ABC Nightline

[C. Richard Archie]

Watched a piece on Nightline tonight, that stated that 90% of all weapons used by the drug cartels come from the United States. Is there any way that they could be made to substantiate their accusation, or to retract it? They state this pap as fact, and there are plenty of weak minded folks willing to lap it up as truth, the last election proves the intelligence quotient of our vast electorate, and the ability of the "press" to affect its "knowledge" base. Surely they have to provide empirical data from a reputable source, or admit their fabrication? Don't they have a fiduciary responsibility to tell the truth in their broadcast?

The average Joe will believe whatever these spin masters pump out, however, anyone with a scintilla of common sense knows that the cartels can arm themselves much more cheaply than by 'straw" purchases in the US, cost being a factor for any organization, regardless of it's legality. The absurd cost of weapons in the US today due to the panic buying brought on by the election of the Obama Administration would seem to me to preclude the US as an economical source for these people, especially when there are governments that would gladly provide weapons at a much lower cost, governments that hate the United States, who plan and scheme for our downfall.

Do we simply have to live with these spurious untruths, or is there some burden of voracity that can be applied to a "news" organization?

[oldsmobile98]

[johnharris]

When they say "traced" are they talking about nothing more than weapons manufactured by US vendors without regard to whether they were legally exported?

[C. Richard Archie]

There was no mention of the word traced. I listened carefully, the statement was, 90% of guns used by the cartels come from the US. The implication being that we as a nation (US) are suppling the weapons for them. I understand the spin tactic when referencing the "traced" argument, but they did not offer that on this broadcast.

[Tim Nunan]