I hate to come burst any bubbles but they are the DEA not the ATF. While the ATF has people who are also far from experts on firearms that is thier primary task and critique of thier inexperience on the topic would be valid. The DEA's business is drugs. They use guns in both offensive and defensive roles, but they are simply tools used. They know something about the tools they are issued and attempt to know how to clear and render those they are not familiar with safe.
They do not need to know everything about guns that are found or even guns that may be shot at them.
A major mistake civilians make regarding both police and the military is that they are experts on firearms including firearms they never use. They ususaly are not even experts on thier own firearms. Even some of the best soldiers know only basic knowledge about the tools they use. Some are very knowledgeable about some small arms, but that is at an individual level. They know what works what is reliable and have some input on what they prefer, but they are not the experts on the tool.
They are supposed to be experts on the tactics used, not excessively educated on the tools used in those tactics.
They may even give interviews and press releases on weapons, but there is many civilians far more knowledeable.
Thier job is not to know everything about the tools in thier job, and especialy tools not used by them (like the guns of others they are not issued.)
How many people here are experts on every single tool or piece of machinery they use in thier profession?
Since we are using a computer, how many people who know little about computers work with them everyday? Does a surgeon need to know exactly how thier scalpel was made, the specific alloy, and the process to make it?
Should they devote more time to that or to actualy learning more about subjects useful to them?
Even the tactical paramilitary teams are not firearm experts. They use the tools they have and should learn to use them well. They are still not the experts on those tools. The people who make them and design them are.
Thier job is being a paramilitary tactical team that performs successful raids.
If they need a new weapon to accomplish a task they will ask some guy that is an expert on firearms and they will recommend a caliber and platform.
Even the military is not the experts on weapons, most weapons are made by private contractors. Most research and development is done by civilian contractors.
The military's role is to use those tools to accomplish objectives. There is still civilians out there that know far more about the tools they are using (though they may have security clearances that don't allow them to discuss thier work or give press releases which demonstrate that.)
LEO and soldiers are not experts on weapons. Most do not claim to be.
Many individual LEO do appear to have a sense of arrogance around them that can be misinterpreted, but it is part of demanding obedience. They are trying to take control of situations, thier jurisdictions, press releases etc So they act like they are the authority and in control even when they are not. Part of being in control of situations is both taking control and others believing you are in control. People resist less and obey more when they believe the people they are giving control to are actualy better suited to being in control. So a lot of the attitude is simply part of the LEO role.
For example they cannot tell the public in a press release they are powerless to stop the rampaging psyco on the loose even if they are. They soothe, comfort, and try to use the appearant position of being the expert to thier political advantage in the passage of laws or restrictions.
You see that in "cracking down on guns" in some cities. Or needing a larger budget. etc etc
Additional reality TV shows are awful. For every episode many hours of footage are filmed. They then condense entire days into a short episode. It becomes the editors who choose how foolish someone looks or what type of personality they appear to have. The nicest friendliest person can have every time they did something less than polite highlighted, exaggerated with lighting and camera effects and appear to be a total jerk in a reality show.
If I filmed everything you did for several weeks or months, every comment or look you made, I could edit all that footage into a few hours that made you out to be whatever type of person I wanted. Good, bad, ignorant, etc A patient person could be made to appear impatient.
Conflict or controversy, fear, or other strong emotion creating scenes interest people and create ratings.
So conflict and controversy tend to be what is highlighted out of days of footage in reality TV shows.
You could have a group of great people together and make them appear to be horrible rude and stupid. You could have a group of morons and make them appear to be dedicated and intelligent.
It is all in the hands of the editor. It is kinda like history. More of the story is left out than is told, so the editor of the story can determine the overall appearance.
You could have 500 Xs and 10 Ys, but if every Y is mentioned in detail and only 2 Xs are covered then it appears there was more Ys to everyone.
. Of course I have been a fan of summer since Firefly.
