Posted on 09/09/2004 2:14:54 PM PDT by need_a_screen_name
NEWS RELEASE
SAF CONDEMNS ABC NEWS FRAUD IN REPORT ON SUNSET OF 'ASSAULT WEAPONS' LAW
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) today called on ABC News anchor Peter Jennings and correspondent Bill Redeker to admit the network distorted fact during a report on the end of the so-called "assault weapons" ban that aired Wednesday evening, Sept. 8.
During that segment, video footage from the North Hollywood bank robbery shootout in March 1997 showed the robbers firing full-automatic weapons, suggesting that this type of firearm will be legal when the ban expires at midnight Sept. 13. These guns had been illegally modified, yet ABC News left the impression that such rifles will be available to the general public.
"Such firearms were illegal prior to the ban, and will be illegal after it sunsets, and ABC knows it," said SAF founder Alan Gottlieb. "ABC's research on this story was either incredibly poor or deliberately distorted. There is no other explanation. It's the same distorted reporting we saw in 1994, prior to the ban, in which the press faked footage in an attempt to portray ammunition from these guns as explosively lethal.
Reporter Redeker made an issue out of certain cosmetic features that were affected by the ban, specifically folding stocks and flash suppressors. He lamented that folding stocks make these rifles more "concealable" and the flash suppressor makes it harder to spot a shooter at night.
"These cosmetic features have nothing to do with how a particular firearm functions," Gottlieb stressed, "or how lethal it might be. That is why the 1994 ban - which only affected the appearance of these guns, not their operation - was nonsense to begin with.
"Rather than explain the law, or note federal studies that have determined this ban, as well as other gun control laws, were ineffective in reducing crime, ABC News sensationalized, and as a result fictionalized, what this ban did and what will result from the law's sunset," Gottlieb concluded. "That's not simply irresponsible reporting. It's journalistic fraud, and ABC News, Jennings and Redeker should apologize for it."
The Second Amendment Foundation is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers & an amicus brief & fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.
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YEEEEEEEEHHHHHAAAWWWW!!!!
The long awaited meltdown of the Media Wing of the DNC has finally started !!!!
CHALLENGE EVERYTHING, don't let ANYTHING GET BY!
The CONS are finally being overthrown!!!
You know I won't do it, but when the AW ban expires, I wish I could spray bullets in the air like at an Iraq or Afghan wedding! Those guys know how to celebrate!
Anyone have contact info for ABC?
It's time FReepers bring ABC to their knees with a boycott of their sponsors.
I just went to the ABC Nightline news website, read their story and sent them an email pointing out some errors in their story on the website and asking for them to print a correction on their website.
Freepers, why don't you give ABC Nightline a piece of your mind, if you find errors in journalism to be offensive? Ask them to do the right thing and be more accurate in their stories. They shouldn't make things up, after all they are not the New York Times.
See my post at 6
I expected the liberals in the media to go nuts as the AWB was expiring, but to tell you the truth I'm surpised they've waited so long, and are making only such a half-hearted effort. Perhaps other things are drowning this issue out in the news. Perhaps, too, they are nervous about pushing gun control so hard as they did in '99, with the painful memories of gun control costing Gore the White House still fresh in their minds.
Just your average, garden-variety, one-world, globalist, Canadian socialist who should be dangling from a rope.
... and Republicans use fear to get votes?
Sheesh!
"See my post at 6"
Thanks!
I saw two women on opposite sides of the AWB on "Good Morning America" today. The pro-RKBA lady did a fairly good job of explaining the difference between semi-autos and true "assault weapons", but she stumbled when Axis Sally Sawyer asked her why she wouldn't accept the contention of "the police chiefs" (like her female Chief of Police opponent) that such weapons were not needed by average citizens. I thought it would have been a good time to ask the rapidly aging former beauty queen whether she thought the police should be asked their opinion of the 1st, 4th, 5th and 14th Ammendments to the Constitution, and whether we should informally ammend those Ammendments accordingly.
Excellent! I'm gonna have to file that one to the old memory banks. Thanks!
I saw part of the Nightline hit piece and the lady from the NRA was shying away from 2nd Amendment arguments. It seems that is the NRA's MO these days. Until we have Bush reelected with him nominating new Supreme Court justices, that might be a decent idea. I dunno...
I watched Fox News at 10 on Channel 11 in Los Angeles and they did the same thing. I think the media flacks are locked in on disarmament of the public and do not question anything that comes from higher up the news chain. I switched to Channel 5 amd observed the same thing. Just another chapter in the liberal-left hysterical meltdown. What will they do when Bush wins? Will there be riots? It seems to be "Apocalypse Now" for the comrades.
"Reporter Redeker made an issue out of certain cosmetic features that were affected by the ban, specifically folding stocks and flash suppressors. He lamented that folding stocks make these rifles more "concealable" and the flash suppressor makes it harder to spot a shooter at night."
Actually, it makes it easier to spot the shooter at night - if the person looking has night vision gear.
Yep, exactly. I've got the rope. You can do the honors. LOL
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