Corrections to media mistakes re. guns on FOX

[Pat McGarrity]

There is enough misinformation from anti-gun zealots, salivating to capitalize on the Colorado shootings, without media ignorance adding to it. Below are two correction e-mails sent to FOX News commentators generally not anti-gun, but not very informed on gun law either. I think it's important to correct these mistakes as soon as possible, and to do so in a constructive way as to keep the few in the media on our side that try to report fairly on gun topics.

In Liberty,

Pat

1. To Sean Haniety last Friday:

Hi Sean,

I’m writing to correct something Bo Dietl stated on your program Friday. Mr. Dietl said that there are laws prohibiting the magazines (clips are used for revolvers) that James Holmes misused in his outrageous murders in Colorado last Thursday.

Mr. Dietl is about eight years off in his statement. The 1994 Clinton “assault weapons” ban (actual select fire assault weapons have been restricted since 1934), which was not intended to reduce crime, but was an incremental erosion of our Second Amendment civil rights, expired on September 13th, 2004.

There will be a flood of misinformation that we will be hearing from anti-gun groups salivating to capitalize on this tragedy already, so I wanted to correct Mr. Dietl.

Thank you,

Pat McGarrity

Director – Shelby County, Tennessee Firearms Association

2. To Bill O'Reilly yesterday:

Mr. O’Reilly:

You do a lot of good and many Americans respect your opinion. That’s why I think you would want to know you were mistaken in some of your Monday talking points.

1. A "Heavy Weapon" usually refers to a crew served weapon, a mortar, heavy belt fed machine gun, cannon, etc. A semi-automatic rifle is not defined as a heavy weapon.

2. Since 1998, every firearm sold by every licensed gun dealer is already reported to the FBI through their National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.

3. Rocket launchers (bazookas) are not available to the public and machine guns have been very heavily regulated by BATF since 1934.

We all agree that the murders and attacks committed by James Holmes were outrageous and he rightfully will be held accountable for the numerous existing laws he violated. As you wisely pointed out, making something illegal does not make it impossible. Please note that AMC Theaters are already "gun free zones" and because of their policy, no lawfully armed citizens were in that theater. Policies against legally armed, responsible citizens make emotional leftists like Bill Moyers "feel" safer, but do not, in reality, make anyone safer.

Respectfully,

Pat McGarrity

Shelby County Director – Tennessee Firearms Association

Bartlett, TN

http://www.tfaonline.org