I was watching the International version of CNN this morning, the one which is broadcast primarily for the benefit of those in Europe but which you can see in the U.S., and they are running a series on the fighting in Mexico.
CNN broadcast a long segment, about ten minutes in length, where CNN correspondents interviewed ATF agents, Mexican Federal Police and Mexican Army officials and all of them blamed the United States for the conflict in Mexico stating that the cartel's arms are virtually all American in origin.
One of the most nauseating parts of the broadcast was the part where the CNN correspondent tried to demonize .50 rifles by showing a building that was shot up by the cartels and which happens to be next to a day care center (a fact that was hammered on again and again in ham fisted fashion). He then panned to a shot of a Barrett rifle despite the fact that no one knew what type of weapon was employed to actually hit the building and despite the fact that no weapon was recovered in this case. I had experience in the Army with .50 machine guns and it appeared to me that the building was on the receiving end of a burst from an M2, something which cannot simply be purchased over the counter. The rounds were too close together and formed a "trail" of sorts as though the shooter was walking the rounds in.
Other parts of the segment were spent demonizing people who purchase ammuntion in bulk or purchase more than one firearm. ATF agents were interviewed on the program stating that they are going to gun shows in Arizona and other border regions and arresting people who purchase ammuntion in large quantities (what constitutes a large quantity was not defined) as well as people who purchase multiple firearms. Specifically anyone paying cash or talking on a cellular telephone at any time during their presence at the gun show was said to be targeted. The impression was given by the report that gun shows are entirely illegitimate and that only criminals attend them. In addition, mention was made of the Arizona gun shop where the owner was arrested but later discharged (the case has been mentioned here on THR). ATF agents showed off sealed brick packs of WOLF ammo and bragged that they had confiscated 8,000 rounds of said ammo.
Most frustrating was the end of the segment where the CNN reporter started going through an evidence locker and talking about thirty AK-47 rifles which were seized in Mexico. He then implies that these were purchased from sporting goods stores in the U.S. and says that they are "Romanian knock-offs". The report then cuts to an ATF agent shooting a fully automatic AK-47 on the firing range. You can tell that this AK-47 is not any of the ones in the previously shown evidence locker since the ones in evidence had thumb-hole stocks and this one has a standard stock. Typical misdirection and substitution. The report also shows fully automatic AK-47s with silencers and implies, but never says directly, that they are American in origin. The report then shows a fully automatic AK-47 being fired at a second chance vest implying that it's only purpose is to kill policemen.
The report also states specifically that the FN 5.7 is a weapon which has no other purpose but to kill policemen and that it is referred to as "Mata Policias" by the cartels. An ATF agent then states that the pistol is in high demand because it can penetrate a bullet resistant vest something which is not true unless you have special AP ammo which is illegal with very few exceptions.
The reason I mention this is because it is obvious that there is an agenda here. The lies and distortions throughout this particular piece were legion; I probably missed some. The segment I've just mentioned was extremely propagandistic in the way it was presented and was clearly meant to demonize gun owners, gun shows, the purchase of bulk ammuntion, the ownership of .308 and .223 rifles in general and AR-15s/AK-47s in particular and to drum up public support for a ban on .50 rifles which were referred to as "war weapons" and the "biggest gun you can legally buy in America".
CNN broadcast a long segment, about ten minutes in length, where CNN correspondents interviewed ATF agents, Mexican Federal Police and Mexican Army officials and all of them blamed the United States for the conflict in Mexico stating that the cartel's arms are virtually all American in origin.
One of the most nauseating parts of the broadcast was the part where the CNN correspondent tried to demonize .50 rifles by showing a building that was shot up by the cartels and which happens to be next to a day care center (a fact that was hammered on again and again in ham fisted fashion). He then panned to a shot of a Barrett rifle despite the fact that no one knew what type of weapon was employed to actually hit the building and despite the fact that no weapon was recovered in this case. I had experience in the Army with .50 machine guns and it appeared to me that the building was on the receiving end of a burst from an M2, something which cannot simply be purchased over the counter. The rounds were too close together and formed a "trail" of sorts as though the shooter was walking the rounds in.
Other parts of the segment were spent demonizing people who purchase ammuntion in bulk or purchase more than one firearm. ATF agents were interviewed on the program stating that they are going to gun shows in Arizona and other border regions and arresting people who purchase ammuntion in large quantities (what constitutes a large quantity was not defined) as well as people who purchase multiple firearms. Specifically anyone paying cash or talking on a cellular telephone at any time during their presence at the gun show was said to be targeted. The impression was given by the report that gun shows are entirely illegitimate and that only criminals attend them. In addition, mention was made of the Arizona gun shop where the owner was arrested but later discharged (the case has been mentioned here on THR). ATF agents showed off sealed brick packs of WOLF ammo and bragged that they had confiscated 8,000 rounds of said ammo.
Most frustrating was the end of the segment where the CNN reporter started going through an evidence locker and talking about thirty AK-47 rifles which were seized in Mexico. He then implies that these were purchased from sporting goods stores in the U.S. and says that they are "Romanian knock-offs". The report then cuts to an ATF agent shooting a fully automatic AK-47 on the firing range. You can tell that this AK-47 is not any of the ones in the previously shown evidence locker since the ones in evidence had thumb-hole stocks and this one has a standard stock. Typical misdirection and substitution. The report also shows fully automatic AK-47s with silencers and implies, but never says directly, that they are American in origin. The report then shows a fully automatic AK-47 being fired at a second chance vest implying that it's only purpose is to kill policemen.
The report also states specifically that the FN 5.7 is a weapon which has no other purpose but to kill policemen and that it is referred to as "Mata Policias" by the cartels. An ATF agent then states that the pistol is in high demand because it can penetrate a bullet resistant vest something which is not true unless you have special AP ammo which is illegal with very few exceptions.
The reason I mention this is because it is obvious that there is an agenda here. The lies and distortions throughout this particular piece were legion; I probably missed some. The segment I've just mentioned was extremely propagandistic in the way it was presented and was clearly meant to demonize gun owners, gun shows, the purchase of bulk ammuntion, the ownership of .308 and .223 rifles in general and AR-15s/AK-47s in particular and to drum up public support for a ban on .50 rifles which were referred to as "war weapons" and the "biggest gun you can legally buy in America".
