Got a reply from Knoxnews.com

[Guest WyattEarp]

I recently read an article on knoxnews.com written by Pam Strickland in regards to people carrying handguns openly, and without needing a permit.

Pam Strickland: Don't turn Knoxville into Dodge City » Knoxville News Sentinel

After reading, I was appalled by the woman's logic especially with the skewed stats she used based on what an internet poster was using. From what I can see in the article, she didn't even mention if she had verified the statistics she cited.

So I sent this reply.

> From: Drew [xxxx@xxxxxxx.com]

> Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2011 5:05 PM

> To: KN Letters

> Subject: Message via the Web site

Pam

In your article you stated this

"Over on knoxviews.com, a poster who goes by the name bizgrrl has been keeping track of shootings in Knox County this calendar year. As of non Wednesday, based on local media reports, there have been 72 shootings, 62 of those in the city limits. Fifteen resulted in 17 deaths, two from police action. An amazing number of those crimes were against neighbors and family members.

So, I ask, do we really need people to have guns without permits? Without training? Running around town acting in lieu of the police?"

Now let's compare the number of Handgun Carry Permit holders in the state of Tennessee to the number of murders, firearms, and gun crimes in Tennessee in 2010.

http://www.tn.gov/safety/stats/DL_Handgun/Handgun/Current_HG_PermitHolders_1112.pdf

300,000+

Gun crime statistics by US state: download the data. Visualised | World news | guardian.co.uk

Tennessee

Total murders: 356

Total firearms, 2010: 219

% change, 2009-10: -26

Handguns murders: 146

Firearms, % of all murders: 61.52

Firearms murders per 100,000 pop: 3.46

Firearms robberies per 100,000 pop: 73.87

Firearms assaults per 100,000 pop: 129.87

not even 1% of gun crimes make up the total number of people in the state who carry a gun legally with a permit. how many of those crimes were committed by someone with a hand gun permit?

If you're going to take a stance on something, don't skew the facts to support your views, and then write false and misleading articles to sway your readers towards your side, instead, why not do what few journalists seem to have the ability to do anymore. How bout be unbiased, and refrain from injecting your opinion into the article, and report the facts, and ALL of the facts. The Liberal media becomes more and more disgusting with each passing day.

Criminals with guns, will always do what they can to hurt people without guns. It's not often criminals will commit violence against citizens carrying guns, when it is known they are carrying. They call that deterrent.

There's no way to keep the guns out of criminals hands, but it's interesting how the liberal based media wants to keep them out of everyone else's hands, while never offering a VALID solution to do so.

Most of you would prefer to ban all guns period, but that will never happen, because guns don't kill people, People make the decision to use the guns to kill people.

Good Day.

I had forgotten about my reply, until yesterday when I received this email.

> From: Letters@knoxnews.com

> To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.com

> Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:32:19 -0800

> Subject: Drew's letter to the editor verification

Dear Drew (name edited for privacy reasons):

We have received a letter to the editor from this address and are considering it for publication.

We require a first and last name (or two initials and a last name), street address, city of residence and telephone number on all letters for verification purposes. Only your name and city of residence will be printed.

I need to verify:

1) Did you write the letter?

2) What is the letter about?

3) Did you send it to any other paper?

4) Your address and phone number (Even if included in original letter; needed for verification purposes)

When we have this information from you, we will be able to process your letter.

Please respond to letters@knoxnews.com

LETTER POLICY:

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Letters should be 300 or fewer words.

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Letters are subject to editing and condensing.

Letters are limited to no more than one letter, per writer, in a 30-day period.

Letters selected for Reader's Corner letters typically are shorter than regular letters and tightly edited.

Thank you for writing the News Sentinel.

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Copy editor/page designer/knoxnews.com moderator/book blogger

xxxxxx@knoxnews.com (Name edited for privacy reasons)

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I don't know if my letter will make it in for publication, but it's kind of neat to have gotten a reply.

I guess I don't understand why journalists want to make themselves look bad by skewing stats and facts to support an agenda or viewpoint, when if they just used truthful stats, and presented a valid argument they might be able to get their point across a lot better.

