Our 2004 Man of the Year, Ronnie Barrett of Barrett Rifles, has once again given the firearms industry a lesson is both integrity and how to deal with the media after the AP ripped him in a wire story. Read the whole brouhaha here at Say Uncle. In short, an AP business writer misrepresented herself and the type story she was going to write to Barrett, then did the usual mornoci Violence Policy Center hack job. Instead of taking it lying down, Barrett struck back, demanding that AP stand up and correct the inaccuracies.
Amazingly, AP did exactly that!
Bravo, Ronnie!
Here's the bottom line: Ronnie Barrett shouldn't be out there all by himself! Our organizations need to get their heads out of their ALL HUNTING ALL THE TIME butts and start supporting people like Ronnie Barrett, who has done more for honesty in media that all our big trade organizations squared. We can win this fight, and we damn well better win it before President Hillary turns the keys to the government treasury over to the antigun weasels.
We do not need more press releases about 8-year-olds going deer hunting! We need attack dogs, media experts who know how the game is played and are willing to wade into the fray! In case you haven't been paying attention, the Republican hegemony is shaking to its roots, and the quail are scattering for cover. We need to nail down our successes, and that means we need to understand that a media attack against ONE is an attack against ALL! There is no difference between a sporting clays shotgun, a .50 caliber rifle, a P-90 semiauto, a Ruger cowboy revolver or a plastic Glock! Hang together or hang separately, kiddies!
Ain't it a shame, five days after this post and no comments. Seems the gun industry's no different than it was in the early 90's when 'domestic' manufacturers urged Daddy Bush to outlaw "imported" foreign assault rifles that were cutting into AR-15 and Mini-14 sales. Michael, are we the only two media veterans who both own guns and recognize what's gonna happen as soon as the GOP slips its control on Capitol Hill?
ReplyDeleteThis is the absurdity of the world we live in. Those with an agenda and a pulpit proclaim it ceaselessly and without rebuke until the majority of the country/world believe it as fact. I thought there would be a change with the internet and the availability of information, but sadly I only see people looking for proof that they are correct despite the fact that they are most likely wrong...
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid the usefulness of the NRA is long past and we need to elevate organizations that still have the stomach for fighting like GOA and JPFO...
I can't believe how much of this I just wasn't aware of. Thank you for bringing more information to this topic for me. I'm truly grateful and really impressed.
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