Will the upcoming ABC special "If I Only Had a Gun" dismiss and deride the concept of using firearms to defend oneself and stop a potential massacre? A promo that aired during Wednesday's "Good Morning America" seemed to suggest yes. As ominous music played in the background, an announcer intoned, "Friday night on ABC, when it comes to protecting yourself, you may think, 'If I only had a gun.'" Video then played of an experiment in which a female college student attempted to pull out what looked like a pellet gun to stop a faux Virginia Tech-style massacre.
The ad's announcer quizzed, "But if you had a gun, could you defend yourself in a crisis?" After an unidentified voice asked the young woman where she would be if this had been real, she responded, "Probably on the floor. Hopefully in an ambulance." More video showed young children pointing real guns at each other and themselves. The announcer solemnly wondered, "What about the irresistible pull of guns on kids and how easy can you get them? Diane Sawyer investigates with David Muir. 'If I Only Had a Gun.' One stunning hour."
"Good Morning America" has been promoting the special all week. On Monday, reporter David Muir filed a segment on the tragic shootings last week in Pittsburgh and New York. He featured a clip from the very anti-Second Amendment group, The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. But, no identification of their political affiliation was made on the show.
The special will air at 10pm on Friday, April 10. Viewers probably shouldn't be surprised if the hour long program gives little attention to the Second Amendment side of the argument. A 2000 study by the Media Research Center found that ABC provided some of the worst coverage on the issue of gun control.
A transcript of the ad, which aired at 7:42am on April 8, during a commercial break from "Good Morning America, follows:
ANNOUNCER: Friday night on ABC, when it comes to protecting yourself, you may think, "If I only had a gun." But if you had a gun, could you defend yourself in a crisis? [Video of a faux school shooting where a young woman tries to shoot a 'gunman' with a pellet gun.]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where do you think you'd be right now?
FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT: Probably on the floor. Hopefully in an ambulance.
ANNOUNCER: [Video of young children and teens pointing guns at each other and themselves] What about the irresistible pull of guns on kids and how easy can you get them? Diane Sawyer investigates with David Muir. "If I Only Had a Gun." One stunning hour. Friday at 10/9 central on ABC.
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.




















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I did have a gun
April 8, 2009 - 16:05 ET by FranksamOne night a few years ago, I walked a babysitter from our house to hers. Returning to my house, I noticed a couple of teenaged males across the street, walking in my direction. They hesitated behind a truck on their side of the street, so I slowed down and pulled my .380 Sig out of my pocket and chambered a round. The response from across the street was, "Nobody's going to mess with you, man.". How about if didn't have a gun?
I didn't point a gun at anybody, and nobody got hurt, especially me.
The sad thing is
April 8, 2009 - 16:24 ET by Jack Hermanthat had you needed to fire upon these thugs, you would probably be the one under indictment. In addition to that how many civil action. They only wanted to talk to you about the weather, and you the Neanderthal shot them down. They were only carrying knives because they had been whittling in their Boy SWcouts meeting. The illegal firearm they were carrying; they found it on the street and were on the way to the police station to turn it in. (So goes the liberal response to any self-defense story)
Get u-r own gun!
April 8, 2009 - 16:46 ET by MaximusBraveheartThat is WHY we each need a few of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D99NHb6B03s&NR=1
Just ordered a Ruger LCP for my wife. Still a long wait so it could be months still. I was reading
Montana or somewhere up there was going to make their own guns labeled for use
and sale in their State only. That way the Fed regs would not apply. They want
to fight the Feds in court saying they have no jurisdiction. TEXAS needs to
make some in-state machine guns sold only to Texans!
M-B
M-B
Sweet prototype!
April 10, 2009 - 00:13 ET by rbosqueSweet prototype!
This is more proof of the
April 8, 2009 - 16:11 ET by mattmThis is more proof of the lack of intelligence of Liberals. They don't have the brain capacity to think beyond the first level of any issue.
They can't measure how many people did NOT die because someone had a gun, so they consider it absurd to think guns can actually save lives.
It's either that, or they are deliberately lying in order to push an agenda that will eventually lead to the enslavement of the individual.
