From time to time, reports come out that are so counternarrative that they merit an extended look. Just such a story caught our attention on a recent edition of Noticiero Telemundo.
Stories about increased lawful gun ownership are usually followed by some sort of gun control narrative. That, however, was not the case when Noticiero Telemundo ran this story about an ongoing spike in lawful gun sales south of the border:
INGRID BARRERA, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: The sound of the bullets is heard loading the 'Dark Girl of Fire' as the gun is called by its owner. It's a 38 calibre pistol, and its mission, its owner says, is to protect his family. For security, the man prefers not to reveal his identity,but he assures he acquired the gun legally, and he's willing to do anything to protect his own.
It is worth noting that the anchor led into the story by noting that demand for firearms has increased ninefold over the past fifteen years due to the ongoing wave of violence in Mexico - depite the onerous permit process (four months). Correspondent Ingrid Barrera filed her report from Mexico's only authorized gun dealer (I think I pass more FFLs than that on my commute home from work but I digress), and there was no demonization of the lawful gun owner who just seeks to protect his family.
There was balance in the way of the Mexican army colonel who expressed his open preference that private citizens not own any firearms whatsoever (It is worth noting that the Mexican constitution contains very tight restrictions on the individual right to keep and bear arms).
It was shocking to see a gun ownership story that featured no link to a domestic gun control agena item, that didn't blame Mexico's cartel violence on the Second Amendment, or went without blaming the "very powerful " NRA for yet another failed infringement on our right to keep and bear arms.
It just goes to show you that some media trust its viewers to watch a story and arrive at its own conclusions, without the need to impose an editorial agenda. Everyone is better served when this happens.
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