Weapons & Shoddy Tactics

I still haven't received a reply from Weapons & Tactics editor/publisher James Bartel concerning my post about his newsletter reprinting old internet hoaxes.

Correspondent Keith Dowers has, though, and sent me what they sent him.




As Mr. Dowers notes, there is no apology. The editor, in fact, appears to defend his decision to run with these, using as justification that he got them from a cop--and we here at WarOnGuns know how infallible the only ones can be...

Bartel also questions the methods and credibility of Snopes.com, noting their generalized policy for establishing veracity and making an unmistakable insinuation with the observation "they make money doing it"--as if he's not.

Considering his retired cop source, Bartel says, it's not their policy to verify what they print and charge their customers for.

How about this, Mr. Bartel--ask your insider source to provide some police reports.

You want to compare your credibility to that of the Urban Legends people, fine. You print not one, but two articles that are word-for-word reproductions of material that has appeared on the internet for around six years, but somehow we're to believe that you're the ones to be taken seriously. Is it standard practice at W&T to publish work done by others (hoax or not) without attribution or payment--and then turn around and charge your customers for it?

This is just about the lamest excuse-making I've ever seen. Bartel deserves to have the marketplace respond accordingly.

MMM3 Update

We have more entries that got posted to Control Arms after I posted yesterday's gallery. They'll make Gallery IV, but until then, here are the links:

Cowboy Blob has shared a message of solidarity with Control Arms from the Peerless Leader, who is probably more concerned about the masses than he is about Team America. Love the caption on the graphic--and, of course, those Mousketeer caps.

Meanwhile, Thus I Have Spoken has had success at posting some victims of those who wish to Control Arms, and, of course, has more great screen shots.

SOP for BATFU

Activist gun owners know of the long train of abuses from BATFU. The outrages at Richmond gun shows are but the latest to actually gain attention--too often, the only ones who know about agency arrogance are its victims.

I just got the following email forwarded to me by the former owner (now retired) of one of the nation's largest gun shows. It indicates such tactics are on the rise--that they weren't as common in the days when my friend was still involved:

You missed all the fun stuff with your show. I know at the last one there were over 100 undercover ATF and local cops...they even brought in the Narcs for godsake. One guy selling black guns said he got asked many, many times by these goons if he could 'sell them some machine gun stuff'. Incredible, but incredibly sad and disgusting.

Here's the outrageous thing--if you're an activist gun owner, this won't surprise you. You'll expect it as a matter of course. From an administration that gun owners put into office, no less.