Who can defend you, except you?
April 8, 2009 - 16:16 ET by Red JeepThe Police can’t defend you. Like firemen the police do not prevent things from happening. They are a rescue squad or an after the fact, facts recorder, and yellow tape hangers.
So what is ABC’s preferred defense tool? Run like hell?
ABC’s preferred defense tool?
April 8, 2009 - 16:22 ET by SickofLibsJust lay down like a sheep and pray the person laying down next to you gets it instead of you.
Lowest common denominator?
April 8, 2009 - 16:20 ET by klchadwickWhy is it that so many "news" organizations always pander to and use as examples, the lowest common denominator in EVERY and ALL equations?
A female college student attempting to pull out a pellet gun (in order to simulate a real gun presumably, because heaven knows we can't be giving anyone ideas by showing one of those!) in order to try to shoot a "gunman" in a VT type massacre? And the female student hopes that she is in an ambulance rather than on the floor (once again presumably dead or injured)?!?!? What did they do, just pull some random chick out of the "co-ed quad" at a school and ask her to play this out? In this hypothetical circumstance that they attempt to recreate, I am wondering if the girl that they chose has ever fired a real gun in her life. Has she had any firearms training? Is she a firm believe in the 2nd Amendment? Sorry...too many variables, zero constants and absolutely no background.
Secondly, why is it that the female college student is given a pellet gun (I'm surprised it wasn't a water gun) and yet they chose to use propaganda style images of children pointing REAL guns at each other and themselves? That is quite frankly a bit sickening. Where were these kids parents during this "playtime" and how could they allow this? I am a conservative, female college graduate who was also in the military and is a parent of a four year old. I have been a member of the NRA my entire adult life, am a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment rights, and had firearms training even before I went into the military. I own a handgun but more importantly I know how to use it! I know how to take it apart and put it back together again with my eyes closed as well as how to load a mag, how to tell if a gun is loaded, how to unload a loaded weapon, how to clean and maintain said weapon and I also know the laws concerning the use of one. I say all of this because there is a lot more to "using" a gun then just point and shoot.
Also, even though I am pro-gun, a gun owner and am trained in use and safety of firearms, I would never, ever, ever, ever, let my child near one until she is at the age that she can understand what it is, what it does and how to use it. How irresponsible are these people letting kids even "play" with real guns? If my child is in the car with me when my gun is present (ex: going to the firing range) I make sure that not only is the gun NOT loaded, but I don't load the clips and lock the gun in one safe while locking the empty mags and bullets in another safe and make sure that they are both out of her reach. I don't want there to be any chance that she can access any of the components, separately or together, at any time. Isn't this what responsible gun ownership, to say nothing about responsible parenting, is all about?
The Family That Shoots Together...
April 9, 2009 - 16:09 ET by moovovaCouldn't have said it better. +1 for your comment!
Kind of reminds me of the NBC "exploding" pickup truck TV report back in the late 70's, when they were hyping the explosive nature of GMC(?) pickup trucks when broadsided...and added too much gas plus a few explosives to make their point.
Also, both of my daughters have had gun safety classes and moderate range time. My youngest (18) likes the Ruger 22LR pistol and 10/22 rifle. The oldest (20) prefers the Beretta 92FS and the AR. Both are good shots; both respect the destructive nature of these weapons.
Now, if I could only get the wife to show some interest...but, she's slowly coming around.
"[I'd be] hopefully in an
April 8, 2009 - 16:20 ET by SickofLibs"[I'd be] hopefully in an ambulance."
That's the lib take in a nutshell, folks - pray you end up in an ambulance instead of the Coroner's van. No other possible 'socially responsible' alternatives are available.
Dear ABC, I now have
April 8, 2009 - 16:28 ET by Clear thinkerDear ABC,
I now have another reason NOT to watch anything on your station. Thank God for satellite TV!
Screwing With The Huffington Post
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
While I personally do not have a gun I am not surprised that ABC
April 8, 2009 - 16:33 ET by pahuberis against statistics to prove their point to be absolutely false. They got nothing, but emotional examples of scattered tradgedy to cite as their "facts"...
