When it comes to protecting yourself, you may think "if I only had a gun." But if you had a gun, could you protect yourself in a crisis? How easy is it to obtain a gun? And what explains the nearly irresistible attraction of young people to firearms? Diane Sawyer investigates, with reporting by David Muir, on "If I Only Had a Gun," airing on "20/20," Friday, April 10 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. The hour also features hidden camera experiments and expert analysis. [More]
Our "experts".
There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission.
[Via Mercurysys]
"And what explains the nearly irresistible attraction of young people to firearms?
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that the way they are portrayed in movies and television might have something to do with that. Of course, after a little personal experience the truth about guns is learned, and then the "attraction" becomes much stronger as we age. Molon labe!
I believe I read that John Stossel is also reporting on this feature... I suspect the "teasers" about this may just be trying to suck in the anti-gunners then pummel them with real facts?
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm just being optimistic, but we'll see :)
The lesson will be: Guns are useless for self-defense in the hands of mere mortal, let us disarm everybody and the police will continue to serve us honestly and selflessly and crime will disappear.
ReplyDeleteAnd everyone lived happily ever after. The End.
I see human chains
ReplyDeleteholding hands
in protest of
media plans
and I think to myself:
"What a wonderful world"...
In South and Central America, peasants surround liberty-advocating TV and radio stations to keep oppressive governments from shutting them down.
Uh, Ms. sawyer, that crowd you see is not coming to ABC's building to do that, exactly.
Orygunner: If John Stossel gets anywhere near this piece, it will be worth watching.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he'll point out what The Colonel said: That a man or woman buying a gun is no more "armed" than a man buying a piano is a "musician."
If Stossel is in on it, then it should be a decent show, filled with first time shooters who say things like "I was surprized how easy it is for a regular person like me to use one of these and be safe with it."
ReplyDeleteIf it's bad, then it will be real bad. I'm thinking it would be like in the movie "The Truman Show," where the media in his bubble specifically reports on plane and boat crashes daily to keep him from wanting to explore outside his prison.
Is it me or does the MSM do programs like this prior to a major gun ban/control law? Didn't we see something like this prior to the "AWB"?
ReplyDeleteThe commercial is showing what appears to be Force-on-Force training using weapons modified to fire a wax paintball. Marking the 'victim', either killing, or maiming them. (Not really, but the placement can show if it's in the lethal zone.)
ReplyDeleteForce-on-Force training is not for the faint of heart, or even for someone who has not been trained in combat tactics.
I suspect it'll be the usual hit piece of firearms.
"Diane Sawyer investigates" lol
ReplyDeleteHaving been in more FoF shootouts than most mere mortals I can say it is an eye opening experience for the vast majority of people. Get's them out of the square range mentality. However, pretty much everyone does very well once they get over the initial shock of it all and don't let it become a game. People are surprised at just how well they do once they get over the fact that rounds are incoming as well as outgoing. And they learn that moving is life, not getting shot is more important than shooting. Things happen fast in real life but people learn to deal with it rather well.
ReplyDeleteIf the show tries to use it as an example of why nonLEO's should not even try to defend themselves then they need to be straightened out.
Pro or con, I do not anticipate any change in the shortages of ammunition or weapons in the stores in the near future.
ReplyDeleteHowever, training facilities may become more crowded.
Anyone know which 33 states are the ones where someone can buy a handgun without a background check, and no questions asked?
ReplyDeleteSales between individuals are still private in Virginia as long as one of them is not a Federal Firearms License holder. www.packing.org may be a good place to find out more.
ReplyDeleteOh, major meeeediaaa...
New York Times Company. NYT (NYSE) 4:38pm 04/09/2009
One share of stock: $5.41
The 33 they are referencing are states that still believe in personal rights and haven't passed the VPC/Brady call for private transfers that have to go through an FFL.
ReplyDeleteAs for the training facilities, I can speak to that. We have been running full bore on basic classes for first time gun buyers. Double or more our normal demand.
However, for more advanced classes we are running into the problem of people not being able to get enough ammo for class! We are even running into trouble getting ammo wholesale for use in the intro classes where we supply the guns and ammo.
Encouraging news from the beginner classes though is that we are seeing all walks of folks coming in that really don't fit the MSM's stereotype gun owner profile. Including an increase in women coming out by themselves or in packs learning to shoot.
If you missed it, check out "Do you feel froggy?" posted on this site by David Codrea April 7, a link to Mike Vanderboegh's reply to a NYT columnist who ... kinda wants us all dead, along with the Times column.
ReplyDeleteThe TIMES will expire of terminal rectal-cranial impaction before their cherished plans can come to fruition.
If you lived in the city that was Ground Zero on 9/11 and heard that Pakistani Taliban were announcing attacks on American soil, and your local paper was calling YOU the danger, would you run right out and buy a copy of that puppy every day? Would you advertise in it? Would you support those advertisers?
The tribe has spoken. the NYTwits are being voted off the island... of Manhattan.
Dear Diane Sawyer,
ReplyDeleteOK, sweetie, let's try exercising that pile of mush between your ears,
you know, the "stuff" you call "brains"...
You said:
"You know, I wanted to sit on a jury once and I was taken off the jury.
And the judge said to me, 'Can, you know, can you tell the truth and be
fair?' And I said, 'That's what journalists do.' And everybody in the
courtroom laughed. It was the most hurtful moment I think I've ever had."
- Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, 7/12/07
Now, try to think this out but don't strain yourself: You said
"journalists" are "fair" and "tell the truth" and people laughed at
you. Try REAL hard and see if you can think of a reason they might
have done that.
Oh, you poor thing, your face is turning ALL red and your mascara is
running. Good. It SHOULD hurt being stupid.
You can stop now -- it is clear you don't have the mental horsepower
to connect two clearly-related dots that are right next to each other.
You poor thing. I have seen mental-health patients in the local State
Hospital that had better cognitive abilities than you.
You had best go back to reading Brady/HCI press releases...
Good night, Diane
Peet in W.Mass
I hear 60 Minutes is doing a gun piece on Sunday evening, also.
ReplyDeleteCarrying a Gun Wouldn't Necessarily Get You Out of a Shooting
ReplyDelete'If I Only Had a Gun': 20/20 Examines Gun Violence in America
By EAMON MCNIFF
April 10, 2009
http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7298996&page=1