AWB/firearm inaccuracys in the news...

[beevul]

Please try to adhere to the following voluntary guidelines, in order that we can have an orderly discussion of this speecific topic:

1 - No "born on" dates necessary. The purpose of this thread is to show information that can and has been shown to mislead the uninformed about the AWB/firearms, whether it be from yesterday, or 5 years ago.

2 - Both pro-gun and anti-gun stories, editorials, and press releases are welcome in this thread.

3 - Bear in mind that any links to extremely right-wing sites (such as Newsmax, CNS, or the Washington Times) or intentionally pro-gun or pro-control sites (such as the NRA or the Brady Campaign) are not considered reliable sources by many DU-ers. If at all possible, try to find a link for your story from a more mainstream source, such as a general-circulation newspaper or magazine site. If you choose to use a slanted site, be prepared for any negative feedback you may receive.

4 - Please direct your comments to the story, rather than attacking the person posting the story or any person responding to the story. In accordance with DU rules, any message that appears to be a personal attack against another DU-er or a violation of any other DU rule will be reported to the moderators.


5 - If you object to these guidelines, or if you believe these are examples of "gun porn details", do everyone else a favor and go to another thread.

[beevul]

1. Shame on CBS...

"The ban, which covers the sales and importation of the AK-47 and 18 other kinds of automatic weapons, was passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress and signed by President Clinton in 1994. Those weapons will become legal again unless Congress votes to renew the legislation."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/15/politics/main554118.shtml


On edit: I wasn't going to point it out, as I thought the inaccuracy OBVIOUS, but for those not in the know, the AWB sunsssetting will NOT legalize automatic weapons.

[slackmaster]

2. Another problem with the same article

The illustration shows a 1911 type handgun, which is not an assault weapon.



I know, I know; the gun picture with the stars & stripes background and male Causasian hand is some kind of iconic symbol to bring the reader's attention to the fact that the story has something to do with America's fascination (obsession, or what have you) with firearms. When CBS and other news agencies don't have a usable illustration of what the story addresses, they always put SOMETHING there as a placeholder. Their audience expects a visual, and darn it they're going to get one no matter what.

At worst it's a distorted message that expiration of the AWB will make handguns legal, at best an editorial tease. As an owner of 1911 pistols I am outraged, and that will be the main subject of my response to CBS.

[Hrumph]

11. Face it, Slack...

"News" papers don't contain journalism anymore. They contain advertising and teasers intended to get people to buy the advertising circulars. You're barking up the wrong tree expecting journalistic integrity from them.

[beevul]

3. Shame on the Examiner...

"Police Officer Isaac Espinoza joined the tragic and swelling ranks of cops killed with assault weapons when he was fatally shot with an AK-47 April 10."

http://www.sfexaminer.com/article/index.cfm/i/042604n_assault


Officer Espinoza was shot with a fully automatic AK-47, not an assault weapon.



"Officer Isaac Espinoza, 29-years-old, an eight-year veteran of the police department was on routine patrol in the troubled Bayview District with his partner, 38-year-old Officer Barry Parker. The officer’s stopped their vehicle and called out to a man acting suspiciously who was walking away from the police vehicle. Without warning, the man turned and began firing at the officers with an automatic weapon, later determined to be an AK-47, assault rifle."

http://www.camemorial.org/htm/espinoza04.htm

"On Saturday, April 10, 2004, 29 year-old Isaac Espinoza, an eight-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department, died In the Line of Duty after being mortally wounded by gunfire. At the time of the shooting, Officer Espinoza, along with 38 year-old Officer Barry Parker, was attempting to approach a man who was acting suspiciously. When Officer Espinoza and Officer Parker, both plainclothes officers assigned to the Police Department’s Bayview Station, spotted the suspicious man, they approached him in their vehicle and called out to him. The man turned to face the vehicle and opened fire with an automatic weapon."

http://www.nlpoa.org/In_memory2.htm

[beevul]

4. Shame on the CSGV and Chicago tribune...

Twofold twofolf shame indeed...

"Isn't it ironic, though, that while law enforcement is spending enormous resources trying to control gun possession and gun violence--and while society pays the enormous costs related to that violence--our members of Congress cannot muster enough backbone to renew the federal ban on assault rifles?"

Assault rifles have been banned since 1934...


"As it stands, AK-47s and Uzis and other assault weapons, which are a heavy-duty nail file away from being converted to automatic weapons, are about to be put back on the market for people, including street gangs, to purchase legally."

http://www.csgv.org/news/headlines/03_05_16_ronald.cfm


Cripes sake...a heavy duty nail file my arse...

[slackmaster]

5. The CSGV has no credibility at all

They've not bothered to correct the outright lie in the article they allegedly quoted from the May 7 Cincinnati Post, i.e.

The semiautomatic weapons continue firing ammunition automatically once the user squeezes the trigger once and keeps it pressed down.

(Source: http://www.csgv.org/news/headlines/cincipost5_7_04.cfm )

Nor have they answered the email I sent them about that over a week ago.

CSGV is much more interested in propagating hysteria than in public safety or truth.

[MrBenchley]

6. With whom, slack?

[beevul]

7. True, but, they do a hell of a job...

of archiving misinformation and making it easy to find.

