USA –-(Ammoland.com)- “In Interviews, Author Doesn’t Credit Reporters Who Broke Fast and Furious,” M. Catherine Evans of American Thinker posted today.
She’s referring to Katie Pavlich’s media tour promoting her new book, “Fast and Furious,” and specifically to work by this correspondent, Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars, and Seattle Gun Rights Examiner (among his many other journalistic hats) Dave Workman going unacknowledged.
Ms.Pavlich’s reply was posted as a follow-up, where she cites references crediting us for our work.
Because this has been brought to my attention before, and because it appears to be one of contention among our respective readerships, it’s appropriate that it be addressed in this column.
Naturally, both Mike Vanderboegh and I appreciate acknowledgment for our extensive and ongoing efforts, which readers can see for themselves in my nine-volume (to date) “Journalist’s Guides to Project Gunwalker,” encompassing from Mike’s first post on Dec. 28, 2010, through to the present, and including everything we have published thus far (and more revelations we can’t talk about now are on the way).
So thanks are in order to Ms. Evans, for recognizing that and sharing it so passionately with her readers. I am grateful.
This issue also came up the other day on Facebook, and here was my response:
In re Katie Pavlich’s book, you can search and read selections online at Amazon and she has several references to Mike and my contributions–I have not read the whole thing yet but am inclined to view this as a good thing to help spread the word, she has done a lot of original research with her own sources, come up with new findings, put in untold hours and deserves to be compensated and recognized for that. I appreciate your kind sentiments that include me, but I am encouraging people to view the book as a win for our side–plus, you have to admit, she’s a much more telegenic spokesperson than me or the ornery old guy with the cane.
I may have been using a bit of hyperbole there because I AM damn pretty. Just ask me. And the fact of the matter is, when I do interviews, which are invariably fast-paced, I primarily focus on Mike’s and my contributions and only rarely mention the work of others—there’s just so much to deal with. I generally find they’re over before I know it, and usually come to them with a lot more material than I ever get to bring up. If Ms. Pavlich goes on a program to talk about her book, I would expect her to only have time to present a general outline of highlights during the brief time she gets to speak, especially as she will be responding to questions from the host.
Mike Vanderboegh and I are confident that as this story continues to unravel, our documented contributions will not be forgotten. We’re looking forward to further outstanding efforts from correspondents like Sharyll Attkisson, William La Jeunesse, Katie Pavlich, Bob Owens, Dave Workman, Kurt Hofmann, Jeff Knox, Michelle Malkin, M. Catherine Evans–and now I’m going to get in trouble for not including more names*. We’ll continue to do our best to produce work worthy of recognition by Ms. Evans, Ms. Pavlich, Ms. Malkin, and, perhaps someday, by others, although I don’t expect to see our old friends the “Authorized Journalists” champing at the bit to do anything more than what most have done to date, that is, ignore, mishandle, misdirect and flat-out lie to support their agenda.
We need all of us putting our shoulders to the wheel and bringing our pieces of the story into the public forum as best we can because it’s evident the MSM has no intentions of doing its job. But if anyone’s interested, the last name is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable and a long “o,” kind of like “Gloria”…
* [How could I forget Matthew Boyle? And…]
About David Codrea
David Codrea is a long-time gun rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He is a field editor for GUNS Magazine, and a blogger at The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance. Read more at www.DavidCodrea.com.
