When it comes to how much the New York Times knows about guns, a reader found me exhibit A:
The caption says a .40 caliber Glock. The picture shoes a Les Baer 1911 in .45 ACP. So why, again, should anyone give a crap what the New York Times thinks about guns? Even your basic counterstrike kiddie (or whatever the kids are playing these days) can generally tell the difference between an M1911 and a Glock. I almost wonder if someone at the New York Times looked up this bit of satire …
… and thought it was real. I’ve been doing this long enough, when I see stuff like this now, I just want to declare the person unfit to have an opinion until they relieve themselves of ignorance. The real unfortunate thing is that people still read the New York Times, and thanks to New York’s gun laws, many of its readers are just as or more ignorant about the subject than the Times.
Searching for the old journalist guide satire, it turns out Extrano’s Alley has more to say about this picture going around.
UPDATE: That journalist guide had gone around so much I forgot it was Robb who created it, so credit should go to him.
In (moderate) defense of the reporter, the page was almost certainly assembled by someone else after he had written and turned in his article — especially if it was to be illustrated with a stock (file) photo.
The real blame lies with whoever approved the layout for publication.
But isn’t the NYT always lecturing us on why only “professional” news organizations can be trusted to get it right?
They’re so far sunk in their pompous insularity that, like Pauline Kael, they don’t realize the depths of their ignorance and lack of understanding of the world around them.
Oh sure, but reporters (I have worked on two daily papers, back in the day) are still in the mindset of seeking “balanced” opinions from spokespeople for groups.
The actions of individuals–like Coloradans (I’m one)–who rush to buy guns after something like the “Batman” shootings–are not so easy to fit into that framework!
If a student handed in an essay with glaring errors like that, he’d be lucky if I gave it back for revision.
But is this evidence of the decline in how many people read newspapers these days or of how little many Americans know about guns?
Not to mention (and, admittedly, quibbling) it is incorrect to write “.40 caliber”. Either 40 caliber or .40… but it’s unlikely to be both.
hoffman’s gun center in newington, ct.–know them well. done business with them for years while i lived in ct. they are the good guys!
I remember reading an article about gun shows by an NYC reporter who said he saw tables filled with “semi-automatic revolvers.” Who knew Webleys were still so popular?
What I find particularly ironic is that the left used to (haven’t heard it in a while, maybe they still do) screech about how “plastic guns” like the Glock could thwart metal detectors. You’d think one of them would have looked at that picture and said, “hey, that seems awfully shiny and metallic to be plastic.”
If a student handed in an essay with glaring errors like that, he’d be lucky if I gave it back for revision.
As embarrassing as this is to admit, I have a degree in journalism. Back when I was in school, one of the professors I had gave students a 0 for any written assignment that contained a misspelled name or similar misstatement of an objective fact. She wouldn’t even bother reading any further.
It seems clear that their page layout software need reprogramming.
http://hogewash.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/programming.jpg
looks like “cslacker.com” is stealing from Robb Allen
That’s right. It was Robb’s. That one went around so much I forgot who created it. I found that on a search.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. I think it’s up to it’s third iteration.
I take the NYT seriously–just like ABC, NBC, CBS and MSNBC.
Well, now Bill O’Reilly has some competition on the gun knowledge score.