(AP Photo/Miguel Tovar)
The lies continue.
This time, supposedly "conservative" Fox News parrots them:
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms reports that the U.S. is responsible for close to 90 percent of the high-powered weapons that find their way to the Mexican drug cartels.
No they do not either--at least not under oath. As we've already seen, here is what they say:
According to ATF’s Tracing Center, 90 percent of the firearms about which ATF receives information are traceable to the United States.
Even gun-hater supreme John Kerry can see the difference:
Kerry said that only about one out of every four weapons seized by Mexican authorities last year was submitted to ATF to be traced back to purchasers and sellers in the United States, and he urged the Mexican government to provide ATF with fuller access to these weapons.
Not 90% of the cartels' firearms. 90% of 25% of only the minuscule fraction of guns reported seized (vs. actually seized?), with no indication of what percentage of those seizures came from cartel members vs., say, rival corrupt government officials or police, or citizens "illegally" protecting themselves from all factions...
But never one to waste the advantage of a good lie, Kerry is quick to capitalize on a "solution" guaranteed to infringe on your rights and mine, but one that will not make a bit of difference to the violent cartels--except to make their activities on this side of the border a lot less risky.
Sending National Guard to the U.S. border of Mexico is "premature and possibly counterproductive," but reviving the assault weapons ban would help end the drug-related violence in Mexico, Sen. John Kerry said Monday.
Again, Kerry et al. know what they're proposing won't work, but they demand going forward with it anyway. The question is, are we going to let them get away with infringing on our rights to advance their agenda?
Well funded anti-self defense campaigners, politicians and their ministers who enjoy taxpayer-funded protection, and a complicit media are propagating a lie in order to swindle you out of your rights. There is a way to get to the bottom of things, but you won't hear it from them.
Ask yourself who could be opposed to ATF officials--testifying under oath--as to the complete truth of what they know about Mexican cartel guns? Besides someone who finds an advantage in suppressing the truth?
Forget the gun rights issue for a moment--you'd think it would be a matter of national security.
I will have more. I've already got my source material for the next installment.
------------
More truth about Mexican cartel guns
Kurt Hofmann tells us "Mexican drug cartels do not need U.S. gun shops in order to arm themselves."
Dan Gifford writes about "The ‘America Is Arming Mexico’s Drug Gangs’ Lie."
------------
CHL privacy bill pulled in OR
Oregon Firearms Federation calls our attention to some legislative treachery.
In what has become an all-too-regular occurrence, a bill that could benefit gun owners has been pulled from the schedule.
------------
Second Amendment forum
Buckeye Firearms Association tells us:
The Geauga Constitutional Council will host "The 2nd Amendment Forum" on Friday April 24 at 5:30PM.
If you're anywhere near northeast Ohio, you can find out how to attend by clicking here.
------------
Fun 'n Gun
Ohioans for Concealed Carry remind us their fifth annual event is fast approaching:
This event will be a combination of basic tactical training and IDPA type scenario shoots. Geared for both beginning and advanced shooters, it promises to be a day of fun shooting for all!
Check out other Gun Rights Examiners:
- Atlanta: Atlanta's gun free zones are not free of guns
- Austin: Gun control and addiction (Part 2)
- Charlotte: LibertyTUBE TV: ‘Gun controlled’
- Cleveland: We're not so paranoid after all
- DC: Federal court's injunction against National Park gun ban repeal fails giggle test
- Denver: Who is buying the guns in Mexico?
- Los Angeles: Gun owners: paranoid, or predicting accurately for generations?
- Milwaukee: New anti-gun ”feel good” bills now in committee in WI Capital. CORRECTION
- Minneapolis: Should blogging require government registration?
- Seattle: Suing for civil rights and looking for a new Seattle top cop
- St. Louis: Mexican drug cartels do not need U.S. gun shops in order to arm themselves
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin self defense laws
Comments
by themselves, those "90%" quotes seem truthful enough. so the question is, do they mean to refer to other ideas placed in context around them? or are they weasel words?
"... the U.S. is responsible for close to 90 percent of the high-powered weapons ..."
yes, 99% and 100% are both very close to 90%. yes, the US _government_ is responsible -- they're ordering them and having them sent to the mexican government. it doesn't say "americans are responsible" or "gun shows in the US are responsible." this is because that would be an outright lie.
next one.
"According to ATF’s Tracing Center, 90 percent of the firearms about which ATF receives information are traceable to the United States."
well, "the firearms about which ATF receives information" includes all firearms within the US plus these government-ordered firearms leaving the US. what a big surprise -- of the 200+ million guns made in the US and owned in the US or sold from the US, most of them are traceable to the US.
thank god for the ATF.
You can thank whomever you wish for the ATF, jon - if you really mean that. And, while you are at it, you might pray for some honest discernment.
Disarming ordinary people isn't going to reduce the carnage in Mexico, but will most certainly increase the bloodshed on our own streets as the criminals take over.
The victim disarmers simply cannot ever disarm the criminals who prey on us. And, obviously, that's not what they want anyway.
Well, if the 90% figure is true, the next logical question is whether they source from US civilian market, or from the US military market in sales of military and non-military weapons to Mexico, and to central and south American nations.
It is a wholly reasonable assumption that the Mexican government is not being entirely forthright about the weapons supposedly seized from the drug cartels.
"90% of 25% of only the minuscule fraction"
Quick lesson in statistics: If 90% of any significant sample (saaayyyy 25%?) comes back as "positive" you can safely assume, within reason, that somewhere around 90% (with a margin of error) of the entire sample will be "positive" as well. Thats how polls are conducted. Get it? Do you think the entire country is polled when Gallup puts out its presidential election numbers? I don't want to take your guns away or anything, but if you're going to refute facts at least know what you're talking about.
Nick - How many guns that are seized that have no serial numbers or are obviously from some home workshop (or Pakistani gun market) do you think the ATF bothers "tracing"? There is some selectivity going on there, or the ATF agents are dumber than even I think they are.
Nick - Your argument would carry some weight _if_ the 25% in question was _representative_ of the remainder. David explicitly notes one ways in which it is not: <i>"90% of 25% of only the minuscule fraction of guns reported seized (vs. actually seized?)..."</i>
There is also a bias in the selection (the 25%) that get sent for tracing: if the weapon in question is a full auto AK47 there is no sense in sending it to the ATF as there are almost none of those registered in the U.S. Other categories in the 75%: obviously from home workshop, no serial number, serial number known to be "owned" by Mexican government, etc.
You said: "...but if you're going to refute facts at least know what you're talking about." How about taking your own advice?
Nick, as a matter of fact I have formal training in statistics and your statement is only true if you're discussing a random sample from the greater population. If, as is suspected, the Mexicans are cherry picking those confiscated weapons that they know are from US sources then they have poisoned the process and rendered any use of statistics impossible. If the sample isn't random then we are being gamed by doctored results pure and simple. But then that has always been a technique near and dear to the Bradys and the rest of their gun banning crowd.
I mocking TIMEs silly TIME FLIES TV ad a few years ago is should go TIME LIES AND YOU SHOULD CARE,TIME LIES SO DONT BE THERE BOYCOTT TIME YOU,LL UNDERSTAND
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!