“Gun control is a hot topic for many people across the country including in Yakima [WA].” Forgive kdno.com for the superfluous preposition in a lede so milquetoast even a British pensioner would hunger for something a bit spicier. And credit the newsreader for reading the copy as if she’d seen the words before they materialized on the teleprompter. But note that a non-committal intro to a TV news package is a sure sign that a so-called journalist is about to sacrifice genuine reportage on the altar of “fairness,” showing both “sides” rather than discovering and exposing the facts of the matter. Click here to watch the Mr. Aaron Hilf’s report. Or make the jump for the salient suckage . . .
This weekend a gun show in Yakima was the focus of protestors saying they demand change in state gun sale laws. Thousands of people made there [sic] way through Yakima’s gun show, some browsing, others buying some of the hundreds of guns up for sale at the Fairgrounds. But not everyone was excited for [sic] the show. Protestors gathered Sunday on the second day of the gun show not protesting against owning guns, but rather a loophole in state law.
Yakima is a city of some 90,000 souls. That’s small. I counted four protestors at the show in the opening shot, down to three by the end. The YVPAN has 41 followers on Facebook.
Does that mean the “protest” isn’t worth covering? I suppose that depends on A) How slow a news day it is and B) If their complaint is credible. They report, you deride.
“What we’re specifically protesting is the no background check sale of guns at the gun show,” said Michael Collins [above left] of the Yakima Valley Peace Advocate Network [link added] . . .
“The loophole has got to be closed. People can come in and get all sorts of things including assault weapons… No background checks,” said Carole Sahlstreand [misspelled] of the Yakima Valley Peace Advocate Network.
Define assault weapons. In fact, define “all sorts of things.” And explain why this is a problem. Meanwhile . . .
What’s an anti-war group doing protesting gun show sales? It may have something to do with the fact that the YVPAN is a fan of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Whether or not Mr. Collins was “inspired” by MAIG or directly contacted/financed by Mayor Bloomberg’s boyz is an open question.
One that Mr. Hilf failed to ask. Here’s one I’d like to ask him: why would anyone oppose background checks of firearms sales between private individuals?
UPDATE: Email from Mr. Hilf: “There were 5 or 6 [protestors] while I was there. However, they said more were coming.”