NPR and the AK47

[Monkeyleg]

Last Sunday I was driving back from a range in eastern AL, and the only station I could get on the radio was NPR out of Birmingham. The comedy show I was listening to was actually pretty good, so I kept the station on. After the show they went to "All Things Considered", and did a segment on the AK47.

They interviewed the author of a book on guns who quickly revealed his bias. The reporter asked him for reasons why the AK is so popular, and he said that it's easy to shoot (compared to what?), and will shoot in just about any conditions.

He then went on to describe numbers of production, and the AK's role in global conflicts. The reporter asked why the AK is so often involved in wars in the Third World, and he said it was because of the AK's durability, in that the weapon lasts for decades. This is true for just about any gun except a Lorcin, so he lost me on that one.

The reporter then went on to ask what could be done about the proliferation of this "evil gun" (her words), and if there was a way to stop sales of them throughout the world. The author didn't really have an answer, but did say a lot of things that simply were not true, both from technical standpoints as well as political.

There was more to the story, but I think you get the gist of it. This is the sort of "reporting" that drove me away from NPR years ago, and makes me want it defunded now.

[HankB]

What I've noticed about NPR (and, for that matter, most other "news" organizations) is that when someone speaks in a manner that supports their political bias, they simply nod agreeably and allow everything said to go unchallenged. If asked, they'll just say they were showing basic courtesy and allowing their guest to exercise his First Amendment rights.

On the other hand, they're not at all shy about interrupting and arguing with people from the other end of the political spectrum - behavior which they'll explain by saying "challenging a guest's assertions is just good journalism."

As Sarah Palin termed them, they really ARE "corrupt ba$t@rd$."

[lee n. field]

This is the sort of "reporting" that drove me away from NPR years ago, and makes me want it defunded now.

I stopped listening regularly long ago, for the sake of my sanity.

I recall a piece they did, wherein a reporter went to a gun shop.  The proprietor was described as "brandishing" a gun.  "NO!", I yelled at the car radio, "what he is doing is showing you the gun you asked to see.  Brandishing is a legal term.  You can get in a lot of trouble for 'brandishing'."

Defunded and driven from polite society, to dwell under the bridge with Michael Bellesiles, would be my preference.

[White Horseradish]

The guy has got to be CJ Chivers. He wrote a book about the AK and has been plugging it all over the place.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/03/books/03book.html

Chivers is quite biased and the "evil gun" was probably a quote from his book.

[Monkeyleg]

That's him. The word "evil" was used by the reporter/journalist/interviewer in her questioning, though.

I wonder if it's occurred to either Chivers or the interviewer that roughly half of the people with AK's in these conflicts need them to defend against the other half (the bad guys)?

[Fly320s]

This is the sort of "reporting" that drove me away from NPR years ago, and makes me want it defunded now.

I agree, but wish to add that public funds should be canceled for all radio/tv/internet/papers/etc regardless of political leanings and/or bias.  Let them stand on their own two feet.

[Gowen]

These people got it all wrong.  The hero's of Rodinia produced these by the millions and gave them to the peoples of the world.  This was done to bring down the evil, capitalistic, earth polluting, xenophobe, Americans.  Somebody there did not get the memo.

[Perd Hapley]

Defunded and driven from polite society, to dwell under the bridge with Michael Bellesiles, would be my preference.

Sadly, Mr. Bellesiles is still publishing on the subject of "violence," and (according to Wiki) still lectures in academia. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bellesiles#Life_after_Arming_America

[RoadKingLarry]

That's him. The word "evil" was used by the reporter/journalist/interviewer in her questioning, though.

I wonder if it's occurred to either Chivers or the interviewer that roughly half of the people with AK's in these conflicts need them to defend against the other half (the bad guys)?

but, but, but... That just perpetuates violence...

There is one NPR station that plays classical music all night, I tune them in sometimes on my long dark drives.

[White Horseradish]

That's him. The word "evil" was used by the reporter/journalist/interviewer in her questioning, though.

I'm reasonably sure I heard him mention that in an interview somewhere.

I wonder if it's occurred to either Chivers or the interviewer that roughly half of the people with AK's in these conflicts need them to defend against the other half (the bad guys)?

Probably not. Then again, in some conflicts there are no good guys...

[MillCreek]

I listen to NPR every single day.  I appreciate the depth and breadth of coverage. 

[Monkeyleg]

I listen to NPR every single day.  I appreciate the depth and breadth of coverage.

Interesting. I have yet to listen to NPR for more than an hour without hearing at least some very blatant bias.

As for breadth of coverage, this story was promoted at the beginning of the program as an in-depth look at the Kalashnikov rifle. When they finally got around to the story, it consisted of these parts: mention that the AK-47 was introduced in 1947 after the Soviets realized that the Germans' SG-38 was an effective weapon; introduction of Chivers; question about why the AK-47 is so common in foreign conflicts; what can be done about proliferation; thank you, Mr. Chivers.

That's not "breadth", at least in my book.

[roo_ster]

Interesting. I have yet to listen to NPR for more than an hour without hearing at least some very blatant bias.

