It is becoming pretty popular (and pretty easy) these days to bash the media, especially when it comes to the coverage of guns. The mainstream outlets clearly just don’t get it. Not only do such outlets employ reporters with literally no understanding of firearms, but many of those reporters are also actively opposed to the private ownership of guns or fearful of the very existence of guns in general.
Fake News
The end result is a lot of really bad reporting. I think the low point for me came when I saw a video clip claiming to show someone shooting a watermelon with an AR-15. The melon, which the reporter apparently chose to “mimic” a human head, exploded in pink. But the gun shown in the video was clearly a 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun. I don’t remember seeing an explanation or an apology from the reporter. The news station simply moved forward as if nothing were amiss.
The result of such sloppy journalism is that folks like you and me have to look elsewhere for accurate and honest stories about firearms. And what a huge topic that is. If we just say “firearms,” we are missing the nuance. There are countless subcategories when it comes to finding interesting stories about “firearms.”
As you might expect, I have a very special interest in stories about successful defensive gun use. I want to know as much as I can about the people and circumstances surrounding the legal and effective use of firearms for self-defense. Typically I am searching the areas I call “echo chambers.” These are private groups on social media sites where all of the members pretty much think alike (hence my term “echo chamber”). YouTube is another big name for me, especially when it comes to surveillance videos. I love video evidence, even if different viewers can interpret it differently. The debate is part of the learning process. Keep it lively.
Share and Tell
Where else are you looking for stuff like that? What do you look for that makes a story interesting, believable and, most importantly, valuable to you? Is it multiple camera angles? Is it a video complete with sound? Or are you just interested in the “action” of people fighting?
How about gun reviews? Do you have a favorite? Why do you prefer one reviewer over another? Will you watch a 30-minute video from start to finish, or will you consume only small quantities, gleaning the information you think you need and skipping the rest? We know that YouTube and other such outlets are restricting or suppressing gun stuff. Where do you go instead? Is there another up-and-coming video-hosting site we should all be aware of? Who is the talking head that gets you to engage?
And how about forums? What is your favorite forum? What is your least favorite element of the forums in which you participate? Do you get upset with keyboard commandos? How do you handle them?
This is a new golden age of media, and the times are changing as quickly as the technology people are using to get the word out. I’d really like to know where you are going for accurate, valuable information about guns.
Let’s hear it.
