Journalistic Integrity?

[WhiteFeather]

I personally overheard a certain PA game warden in Allegheny county call gun owners - "gun nuts" and joked to his deputy about it while others took the insult I jumped over all this comment then the game warden corrected the comment to "gun enthusiasts" while still snickering about the original derogatory remark.

http://www.wearethemilitia.org/2007/...integrity.html

Journalistic Integrity?

I was a bit dismayed and a little surprised to hear a CNN Headline News analyst refer to gun owners and "gun nuts" and "Second Amendment literalists" in an offhand comment during a report on the recent TSA report of suspicious activity.

My first reaction was to wonder, "which am I? A gun nut or a Second Amendment literalist?" Then I got to thinking, just what is a "second amendment literalist?" Is there such a thing as a "Second Amendment figurativist?" Should the second amendment, or any amendment to the Constitution be interpreted figuratively? This "journalist" obviously could be characterized as a "First Amendment literalist."

Since he is an African-American, I assume he likes to interpret the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments literally. I'm glad we didn't "figuratively" free the slaves, create equal protection under the law, and recognize the rights of all races to vote.

I suppose we could characterize IRS agents as "16th Amendment literalists." I assure you, I interpret that amendment literally.

To support the notion of interpreting any part of the Constitution figuratively paves the way for its mythologicalization. But really, since barely two centuries have passed since the ratification of the Constitution and the Second Amendment, isn't it a bit soon to interpret it as myth or allegory?

If you think I was upset by the bias involved in the characterization of gun owners as "gun nuts" and "Second Amendment literalists" you probably won't believe how outraged I was when I sought a transcript of the report to include in my commentary.

This is what I found on CNN.com's transcript archive (emphasis mine).

CLARK KENT ERVIN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: TSA is right to say that they receive reports of suspicious incidents all the time. But this is really out of the ordinary. You know people who are gun enthusiasts or Second Amendment enthusiasts often have guns that they sometimes forget at airports.

This is not simply a transcription error. This is a blatant attempt to cover up an inconvenient gaff.

I'm beginning to wonder if there ever really was such a thing as "journalistic integrity."

UPDATE (7/30/07): I've forked over $38 for a DVD of the episode in question. It could take up to six weeks so this should be long buried by the time I have another update.

Posted on July 26, 2007 12:10 PM

[OneLungMcClung]

Keep it posted. I want to know what happens. These cunts run their collective mouths in the media then act the wounded kitten when they are called on it. Senator Biden's comments towards a legitimate gun owner during the YouTube debate are an example. I hate these people - the are hypocrits. Good on you for staying on it.

[KeithPA]

Well I mean technically a tax literalist. I guess now I'll just have to switch that over to a enthusiast.