(H/T Ace of Spades, NewsBusters, & Hot Air) I’m aware that’s kind of an inflammatory statement, but hear me out.
OK, remember last weekend, when there were a bunch of reports of armed people at the Arizona town hall? Lots of stories of bemused reporters trying to get their heads around the notion that in Arizona you can wander around with an AR-15 –
Which is not a fully automatic weapon, by the way. You can’t buy fully automatic weapons in the USA*. I mention this because this is apparently news to our journalistic class.
– anyway, lots of bemused reporters, not least because of this picture (via here):
Health care rationing protester, by the way. See also this video, and stop at about 0:28.
OK, yup, same guy. Now watch this:
They cropped the video to obscure this guy’s ethnicity. Because it didn’t fit their narrative, which was that they think somebody – somebody white – was going to try to hurt the President.
I usually don’t say this sort of thing all that often, but this is one of those times: this is inexcusable. THIS. WAS. DELIBERATE. They had the clip. They knew that the guy was a peaceful protester making a point about the Second Amendment. They knew that – by definition – he was not a crazy white right-winger itching to take a shot at the President. But they altered his appearance so that it matched their argument that there is an active risk of crazy right-wingers itching to take a shot at the President.
This was an insanely stupid move on MSNBC’s part – and one that was dangerous to the safety of the President of the United States of America, not to mention his security staff. I am appalled that a supposedly reputable news agency would do this.
Moe Lane
Crossposted to RedState.
*[UPDATE] Fine, since people are complaining: for given levels of ‘can’t.’ The ways to do so are complicated, time and money-consuming, and generally not pursued.
Yes, I’m a horrible person for not wanting to get bogged down in that. So stipulated. Next?
Funny how up until yesterday, putting a white face on a black guy was considered racist.
Moe –
Your post includes the following:
“Which is not a fully automatic weapon, by the way. You can’t buy fully automatic weapons in the USA. I mention this because this is apparently news to our journalistic class.”
Not true.
Fully automatic weapons can be purchased by private citizens after undergoing a background check and paying a tax stamp to the Feds.
The weapons themselves are more expensive, and because they go through more ammo they are more expensive to feed.
If I had an extra $5k I could pick up a select fire M-16 or AK-47 down the street at the local Class III firearms shop after all the background niceties.
All the best.
You’re right. I’m continually perplexed as to why these prissy white liberal elites are obsessed with not being racist to the point they actually are racist.
That said, it’s my opinion that this gentleman isn’t the best advertisement for the NRA. I think I get the point he was trying to make, but the “big gun” was “overkill”. This was pointed out to me by my husband who is a life long NRA member and works in law enforcement.
I mention this because this is apparently news to our journalistic class.
There’s a “journalistic class” in America? Really? Where?
putting a white face on a black guy was considered racist.
And blackfacing a jew was considered edgy and cute!
I case you’re wondering what blackfacing jew chic I was referring to Moe — see this
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/joe_lieberman_blackfaced_jane_hamscher_redfaced/
What MSNBC did is inexcusable and par for their course — but lets be clear — the black guy carrying the gun to an Obama event is indeed a crazy right wing ron paulbot of a whack job.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/34486_The_Viper_Militia_and_the_Arizona_Gun_Stunt
ChickaBOOMer: Find The Glaring Omission In This MSNBC Video
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2009/08/find-glaring-omission-in-this-msnbc.html
Can you tell me what you edited out of the video at 21 seconds?
Try either RileyE104 or LamePseudonym1, Sparky: if you had bothered to look you’d have noted that neither video was one of mine.
Above average direct-to-spam commentary on this one; guess it stings a bit.
If you read the book: “Lies my Teacher Told Me” you would find out the truth about our history and just how racist the Democratic part was then, and still is now – they have just learned to twist in to their benefit and call it something else. But they are all still very racist! The use all those people they say are victims of racism, plain and simple, for money, power and politics. That makes me worse than a typical racist – it’s the ones in sheep’s clothing that we need to oust!