United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- The media coverage Freedom Convoy is providing Second Amendment supporters another reminder of the tactics of our enemies. In this case, let’s take a look at the smear Justin Trudeau leveled at the protests.
Trudeau’s smear was aided by media that views the truckers’ complaints as illegitimate, and which took a number of things way out of context to try to help Trudeau’s smear stick. They went to some great lengths to do it, too.
When I’ve counseled here that Second Amendment supporters need to be mindful of how they come across and not give in to some understandable impulses, smears like the ones aimed at the Freedom Convoy are just the latest reason why. While it might be easy to just brush off media bias as something that happens on a day ending in “Y,” it’s a mistake.
Let’s take a look at some numbers. Tucker Carlson, the top cable news host drew nearly 3.8 million viewers in late January. The night news broadcasts from ABC, NBC, and CBS came in at just under 22 million, according to a recent TVNewser.com report. In other words, the network news broadcasts get over five and a half times the viewership of perhaps the most prominent pro-Second Amendment voice on a TV news channel.
The fact of the matter is that the biases of the vast majority of national media must be taken into account by Second Amendment supporters. That’s the reality Second Amendment supporters face. Pointing that reality out is not “finger-wagging,” it is caring enough about the Second Amendment to tell Second Amendment supporters the truth about the present landscape.
It would be excellent if we had a media that could tell the truth about Second Amendment issues. A media that could call out big-city mayors for attacking our Second Amendment rights when they have made it harder for police to do their jobs would be nice to have. Reporters who would ask the Justice Department why they don’t take Project Exile nationwide, especially in big cities with sky-high violent crime rates, would be awesome to have. A news anchor who points out to someone advocating a gun rationing scheme that such conduct already violates multiple provisions of 18 USC 922 and 18 USC 924 would make for a highly informative moment.
Unfortunately, that is not the media we have in America right now and changing that is going to be a long-term effort. Until such change comes, Second Amendment supporters will have to work around these biases, starting by building relationships with local reporters, being mindful of the double standards present in today’s media climate, and knowing the right approach to use in our efforts to protect our freedoms.
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.