/document-12.22.1999.3.html
SPOOF! The Journalist's
Guide to Gun Violence
Coverage
Moderator's Note: This is
satire, and M. Brown is
on our side. Check his
web site.
Guns are a sad fact of life in American
culture and are a major topic in modern
journalism. A good Journalist has a duty to get involved and make a difference in this
important societal debate. By following certain guidelines, the concerned Journalist
can be assured of having the maximum impact on this shameful problem.
The first principle to remember is that subtle use of terminology can covertly influence
the reader. Adjectives should be chosen for maximum anti-gun effect. When
describing a gun, attach terms like "automatic," "semi-automatic," "large caliber,"
"deadly," "high powered," or "powerful". Almost any gun can be described by one or
more of these terms. More than two guns should be called an "arsenal".
Try to include the term "assault weapon" if at all possible. This can be combined with
any of the terms above for best results. Nobody actually knows what an assault
weapon is, so you cannot be criticized for this usage. Your local anti-gun
organization can provide you with a list of the latest buzz words like "junk guns,"
"Saturday Night Specials," and "the criminal's weapon of choice".
Don't worry about getting technical details right. Many a reporter has accidentally
written about semi-automatic revolvers or committed other minor errors. Since most
people know little about guns, this is not a problem. Only the gun nuts will complain
and they don't count. The emotional content of your article is much more important
than the factual details, since people are more easily influenced through their
emotions than through logic.
Broadcast Journalists should have a file tape showing a machine gun firing on full
automatic. Run this video while describing "automatic" weapons used in a crime or
confiscated by police. At the least, a large graphic of a handgun should be displayed
behind the on-air personality when reading any crime story.
Do not waste words describing criminals who use guns to commit crimes. Instead of
calling them burglar, rapist, murderer, or repeat offender, simply use the term
"gunman". This helps the public associate all forms of crime and violence with the
possession of guns.
Whenever drug dealers are arrested, guns are usually confiscated by the police.
Mention the type and number of guns more prominently than the type and quantity of
drugs. Include the number of rounds of ammunition seized, since the number will
seem large to those who know little about guns. Obviously, the drug dealers who had
the guns should now be called "gunmen".
Political discussions on gun control legislation usually involve pro-gun organizations.
Always refer to these organizations as "the gun lobby". If space permits, mention
how much money the gun lobby has spent to influence political campaigns and
describe their legislative lobbying efforts as "arm twisting" or "threats".
Gun owners must never be seen in a positive light. Do not mention that these
misguided individuals may actually be well educated, or have respectable jobs and
healthy families. They should be called "gun nuts" if possible or simply gun owners at
best. Mention details about their clothing, especially if they are wearing hunting
clothes or hats. Mention the simplistic slogans on their bumper stickers to show that
their intelligence level is low. Many gun owners drive pickup trucks, hunt and live in
rural areas. Use these details to help portray them as ignorant rednecks. Don't use
the word "hunt". Always say that they "kill" animals.
Don't be afraid to interview these people, they are harmless even though we don't
portray them that way. Try to solicit comments that can be taken out of context to
show them in the worst possible light.
Never question the effectiveness of gun control laws or proposals. Guns are evil and
kill people. Removing guns from society can only be good. Nobody really uses guns
for legitimate self-defense, especially women or children. Any stories about armed
self-defense must be minimized or suppressed.
Be careful about criticizing the police for responding slowly to 911 calls for help. It is
best if the public feels like the police can be relied upon to protect them at all times.
If people are buying guns to protect their families, you are not doing your job.
Emphasize stories where people kill family members and/or themselves with guns. It
is important to make the public feel like they could lose control and start killing at any
moment if they have a gun in the house. Any story where a child misuses a gun is
front page material.
View every shooting as an event to be exploited. Always include emotional quotes
from the victim's family if possible. If they are not available, the perpetrator's family
will do nicely. The quote must blame the tragedy on the availability of guns. Photos
or video of grieving family members are worth a thousand facts. Most people will
accept the assertion that guns cause crime. It is much easier than believing that some
people deliberately choose to harm others.
