By now you’re probably familiar with Joe Nocera’s intern-compiled, half-assed daily list of crimes and accidents involving firearms featured by the Gray Lady. After a sotto voce “tsk, tsk” over the number of gun sold in Maryland in the run-up to the go-live date for their new civilian disarmament laws (which Nocera didn’t even write), yesterday’s Gun Report was otherwise more of the usual context-free fare. Except, of course, for the above photo which they selected as an illustration . . .
It’s an obvious, naked play to the biases and stereotypes of the Times’ upper west side core readership. “See, this is what we’re up against,” some un-named editor is saying without saying it. “Racist, cousin-humping rednecks own guns, and thank God we have laws against that kind of thing here in the civilized city that never sleeps. Rest easy, New Yorkers, in the knowledge that easy firearms ownership won’t happen here…not as long as we’re on the ramparts, standing ideological guard.”
Evidently, nuance and subtlety at the Times have gone the same way as their stock price. Or is it a cause-and-effect relationship?