Your opinion.

[Guest Sara P.]

Hi everyone! My name is Sara Patterson and I'm a student at the University of Memphis. For one of my classes, I have to write about the recent changes in Tenn. gun law. I'd like to hear views from all sides of the situation. Do you feel like your voice is being heard by your government representation?

Please e-mail me at septtrsn@memphis.edu and I'll give you a call. Please respond this week and please be willing to go on the record! Thank you so much for your help!

Sara P.

[buck1032]

Hi Sara,

Perhaps you would get a better response if you were to give a bit more of a back ground on what information you are looking for, how its going to be used, who is going to use it, etc.

[Guest Ae-35]

Don't know if this will pass the " smell test " ?

[Punisher84]

Don't know if this will pass the " smell test " ?

[Guest Jamie]

Don't know if this will pass the " smell test " ?

Depends on what you expect it to smell like...

[Guest Ae-35]

It sure wouldn't be the first time a "research paper" resulted in a "hatchet job" on a gun forum.

[KahrMan]

There is a Sara Patterson that works at the Commercial Appeal...

Sara Patterson, Reporting intern - The Commercial Appeal's Department

Do not know if it is the same one but if it is you can guess which way the research would be slanted.

[mikegideon]

Dear Sarah,

The members of TGO love the Commy Appeal. We use it in our bird cages, to wrap fish, and sometimes as toilet paper when we're in the woods.

PS, could you please start using some softer paper stock and more permanent ink?

[Garufa]

There is a Sara Patterson that works at the Commercial Appeal...

Sara Patterson, Reporting intern - The Commercial Appeal's Department

Do not know if it is the same one but if it is you can guess which way the research would be slanted.

Glad to know I'm not the only one that's been Googlin.

[Guest Ae-35]

Not surprised , check other forums, this kind of thing happens to almost all ,of the really good gun forums, always starts off like your helping someone, then .... ! There's never full disclosure, on who they really are ,and what there real agenda is. Maybe something David needs to look into.

[daddyo]

Sara, before we oblige you, why don't you tell us what your views are regarding current Tennessee gun laws? Do you support the RKBA?

[Guest grays]

how exciting!

[Guest Guy N. Cognito]

Ms. Patterson is a student at U of M and on staff at the Helmsman. She is also an intern at the Commercial Appeal. A semi- reliable contact believes they are one-in-the-same.

I'd consider going on record, Sara. Please send me the contact information for you professor so I may check the validity of your story. Always happy to help a honest college student!

[Guest db99wj]

I wrote an article for the Helmsman when I was a student there (graduated with a major in Journalism/Public Relations), it was on the Flu and Flu shots. It got rave reviews.

[Guest Sara P.]

hey - just looked to see if I got responses.

Yeah, I was an intern at the Commercial Appeal last summer. I'm a senior at the University of Memphis. I am in a public reporting issues class. For the class, I was given the topic of recent changes in gun laws in Tenn. I have been able to find people who are against the changes --guns in bars, parks, etc. But not people that feel as if their voices are being heard.

So I got on this forum - so that I could try to write something fair and balanced. It's your choice if you'd be willing to contact me. I'd really appreciate it!

Sara P.

septtrsn@memphis.edu

[Guest Sara P.]

* reporting public issues

Oh - and yes Guy N. Cognito, I'm a sports reporter at the Helmsman.

Maybe this type of association isn't the best place to find gun-rights activists, I just wasn't sure where to go, and thought I'd try my luck. Anyway, if you're up to it, shoot me an e-mail and we can talk about the story. I haven't written it yet, but I won't withhold who I'm talking to or what my angle might be!

Sara P.

[towerclimber37]

Trap.

Ok, I have to re-phrase this. I wish Chip were here to explain to this young lady that I don't trust her, in a politically correct manner. The media, no matter what stripe has a frightful tendency to be unkind to citizens in general and gun owners in particular.

No matter the statistics.

no matter the facts.

That they are, on the whole, disingenuous is an understatement.

Their excuse for outright lying to people?

"I wanted to get a story".

Edited November 4, 2010 by towerclimber37

[Guest tnxdshooter]

Anything associated or formerly associated with the commy appeal does not help gun rights it only skews them to their own benefit and political agenda. Also, there are no bars in tn. THE ABC lumps bars and restaurants together and calls them restaraunts so quit misleading people. Also, it does not matter what the sheeple think only people I care what they they are fellow hcp holders. I to think this is a trap.

[Guest Jamie]

Where do you stand on the 2nd amendment and current Tn legislation and laws, Sara P.?

( The quickest way to get an opinion is to give one. )

Edited November 4, 2010 by Jamie

[Guest Sara P.]

This is absurd. and Jamie - an objective reporter doesn't put his or her own opinion in a story, or let it be known.

I'm giving up on this site. Obviously, you guys want to complain and not contribute.

[towerclimber37]

Indeed we do NOT want to contribute.

why?

because all too often our contributions turn out to be the contributions of the one writing the story.

hey. don't blame us, I mean, it's not like we've never had our characters assassinated by journalists before, or had our statements or points of view taken out of context before, now is it?

and yes, it IS absurd.

oxymoron- Objective and reporter in the same sentence.

[towerclimber37]

Hey DB, I once wrote a letter home on the inside of an old mre box, from Iraq.

want to guess who was happier to read the respective missives?

[Guest Drewsett]

This is absurd. and Jamie - an objective reporter doesn't put his or her own opinion in a story, or let it be known.

I'm giving up on this site. Obviously, you guys want to complain and not contribute.

Sara, as a journalism student myself I know that an objective reporter doesn't let their opinion color a story, unfortunately there are few truly objective reporters anymore. There are ways of inserting opinion without actually stating an opinion, usually having to do with the omission of context of quoted material. Take a look at most news sources and tell me that I'm wrong.

[Guest Jamie]

This is absurd. and Jamie - an objective reporter doesn't put his or her own opinion in a story, or let it be known.

Never said anything about you putting your opinion in a story. I was simply pointing out that, especially around here, if you voice your own opinion, that someone... probably several someones... will be unable to keep their own opinion to themselves.

Also, you're gonna have to learn how to get people talking, and keep them talking, until you hear what it is you're after. You'll never be worth a damn as a reporter 'til you do.

I'm giving up on this site. Obviously, you guys want to complain and not contribute.

Well... 'bye.

Seems to me, however, you're the one doing the complaining.

[strickj]

This is absurd. and Jamie - an objective reporter doesn't put his or her own opinion in a story, or let it be known.

I'm giving up on this site. Obviously, you guys want to complain and not contribute.

This thread may be a bit harsh but try to understand that what you are doing has been done previously.... without very flattering results.

No one here will be willing to go 'on record' for a former CA journalist after the CA's constant badgering and negative bias towards gun rights and gun owners in TN.

If you would have shown that you are not biased, or even natural to the subject, early on then you would have had much better results. So far, all you have shown is that your worked for one of the most anti-gun news agencies in the state.

I would suggest visiting The High Road....they seem to be happy to help people 'willy-nilly' there.

GL!