Constitutional Law

Making news fit the theme

I was once at a luncheon of a religious group, and one fellow spoke of his experience. It seemed quite incongruous until I realized there was an accepted format (patterned after the conversion of the disciple Paul) and a speaker must try to make his story fit it, as an art form. Sequence had to be (1) he was leading a terribly bad and dissolute life; (2) a sudden revelation of some manner changed him abruptly; (3) thereafter he is imperfect, of course, but much better and his life is good. The problem the speaker had had was with (1). You could sense at once this guy had always been quite decent. The worst example he could come up with for his days of debauchery was a traffic ticket. For a non-moving violation.

Anyway, the LA Times decides it has to make an anti-gunowner story fit its theme : (1) someone says something antigun and (2) Neanderthal gunowners spew hatred and personal threats but (3) the victim is brave and undeterred.

Doesn't fit very well. Despite reference to "loathing," "ire," and "rabid gun owners," the story reveals that she got a total of 30 emails on her article. The one quoted, which I assume is the roughest one sent, read "I hope you get into a situation that causes you to realize there are times when the ONLY tool that will do what you need to protect yourself is a firearm."

He then says her mother feared for her safety, but she is not worried.

Hat tip to reader Robert E. ....

Full post as published by Of Arms and the Law on December 01, 2008 (boomark / email).