by Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.
Media Manipulation Is Wrong
I have a general rule of thumb. “Tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may.” In the recent aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, I have become increasingly concerned that those anti-gun forces are showing themselves to be just as rabid and irrational as some pro-gun proponents.
It is this irrationality that makes it impossible for anything to ever get done. Neither side is talking to the other. Both sides are merely shouting past one another. More ominous yet has been the clear manipulation of the story – this time – by the anti-gun movement.
On day 1, of the shooting, Adam Lanza went into a kindergarten classroom armed with a Glock and a Sig pistol and massacred a number of children and several adults. The police said they found a Bushmaster AR-15 in the back of his mother’s car, which he had driven to the scene.
Since Adam Lanza committed suicide inside the classroom. There would have been no way for him to go back and retrieve that rifle and plant it by his body. Yet, by day 3, the story had evolved to him having used the Bushmaster AR-15 to do the shooting. Why? Could it be that someone made the decision that for the sake of a political agenda, having the aggressive looking military style rifle do the deed would further their goals? You decide.
Huffpo and LAPD Played For Suckers
Since that terrible day, I have noticed several disturbing trends. The most recent of which has been several Gun Buyback Programs. The latest – considered a smashing success – was conducted by LAPD. Huffington Post ran the story on their masthead most of today. It shows an LAPD officer holding up what appears to be a, LAWS – Light Armour Weapons System – Rocket Launcher.
To those unfamiliar with firearms and military weapons, I’m certain the intended effect was achieved. “My God Man!!! What would anybody need with such a weapon in civilized society?!? Something has got to be done!” That does indeed sound like a reasoned response. However, there is a problem. What the officer is holding is not even a spent Rocket Launching tube. What he is holding is a “training dummy.” It actually says so right near the hand he’s using to brandish it. Training dummies are inert and cannot be made to fire. Even if someone gave you the actual rockets that go into the real ones, you cannot make a training dummy fire.
In perfect condition you can find them on-line for $180 or so dollars. At a surplus show or at a military memorabilia table at a gun show, they go a lot cheaper. Since the LAPD was giving away $200 a pop with no questions asked, I’m sure someone walked away smiling smugly. Why? Because a baseball bat is quite a bit more dangerous than an inert, dummy, training rocket launcher… and they made a tidy profit off of ignorance.