ABC: lights, cameras....cue the angry liberal professors with the scewed numbers and trot out the victims families that are still crying. Don't forget to show the videos of crying students or malls to help out with the "facts"
It's about emotion not facts.
Choose liberty.
Knives, rope and natural disasters also kill people...
April 8, 2009 - 16:33 ET by DeliaI'm 'ok' with hand-to-hand combat. I'm also good with a knife but being at close range in a bad guy/gal vs. good guy/gal situation is NOT my idea of an ideal situation. If I can shoot someone from a fair amount of distance and avoid ALL physical harm and close proximity danger, you can bet yer bippy I'm going to pull out my glock.
The anti-gun weenies are a bunch of pansies who would probably burn the American flag before they'd hold a nice piece of steel in their hands and learn how to properly use it.
Shame.
Lock-N-Load
boycott the advertisers
April 8, 2009 - 16:35 ET by jmcaulwho's sponsoring this show? I think the NRA and the 2nd Amendment Foundation owe it to their membership to get the word out to notify the advertisers that THEY WILL BE BOYCOTTED if they sponsor this show. ABC doesn't care about the truth or about balance, but they DO care about their bottom line. So do their advertisers.
jmcaul
www.HALTterrorism.com
I totally agree and actively avoid known liberal sponsers.
April 8, 2009 - 16:52 ET by pahuberHopefully, many conservatives start doing the same thing : )
I wont even get into this
April 8, 2009 - 17:40 ET by gmg2aeI wont even get into this old tired argument with the left anymore, my only response to them is if you come for my guns you better bring yours.
X
April 8, 2009 - 17:52 ET by serfer62.
When secounds count, the police are just minutes away.
We had a shooting in the neighborhood and it took the cops 5 HOURS to respond. They said I would be safer in the house then sitting in the pasture with my 30:30 on my lap....
Hahahahahahaha
I'd
April 8, 2009 - 19:29 ET by RowaneI'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.
They couldn't care less
April 8, 2009 - 19:55 ET by RR GOPThey couldn't care less about police officers ('pigs' is probably what they call them around water cooler) being shot/killed, nor 'little people' here and there.
What really scares them is that with so many Conservatives being armed, there is the possibility that they themselves may become targets and at the very least be an impediment to the onward March of Socialism.
If they won't condemn Ayers, the Black Panthers and others for using violence and targeting police officers, to me, that shows where they're really coming from on this.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
This propaganda...
April 8, 2009 - 20:10 ET by RightsBelieverIsn't really surprising to anyone but it's downright infuriating to see them lie and twist things to the public...what's worse is that NOBODY challenges them except on blogs like this. The public at large isn't given enough credit for the sense they do have and the responsibilities they have every day.
In 1996 everyone in my armament repair shop was looking at the Combined Federal Campaign list of charities and whom we'd like to donate to..that year went hands down to Second Amendment Foundation. Time to recommit some donations to these type of organizations and charities.
"Good people sleep well at night because somewhere rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf" . . . George Orwell
Obama lied; the economy died.
Tony Blankley
LKT from ABC
April 8, 2009 - 20:46 ET by JustAlMore Liberal Kabuki Theater from Always Been Communist TV.
Dianne, take your pap and
April 9, 2009 - 00:33 ET by Wesenask Jim Zubiena what he and many, many others think who do know how to shoot.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=137081406828493148
It's not as if it's illegal
April 9, 2009 - 01:15 ET by SchnikeysIt's not as if it's illegal for the media to express their opinions...it's just that you get a good sense of where their hearts lie after reading and watching this stuff.
Please you leftist twits
April 9, 2009 - 16:21 ET by bigtimerPlease you leftist twits in the msm...we all know you're agenda is to drive the 'D' congress-critters to see things your way and change their support for the 2nd Amendment stance...
Good luck you flaming idiots...all you are doing is helping the right side of the aisle...so please, go ahead, keep it up.
What part of 'From Our Cold Dead Hands' don't you understand?
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Let this be a lesson for
April 10, 2009 - 00:18 ET by rbosqueLet this be a lesson for people, the MSM has NO interest in your safety and well-being. They only exploit human misery for ratings (money). In addition, they are whores for the marxists in the Democratic Party.