On Media and Ignorance

I pointed out in my previous post that everything Piers Morgan has been spouting about guns and violence consists of misrepresentations, ideological drivel, and outright lies. I found a couple of decent resources that details some of this.

If you are interested, read this.

There is a good video linked in the article above that deserves attention:

Here is another article that mentions Piers. The takeaway from it is that the people on the anti-gun side are generally ignorant about guns and are taking positions based on emotion and misinformation.

Several years ago, I used to watch MSNBC all the time. I understood that they were extremely biased and pushing an agenda, but I found them somewhat amusing. I particularly enjoyed listening to Keith Olbermann's rants. Over the past few years however, they have spiraled further down into their ideological pit. No information, no data, no logic, and no rational analysis is ever allowed to interfere with their ideological drumbeat. About a year ago I had to stop watching them almost completely, and I switched to CNN.

As for CNN, about all I can say is that the past month has left me in complete disgust. They might be slightly less biased than MSNBC on some issues, but on the current hot-button issue of guns and violence they are bewilderingly ignorant. Just as with MSNBC, no information, no data, no logic, and no rational analysis is ever allowed to interfere with their ideological drumbeat.

Where to next – Fox news? I've never liked Fox News. They may be somewhat more rational on the gun issue, but they go off the rails badly on several others. Plus, I never liked listening to the yapping of the life-sized barbie dolls they use as talking heads.

I will say that in more than thirty years of being involved in various aspects of guns, shooting, and martial arts, including the last five years as a firearms and tactics instructor - that the people who favor gun control know almost nothing about guns or the dynamics of violent encounters. Conversely, those who are very knowledgeable in these areas very strongly oppose gun control - almost without exception.

What does it say when those who have studied and trained in a field are almost all on one side of an issue, whereas almost everyone on the other side exhibits no knowledge or understanding, only emotional appeals?