CBC talks about firearms - fear mongering 101

[JBen]

While I agree with Welsh on this, I also "in part" agree with everyone else.

When the story first broke every media outlet showed that image, used the words high powered sniper rifle, as did LEO. I thought to myself, gee given I own that exact rifle (Browning white gold BLR) in .308, I wasn't aware I owned a sniper rifle.

Where I differ I guess is I chalk it up to.
1) Ignorance by LEO who often don't know much about firearms, nor the laws relating to firearms. Which is highly ironic. Perhaps many in LEO should know a little about what they carry?

2) Sensationalism by the media, but unlike near every other topic be it political, be it A to Z that they do the same.

The pen is mightier than the sword. So while the media doesn't necessarily have an "anti gun" agenda/bias (some might), even unintentional (as in this case) fear generating sensationalism reporting can have serious implications for gun owners. Which "justifies" the fears.

Cant have it both ways Welsh. If the media (and others) can whip up "fear" in the Pro gun crowd..... they can do they same with the "Anti Gun" and misinformation (As here) can sway the middle.

Think War of Worlds where everyone for 1 day was convinced Aliens were attacking. Or see simply.

Global Warming.....And the consequences here in Ontario with Hydro and the GEA.
ISIL and "refugee's, or "fears" of every Burka wearing Lever Action (sorry..Islamist) being mislabeled a terrorist.....

So at least imo, while the "fears" of the pro gun crowd may at times be misguided, they aren't necessarily unjustified. Lots of examples in life where propaganda (intentional or not) has whipped up or changed public sentiment, resulting in this or that.

[seabast]

Sniper rifle sounds a lot better than hunting rifle, nothing personal , just business!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensationalism

[fishermccann]

Let's clear a couple things up here.

1. I've never voted Liberal.
2. I'm not a big fan of Trudeau.

The fact that nobody in this community is allowed to disagree with the contention that the media and police are out to get us without being accused of voting Liberal speaks volumes. You know why you don't hear the pro-gun side in the media? Because when they try to have a pro-gun guy respond, all he wants to do is complain about attacks on gun ownership where none exist, or nitpick and quibble about what is or is not a sniper rifle. Fear mongering? That's the specialty of our pro-gun groups, constantly whipping people into a frenzy about how the Liberals and the police and the media are conspiring against us. And woe betide anyone who disagrees with the Chicken Littles.

The media have not marginalized gun owners; they've marginalized themselves.

This is a news story about a shooting, in which the media fairly and accurately reported what the police said. That's all. It's not a conspiracy to manipulate public opinion on gun control.

Every time guns are in the news, people like you always perceive some attack. Ever stop to think they might be in the news because shootings are news?

Great post W. but I fear you are wasting you time , some will always be chicken little. I, and I think most people, want information about all shootings to be in the media.

[fishermccann]

This from a conservative paper whose opinion editor is a gun owner. The conspiracy runs deep!

Most who complain about the media will ignore that fact.
For some the tin foil hat is on too tight.

[natehunter]

It's probably better that they make it seem like a "sniper" rifle and a "sniper" shot. If the media and the general public knew that a lot of us have versions on that gun and many of us have more accurate rifles, with those we could easily make that shot, there would be more ammo for the anti-gun crowd.

Also wonder if that gun was chosen because it's possibly a takedown version?


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[fishermccann]

neither is a 200 yds a 'sniper' shot

When 99.8% of these drug dealing punks get shot within 5 feet with a handgun , I personally would say, any dealer shot from 200 yards away with a long gun with a scope instead of a handgun , was snipped.( if there is such a word for being shot in an apparent sniper situation.)

[trimmer21]

That was a very nice rifle to use then ditch before the cops showed up. Most of us would like to have at least one of them in a decent caliber. No doubt it was stolen,scrubbed and untraceable. One shot,one kill,unseen and unheard,in an urban environment. Somebody sure knew what they were doing.

[welsh]

Cant have it both ways Welsh. If the media (and others) can whip up "fear" in the Pro gun crowd..... they can do they same with the "Anti Gun" and misinformation (As here) can sway the middle.

True, but where is the misinformation in this case?

"Sniper rifle?" Would you prefer if they'd said, "this is an ordinary hunting rifle, as might be found in millions of homes in Canada ... thanks to the abolition of the long gun registry we no longer know who has these guns and why. Criminals can obtain them easily."

That would be 100% factually accurate.

Instead, we have a news report that, if anything, stresses the unusual nature of the shooting. I'd hardly call that sensationalism.

I'm going to suggest that gun owners are hypersensitive, and so they jump to attack any media reporting on firearms by nitpicking and quibbling, without considering what's actually being said.

[seabast]

I'd hardly call that sensationalism.

I reallythink they used the term "Sniper riffle" to obtain moreattention. The mass associate sniper rifle to war weapon so it definitely makes the allshooting more sensational. At no point they didn't use "Hunting rifle"to protect our butt.....

But I agree with everything you are saying and yes ironically gun owners do live in fear.....

[JBen]

How about just "Shot by a rifle" or "Shot from a distance", or I can think of many more adjectives/discriptors that don't sensationalize it in the way the word

"Sniper" or Sniper rifle does. Conjure up certain gut feelings/automatic reaction doesn't it.

Next thing you know everyone going to be thinking every black gun is an "Assault Rifle"...(Oops sorry, that is reality today ) or every pressure cooker a bomb.

or every burka wearing Islamist....

Funny Gord. Don't you hate Harper for "fear mongering"...So when its the "left" screaming about it.(harper or ultra right people playing on the publics fears)...Or the Media admonishing people...

but when its the right or gun owners saying the same things.

You call those gun owners paranoid nut bars