Your story should include terms like "tragic" or "preventable" and mention the current
toll of gun violence in your city or state. Good reporters always know exactly how
many gun deaths have occurred in their area since the first of the year. List two or
three previous incidents of gun violence to give the impression of a continuing crime
wave.
Little space should be devoted to shootings where criminals kill each other. Although
these deaths greatly inflate the annual gun violence numbers, they distract from the
basic mission of urging law abiding citizens to give up their guns. Do not dig too
deeply into the reasons behind shootings. The fact that a gun was involved is the
major point, unless someone under 18 is affected, in which case the child angle is
now of equal importance.
Any article about gun violence should include quotes from anti-gun organizations or
politicians. One quote should say that we must do something "for the children".
Anti-gun spokespersons should be called "activists" or "advocates". If your employer
wishes to appear unbiased, you can include one token quote from a gun lobby group
to show that you are being fair. The anti-gun statements should be accepted as fact.
The gun lobby statement can be denigrated by including text like, "according to gun
lobbyist Jones."
Fortunately, statements from anti-gun organizations come in short sound bites that
are perfect for generating an emotional response in the reader or viewer. Gun lobby
statements usually contain boring facts that are easy to ignore.
Feel secure in your advocacy journalism. The vast majority of your fellow Journalists
support your activism. The nation will be a better place when only the police and
military have guns. Remember that you are doing it for the children so the end
justifies the means.
Eventually, the government will have a monopoly on power. Don't worry about the
right to freedom of the press, just contact me then for more helpful hints.
Professor Michael Brown
School of Journalism, Brady Chair
Vancouver College of Liberal Arts
Political Satire, copyright 1999, Michael Brown. May be reproduced freely in its full
and complete form. The author may be contacted at mb@e-z.net
May be copied in HTML form from http://www.geocities.com/rkba2000
------------------
Gun Control: The proposition that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own panty hose, is more acceptable than allowing that same woman to defend herself with a firearm.
http://reagan.com/HotTopics.main/HotMike/document-12.22.1999.3.html
SPOOF! The Journalist's
Guide to Gun Violence
Coverage
Moderator's Note: This is
satire, and M. Brown is
on our side. Check his
web site.
Guns are a sad fact of life in American
culture and are a major topic in modern
journalism. A good Journalist has a duty to get involved and make a difference in this
important societal debate. By following certain guidelines, the concerned Journalist
can be assured of having the maximum impact on this shameful problem.
The first principle to remember is that subtle use of terminology can covertly influence
the reader. Adjectives should be chosen for maximum anti-gun effect. When
describing a gun, attach terms like "automatic," "semi-automatic," "large caliber,"
"deadly," "high powered," or "powerful". Almost any gun can be described by one or
more of these terms. More than two guns should be called an "arsenal".
Try to include the term "assault weapon" if at all possible. This can be combined with
any of the terms above for best results. Nobody actually knows what an assault
weapon is, so you cannot be criticized for this usage. Your local anti-gun
organization can provide you with a list of the latest buzz words like "junk guns,"
"Saturday Night Specials," and "the criminal's weapon of choice".
Don't worry about getting technical details right. Many a reporter has accidentally
written about semi-automatic revolvers or committed other minor errors. Since most
people know little about guns, this is not a problem. Only the gun nuts will complain
and they don't count. The emotional content of your article is much more important
than the factual details, since people are more easily influenced through their
emotions than through logic.
Broadcast Journalists should have a file tape showing a machine gun firing on full
automatic. Run this video while describing "automatic" weapons used in a crime or
confiscated by police. At the least, a large graphic of a handgun should be displayed
behind the on-air personality when reading any crime story.
Do not waste words describing criminals who use guns to commit crimes. Instead of
calling them burglar, rapist, murderer, or repeat offender, simply use the term
"gunman". This helps the public associate all forms of crime and violence with the
possession of guns.
Whenever drug dealers are arrested, guns are usually confiscated by the police.
