Oh dear - another incident

[M1Charles1M]

Firstly you need to be careful using euphamisms like 'Free Country'. We are discussing the topic in this Forum of Firearms, Firearms Law, Ownership and Use by Law Abiding people, in that context this is NOT a free country, if it were, I and other owners would not be denied our Constitutional Rights sacrificed at the alter of assumed Parliamentary Sovereignty.

Ownership of firearms in the UK is a privilege, not a right. Ownership of a shotgun is still a legal right ("shall be granted", vide Section 2 Firearms Act 1968) but I quote from a briefing note issued by Knights Solicitors: "the case law has made it clear that the possession of guns [i.e. firearms - my addition here] is a privilege and not a right"

It is your Constitutional Right to report on any and all subjects

Wrong. There is nothing in the (unwritten) UK constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech or of the press. I enjoy the freedom of reporting because common law has yet to generate a precedent preventing me from writing news reports and no statute has (yet) been passed to completely criminalise news reportage. If you must make sweeping statements at least start from a correct set of principles.

Do they, tell me Mr Journalist, does your personal attack on me meet those tests?

Nope, because this isn't my newspaper's comment pages - this is an internet forum where I leave my hat at the door and speak as I find, while merrily defending my profession from the lazy slurs of those whose response to something they don't like is to propose restricting it within boundaries that they feel personally comfortable with.

I had a much longer response here but I started rambling. In short - by trying to define a standard you think the news media should be held to, you want to restrict what they can say. Easy as that.

Your first point about privilege may be debateable. There is a clear conflict between what Parliament assumes and what history of Common Law teaches but that is for Lawyers to get rich on while they sort it out.

On the rest of it and for all but the last part about control of the Media I will graciously apologise, you are indeed correct in your assertion about the Constitution. The fact that it has never been repealed, does afford the right to bear arms and is Ignored by the Legislature is another matter entirely.

On the issue of control of the Media you are wrong in your statement that I wish to set a standard I think is right, I do not, all the way through I have simply stated I wish the Media would remain objective in their reporting of Firearms issues and not cloud the situation with emotion. I give credit to the Government in that at the last review following Cumbria the Government took a very pragmatic view and we did not suffer the usual knee jerk reaction, often prompted by the Media.

I will stop criticising the media when they stop calling:

A target rifle with a scope mounted - A Sniper Rifle
Anything black with a barrel - An Assault Rifle
etc, etc, etc.

There are so many examples of mis-reporting available I feel it should be challenged!

[M1Charles1M]

On a lighter note and not my wording but copied from an e-mail sent to me:

What a great comeback to a typical, modern, politically correct idiot journalist…

Stupid Question... Excellent Answer!
For those that don't know him, Major General Peter Cosgrove is an Australian.



Read his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children. Regardless of how you feel about gun laws you have to love this! This is one of the best comeback lines of all time. This is a portion of an ABC radio interview between a female broadcaster and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military Headquarters.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:


So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL COSGROVE:
Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?

The broadcast went silent for 46 seconds and when it returned, the interview was over.

[Gaz]

On the rest of it and for all but the last part about control of the Media I will graciously apologise, you are indeed correct in your assertion about the Constitution. The fact that it has never been repealed, does afford the right to bear arms and is Ignored by the Legislature is another matter entirely.

On the issue of control of the Media you are wrong in your statement that I wish to set a standard I think is right, I do not, all the way through I have simply stated I wish the Media would remain objective in their reporting of Firearms issues and not cloud the situation with emotion. I give credit to the Government in that at the last review following Cumbria the Government took a very pragmatic view and we did not suffer the usual knee jerk reaction, often prompted by the Media.

I will stop criticising the media when they stop calling:

A target rifle with a scope mounted - A Sniper Rifle
Anything black with a barrel - An Assault Rifle
etc, etc, etc.

There are so many examples of mis-reporting available I feel it should be challenged!

All very fair points! I accept your apology, offer my own for attacking you earlier in the thread and agree that we're better off calling for balance than for regulation. :cheers:

[Sandgroper]

On a lighter note and not my wording but copied from an e-mail sent to me:

What a great comeback to a typical, modern, politically correct idiot journalist…

Stupid Question... Excellent Answer!
For those that don't know him, Major General Peter Cosgrove is an Australian.



Read his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children. Regardless of how you feel about gun laws you have to love this! This is one of the best comeback lines of all time. This is a portion of an ABC radio interview between a female broadcaster and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military Headquarters.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:


So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL COSGROVE:
Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?

The broadcast went silent for 46 seconds and when it returned, the interview was over.

Never happened - internet myth. Attributed to various Generals (US, UK and now Australian)

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cosgrove-fem ... ewer.shtml
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/n/ ... TIRLTdNESY
http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/reinwald.asp

Edit: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/d ... 6567756660

Contacted by The Australian, General Cosgrove said the joke had been flaring up for four or five years but getting rid of it was like "catching smoke . . . It is almost like a tennis ball rocketing around the place. You think it's had its go and when anybody mentions it to me I say, 'I don't talk like that', and then it goes away. I've never even attempted to get it off the net or anything, how do you do that?"

[M1Charles1M]

I did say it was sent on a mail - Ah the good old internet eh?

[M1Charles1M]

On the rest of it and for all but the last part about control of the Media I will graciously apologise, you are indeed correct in your assertion about the Constitution. The fact that it has never been repealed, does afford the right to bear arms and is Ignored by the Legislature is another matter entirely.

On the issue of control of the Media you are wrong in your statement that I wish to set a standard I think is right, I do not, all the way through I have simply stated I wish the Media would remain objective in their reporting of Firearms issues and not cloud the situation with emotion. I give credit to the Government in that at the last review following Cumbria the Government took a very pragmatic view and we did not suffer the usual knee jerk reaction, often prompted by the Media.

I will stop criticising the media when they stop calling:

A target rifle with a scope mounted - A Sniper Rifle
Anything black with a barrel - An Assault Rifle
etc, etc, etc.

There are so many examples of mis-reporting available I feel it should be challenged!

All very fair points! I accept your apology, offer my own for attacking you earlier in the thread and agree that we're better off calling for balance than for regulation. :cheers:

Thank you, united we stand and all that! :cheers: