| Caveat Lector*
Guns are a sad fact of life in American culture
and are a major topic in modern journalism. A good Journalist has a duty
to get involved and make a difference in this important societal debate.
By following certain guidelines, the concerned Journalist can be assured
of having the maximum impact on this shameful problem.
 The
first principle to remember is that subtle use of terminology can
covertly influence the reader. Adjectives should be chosen for maximum
anti-gun effect. When describing a gun, attach terms like
"automatic," "semi-automatic," "large
caliber," "deadly," "high powered," or
"powerful". Almost any gun can be described by one or more of
these terms. More than two guns should be called an "arsenal".
Try to include the term "assault
weapon" if at all possible. This can be combined with any of the
terms above for best results. Nobody actually knows what an assault
weapon is, so you cannot be criticized for this usage. Your local
anti-gun organization can provide you with a list of the latest buzz
words like "junk guns," "Saturday Night Specials,"
and "the criminal's weapon of choice".
Don't worry about getting technical details
right. Many a reporter has accidentally written about semi-automatic
revolvers or committed other minor errors. Since most people know little
about guns, this is not a problem. Only the gun nuts will complain and
they don't count.
The emotional content of your article is much
more important than the factual details, since people are more easily
influenced through their emotions than through logic. Broadcast
Journalists should have a file tape showing a machine gun firing on full
automatic. Run this video while describing "automatic" weapons
used in a crime or confiscated by police. At the least, a large graphic
of a handgun should be displayed behind the on-air personality when
reading any crime story.
Do not waste words describing criminals who use
guns to commit crimes. Instead of calling them burglar, rapist,
murderer, or repeat offender, simply use the term "gunman".
This helps the public associate all forms of crime and violence with the
possession of guns. Whenever drug dealers are arrested, guns are usually
confiscated by the police. Mention the type and number of guns more
prominently than the type and quantity of drugs. Include the number of
rounds of ammunition seized, since the number will seem large to those
who know little about guns. Obviously, the drug dealers who had the guns
should now be called "gunmen".
Political discussions on gun control legislation
usually involve pro-gun organizations. Always refer to these
organizations as "the gun lobby". If space permits, mention
how much money the gun lobby has spent to influence political campaigns
and describe their legislative lobbying efforts as "arm
twisting" or "threats".
Gun owners must never be seen in a positive
light. Do not mention that these misguided individuals may actually be
well educated, or have respectable jobs and healthy families. They
should be called "gun nuts" if possible or simply gun owners
at best. Mention details about their clothing, especially if they are
wearing hunting clothes or hats. Mention the simplistic slogans on their
bumper stickers to show that their intelligence level is low. Many gun
owners drive pickup trucks, hunt and live in rural areas. Use these
details to help portray them as ignorant rednecks. Don't use the word
"hunt". Always say that they "kill" animals. Don't
be afraid to interview these people, they are harmless even though we
don't portray them that way. Try to solicit comments that can be taken
out of context to show them in the worst possible light.
Never question the effectiveness of gun control
laws or proposals. Guns are evil and kill people. Removing guns from
society can only be good. Nobody really uses guns for legitimate
self-defense, especially women or children. Any stories about armed
self-defense must be minimized or suppressed. Be careful about
criticizing the police for responding slowly to 911 calls for help. It
is best if the public feels like the police can be relied upon to
protect them at all times. If people are buying guns to protect their
families, you are not doing your job.
Emphasize stories where people kill family
members and/or themselves with guns. It is important to make the public
feel like they could lose control and start killing at any moment if
they have a gun in the house. Any story where a child misuses a gun is
front page material. View every shooting as an event to be exploited.
Always include emotional quotes from the victim's family if possible. If
they are not available, the perpetrator's family will do nicely. The
quote must blame the tragedy on the availability of guns. Photos or
video of grieving family members are worth a thousand facts. Most people
will accept the assertion that guns cause crime. It is much easier than
believing that some people deliberately choose to harm others.
Your story should include terms like
"tragic" or "preventable" and mention the current
toll of gun violence in your city or state. Good reporters always know
exactly how many gun deaths have occurred in their area since the first
of the year. List two or three previous incidents of gun violence to
give the impression of a continuing crime wave. Little space should be
devoted to shootings where criminals kill each other. Although these
deaths greatly inflate the annual gun violence numbers, they distract
from the basic mission of urging law abiding citizens to give up their
guns.
Do not dig too deeply into the reasons behind
shootings. The fact that a gun was involved is the major point, unless
someone under 18 is affected, in which case the child angle is now of
equal importance. Any article about gun violence should include quotes
from anti-gun organizations or politicians. One quote should say that we
must do something "for the children".
Anti-gun spokespersons should be called
"activists" or "advocates". If your employer wishes
to appear unbiased, you can include one token quote from a gun lobby
group to show that you are being fair. The anti-gun statements should be
accepted as fact. The gun lobby statement can be denigrated by including
text like, "according to gun lobbyist Jones." Fortunately,
statements from anti-gun organizations come in short sound bites that
are perfect for generating an emotional response in the reader or
viewer. Gun lobby statements usually contain boring facts that are easy
to ignore.
Feel secure in your advocacy journalism. The
vast majority of your fellow Journalists support your activism. The
nation will be a better place when only the police and military have
guns. Remember that you are doing it for the children so the end
justifies the means. Eventually, the government will have a monopoly on
power. Don't worry about the right to freedom of the press, just contact
me then for more helpful hints.
Professor Michael Brown
School of Journalism, Brady Chair
Vancouver College of Liberal Arts
* Let the reader beware |
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