Mention the type and number of guns more prominently than the type and quantity of
drugs. Include the number of rounds of ammunition seized, since the number will
seem large to those who know little about guns. Obviously, the drug dealers who had
the guns should now be called "gunmen".
Political discussions on gun control legislation usually involve pro-gun organizations.
Always refer to these organizations as "the gun lobby". If space permits, mention
how much money the gun lobby has spent to influence political campaigns and
describe their legislative lobbying efforts as "arm twisting" or "threats".
Gun owners must never be seen in a positive light. Do not mention that these
misguided individuals may actually be well educated, or have respectable jobs and
healthy families. They should be called "gun nuts" if possible or simply gun owners at
best. Mention details about their clothing, especially if they are wearing hunting
clothes or hats. Mention the simplistic slogans on their bumper stickers to show that
their intelligence level is low. Many gun owners drive pickup trucks, hunt and live in
rural areas. Use these details to help portray them as ignorant rednecks. Don't use
the word "hunt". Always say that they "kill" animals.
Don't be afraid to interview these people, they are harmless even though we don't
portray them that way. Try to solicit comments that can be taken out of context to
show them in the worst possible light.
Never question the effectiveness of gun control laws or proposals. Guns are evil and
kill people. Removing guns from society can only be good. Nobody really uses guns
for legitimate self-defense, especially women or children. Any stories about armed
self-defense must be minimized or suppressed.
Be careful about criticizing the police for responding slowly to 911 calls for help. It is
best if the public feels like the police can be relied upon to protect them at all times.
If people are buying guns to protect their families, you are not doing your job.
Emphasize stories where people kill family members and/or themselves with guns. It
is important to make the public feel like they could lose control and start killing at any
moment if they have a gun in the house. Any story where a child misuses a gun is
front page material.
View every shooting as an event to be exploited. Always include emotional quotes
from the victim's family if possible. If they are not available, the perpetrator's family
will do nicely. The quote must blame the tragedy on the availability of guns. Photos
or video of grieving family members are worth a thousand facts. Most people will
accept the assertion that guns cause crime. It is much easier than believing that some
people deliberately choose to harm others.
Your story should include terms like "tragic" or "preventable" and mention the current
toll of gun violence in your city or state. Good reporters always know exactly how
many gun deaths have occurred in their area since the first of the year. List two or
three previous incidents of gun violence to give the impression of a continuing crime
wave.
Little space should be devoted to shootings where criminals kill each other. Although
these deaths greatly inflate the annual gun violence numbers, they distract from the
basic mission of urging law abiding citizens to give up their guns. Do not dig too
deeply into the reasons behind shootings. The fact that a gun was involved is the
major point, unless someone under 18 is affected, in which case the child angle is
now of equal importance.
Any article about gun violence should include quotes from anti-gun organizations or
politicians. One quote should say that we must do something "for the children".
Anti-gun spokespersons should be called "activists" or "advocates". If your employer
wishes to appear unbiased, you can include one token quote from a gun lobby group
to show that you are being fair. The anti-gun statements should be accepted as fact.
The gun lobby statement can be denigrated by including text like, "according to gun
lobbyist Jones."
Fortunately, statements from anti-gun organizations come in short sound bites that
are perfect for generating an emotional response in the reader or viewer. Gun lobby
statements usually contain boring facts that are easy to ignore.
Feel secure in your advocacy journalism. The vast majority of your fellow Journalists
support your activism. The nation will be a better place when only the police and
military have guns. Remember that you are doing it for the children so the end
justifies the means.
Eventually, the government will have a monopoly on power. Don't worry about the
right to freedom of the press, just contact me then for more helpful hints.
Professor Michael Brown
School of Journalism, Brady Chair
Vancouver College of Liberal Arts
Political Satire, copyright 1999, Michael Brown. May be reproduced freely in its full
and complete form. The author may be contacted at mb@e-z.net
May be copied in HTML form from http://www.geocities.com/rkba2000
------------------
Gun Control: The proposition that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own panty hose, is more acceptable than allowing that same woman to defend herself with a firearm.