A small silver lining...

[JayS]

10. Articles like this do so much to foster the distrust that exists...

...between all parties to the gun control debate.

[beevul]

8. Shame on the CSGV and The Baltimore Sun...

"AK-47s, Uzis, M-16s, and Street Sweepers are among the 45 weapons whose sale would be outlawed under legislation proposed by state Sen. Robert J. Garagiola of Montgomery County and Del. Neil F. Quinter of Howard County, both Democrats."

http://www.csgv.org/news/headlines/03_09_22.cfm

Does anyone really think the AWB covers m-16s?

[Romulus]

12. the attempted MD ban died a noble death

It went up for a vote in committee and lost, just as it would have in the full MD Senate.

Next year, expect sneak attacks from collateral bills on "polling place safety" and "user fees."

[MrBenchley]

9. How tragic for the poor gun "enthusiast" (snicker)

No wonder our "pro-gun democrats" have to keep dredging up crap from right wing cesspools like Newsmax and WorldNutDaily...

[CO Liberal]

13. How Ironic...

You mis-spelled "inaccuracies".

:-)

[slackmaster]

14. I believe there is a corollary of Murphy's Law

That any writing criticizing someone else's material for error will itself contain at least one error.

[Rancherman]

15. AWB/firearm inaccuracy's in the news

TARRYTOWN — In her new book, "Blown Away: American Women and Guns," Caitlin Kelly takes the gun debate recently galvanized by filmmaker Michael Moore to another level.

In his Academy Award-winning documentary, "Bowling for Columbine," Moore examines gun violence in America, but does not address the role firearms play in women's lives, Kelly said.

The Tarrytown author, however, does just that in "Blown Away" (Pocket Books Original; $13), taking what she describes as an unbiased exploration of a woman's right to bear arms, while also calling attention to the many women who succumb to gun violence every year.

"I'm glad Michael Moore started the conversation," said Kelly, 46. "I'm just continuing it. In this country, you are either wildly pro-gun or wildly anti-gun. We need to better understand both sides of the issue.

http://www.nyjournalnews.com/newsroom/052604/a0126guns%26women.html

[MrBenchley]

16. Jeeze, this crap AGAIN

[slackmaster]

17. Bad writing from the Burns, Oregon Times-Herald

An upbeat story but flawed because of inappropriate nomenclature.

David Bartlemay makes assault rifle for Senior Project

Obtaining permission to build a semi-automatic assault rifle as his senior project at Burns High School (BHS) marks David Bartlemay as someone who can think outside the normal scheme of things and tackle difficult scenarios — someone not exactly average....

...It was not simply put together from a kit, but studied and designed and constructed piece by piece, Bartlemay said, so that he would have intimate knowledge of every bit of his weapon.

He purchased parts and built the gun to his own design....

slackmaster has a couple of comments:

Here is the large version of the illustration from the article:



Note that the rifle has no bayonet lug and a non-threaded muzzle (Kind of looks like an AKM-type post-ban brake which we may assume is soldered in place). This is not an assault rifle and not even an assault weapon under federal law, rather a perfectly legal post-ban AR-15 type rifle. Oregon has no legal definition for either term; assault rifle has no federal legal definition but generally refers to selective-fire weapons like the military M16.

No legal permission, permits, etc. are required to build a post-ban AR-15 in Oregon. Anyone who can legally possess a firearm can build one for personal use. Mr. Bartlemay needed permission only from school officials.

I've built a few AR-15 rifles myself, and for the benefit of people unfamiliar with the weapon it's probably the easiest rifle one can build up from parts. Every piece except a finished lower receiver can be bought by mail-order, and many different styles and configurations are available.

For full copyrighted article please see http://www.burnstimesherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=3036

[mosin]

18. Is that a collapsible baton?

It looks like he is using a collapsible baton as a pointer. :) My kind of kid.

[slackmaster]

19. The baton would be illegal to possess in California

Without a permit, unless you happen to be a police officer. As would driving into the Golden State with that rifle.

[mosin]

20. It's a good thing...

I don't live in California.

[beevul]

21. More bulloney from CBS...

"The law, which bans AK-47's and other assault-style weapons, will expire next year unless Congress acts to renew it."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/05/politics/main552383.shtml

For the million and seventh time, an AK-47 is a select fire class III firearm strictly regulated by the NFA, not an assault weapon.

AK-47 - Poster "buzzword" for the anti-gun movement.

Nice image on their page too...wonder if they got it directly from brady/hci/CSGV or made it up themselves...

"I don't think you need an AK-47 to defend your family," Dole added, receiving a smattering of polite applause." -Elizabeth Dole

Sheer ignorance.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/05/03/politics/main45413.shtml

[OpSomBlood]

22. Yeah, nice machine-gun bullet pattern.

And what is that, a 9mm AR conversion?

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

25. A 9mm AR

with a 11.5" barrel. Would be regulated as an Short Barreled Rifle under the NFA '34 rather than the AWB of '94. Far be it for CBS to let facts intrude on sensationalism.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OpSomBlood]

24. Why are we responsible for the actions of criminals?

Why don't you guys focus a fraction of your efforts on said criminals instead of wasting your time harrassing law-abiding gun owners?