As for breadth of coverage, this story was promoted at the beginning of the program as an in-depth look at the Kalashnikov rifle. When they finally got around to the story, it consisted of these parts: mention that the AK-47 was introduced in 1947 after the Soviets realized that the Germans' SG-38 was an effective weapon; introduction of Chivers; question about why the AK-47 is so common in foreign conflicts; what can be done about proliferation; thank you, Mr. Chivers.

That's not "breadth", at least in my book.

A "Broad Mind" is just a "Narrow Mind" rotated 90 degrees.

[MillCreek]

Interesting. I have yet to listen to NPR for more than an hour without hearing at least some very blatant bias.

Bias is always in the mind of the beholder, and I try to access media across the political spectrum to broaden my point of view.

[MillCreek]

I am going to have to put this book on reserve at the library.  I read the NYT review and note that the author is a former Marine.

[GigaBuist]

Frank W. James reviewed that book a while ago.  He didn't seem too fond of it.

http://frankwjames.blogspot.com/2010/12/book-review-gun.html

I know Tamara K. did a review too, more favorable from what I remember, but can't find the link to her blog right now.  Kinda hard to find a reference to "the gun" on there via a search engine. :)

Edit:  Found it:  http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2010/11/afk-brb.html

[KD5NRH]

He then went on to describe numbers of production, and the AK's role in global conflicts. The reporter asked why the AK is so often involved in wars in the Third World, and he said it was because of the AK's durability, in that the weapon lasts for decades. This is true for just about any gun except a Lorcin, so he lost me on that one.

True, but the AK lasts under adverse conditions in the hands of an unskilled user.  Most rifles need maintenance every now and then.  For the AK and the SKS, "maintenance" consisting of cycling the rusted-in-place bolt once or twice with a mallet will keep it going for years.

[gunsmith]

NPR has some good music shows, but I wont listen to it.
I have two conservative friends who do because of all the so called yelling on regular talk radio and adds on regular news radio. I've given up on trying to convert them

[roo_ster]

NPR has some good music shows, but I wont listen to it.
I have two conservative friends who do because of all the so called yelling on regular talk radio and adds on regular news radio. I've given up on trying to convert them

NPR airs advertisements, as does all public radio.

[Perd Hapley]

I listen to NPR every single day.  I appreciate the depth and breadth of coverage. 

They have their place, of course.

Like most "news" outlets, they can't really report on what's going on, simply because they do not understand it or just won't be honest about it. I find I'm better-informed if I avoid such disinformation.

[BReilley]

What I've noticed about NPR (and, for that matter, most other "news" organizations) is that when someone speaks in a manner that supports their political bias, they simply nod agreeably and allow everything said to go unchallenged. If asked, they'll just say they were showing basic courtesy and allowing their guest to exercise his First Amendment rights.

...

As Sarah Palin termed them, they really ARE "corrupt ba$t@rd$."

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2010/01/08/maddow-obama-1st-yr-most-accomplished-generation-cold-winter-sign-glo#ixzz18R3LhGvo

The last quoted line at the above link is from Rachel Maddow, and it's an example of the "nod agreeably and allow everything said to go unchallenged" method.  Dennis Prager loves to play the sound clip, during which you hear Letterman go "mhm, mhm" as Maddow drops a line so patently stupid it would make your four-year-old go "huh?", as an example of how the left will just redefine language when it gets discredited or caught in a lie(think about it... what did "liberal" mean 150 years ago?).

If Palin truly did say that, my hat is off to her for calling them out on bias, if not for using profanity.  I don't want public figures using anything worse than "damn".  It diminishes the dignity of their office and the perception of their character.

NPR airs advertisements, as does all public radio.

Yes, they certainly do.  However, I'll say that their brief live-read mentions are quite bearable.  The awful periodic pledge drives are another thing altogether.  I'd sooner listen to a station of solid business advertisements than listen to reporters beg.

I listen to NPR for "Car Talk", which is mostly apolitical, and "Wait Wait" and "What Do You Know" because they're funny.  During the weekday, it's AM all the way.

[Perd Hapley]

The last quoted line at the above link is from Rachel Maddow, and it's an example of the "nod agreeably and allow everything said to go unchallenged" method.  Dennis Prager loves to play the sound clip, during which you hear Letterman go "mhm, mhm" as Maddow drops a line so patently stupid it would make your four-year-old go "huh?"

I'm scratching my head that Michael Steele was someone she would actually try to present as a scary, crazy, Obama-opposing Tea Party-er. 

[RoadKingLarry]

I am going to have to put this book on reserve at the library.  I read the NYT review and note that the author is a former Marine.

So was Murtha.

[Harold Tuttle]

NPR is an amalgam of production companies

[sanglant]

That's him. The word "evil" was used by the reporter/journalist/interviewer in her questioning, though.

I wonder if it's occurred to either Chivers or the interviewer that roughly half of the people with AK's in these conflicts need them to defend against the other half (the bad guys)?

"oh god no, we can't have people defending them selves. if people can defend them selves, how are the nice UN troups(spelling to avoid grouping this pile of crap with real troops) going to rape, and rob them?