[Murgatroy]

I hope it gets published.

I fear it won't though, it is rational and contains facts.

[Garufa]

I guess I don't understand why journalists want to make themselves look bad by skewing stats and facts to support an agenda or viewpoint,...

Probably because they are not called on it enough or fear it if they do.

[Volzfan]

I guess I don't understand why journalists want to make themselves look bad by skewing stats and facts to support an agenda or viewpoint, when if they just used truthful stats, and presented a valid argument they might be able to get their point across a lot better.

Because it gives all of the bed wetters who won't think for themselves another warm feeling! Unfortunately there aren't enough of us who can think for ourselves and who will actually check the facts.

[Guest Red5]

That's pretty cool. Hopefully they will run with it.

I guess I don't understand why journalists want to make themselves look bad by skewing stats and facts to support an agenda or viewpoint.

Because facts don't sell and "news" that strikes an emotional chord with the masses does.

[DaveTN]

The only thing that can stop an active shooter….. is another active shooter.

[Mike.357]

I hope they run it. But be prepared for the attacks by the anti gun crowd who comment there.

They don't like facts as much as they don't like our guns.

[Guest WyattEarp]

holy bat schnoz, they ran it!

Letter: Media wrong about guns, criminals » Knoxville News Sentinel

Mike you're absolutely right about the attacks, but like any liberal moron, they're attacking me for something I was arrested for almost 2 years ago in which the charges were dropped. Liberals provide me with a great deal of entertainment, gives me something to laugh at, even more so when they're 100% wrong, because I never took any pre-trial diversion, the charges were dropped after a 6 month grace period because there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. It's not called diversion, it was a retirement of the charges. Simple as that.

I have paperwork to prove such, and the charges and arrests were expunged, otherwise I wouldn't have my permit or my handgun. There was no pre-trial diversion, because that still would have meant I would have pled guilty and I didn't plead guilty to anything, I paid no fines, I paid no court costs, there was no probation, no house arrest, no jail time served, so where this guy gets his information is beyond me.

If anyone has any questions/comments regarding what happened 2 years ago, you can pm me about it, otherwise, there's no need to discuss it in here. It's not relevant to the content of the topic I submitted....unless you happen to be a Dumbocrat who can't find a legitimate argument against anything I said in my response to the Editor. As far as I'm concerned, the law is concerned and the courts are concerned that matter is officially closed and has been since Nov 4th of 2010. it's behind me and i've moved on and been productive and constructive.

Edited January 21, 2012 by WyattEarp

[Lumber_Jack]

Excellent job drew. I read all the comments and I love how the first thing they do is google to authors name looking for dirt. Anyways I read 3/4 of the comments but some of that dribble is just unreadable. I almost want to comment, but do t think I have the will power to fight with those people.

Sent from my Mom's basement

[Timestepper]

Just read through the comments over there. Were it not for the fact that I didn't want to jump through the hoops to join the site just so I can get spammed into oblivion, I would have commented myself.

That comment would have read:

"I'm not paranoid, macho or homicidal. I carry a gun because I'm too young to die, too old to take an ass-whoopin' and too out of shape to carry a cop. Statistics show that 96.3% of all statistics are made up, but that can't change a couple of immutable facts: Guns are inanimate objects wholly lacking the ability to decide who uses them or for what purpose. Rocks and sticks can't make those decisions either, but were being used long before guns were invented.

"Just as a power drill is more efficient, convenient and easier to use than a bit and brace, guns are more efficient, convenient and easier to use than rocks and sticks. I guess that makes me as lazy as the rest of the population, because, if I find myself needing a tool for a specific application, most of the time I'm going to go for efficiency and ease of use. And that takes us back to my initial statement; I carry a gun because I'm too young to die, too old to take an ass-whoopin' and too out of shape to carry a cop."

...TS...

[R_Bert]

Seems to be buried on the web site. I went in from the front end, and still have not found it. Would have never seen it sans link in OP

edit to add - And wow, the antis are about as rabid as I have ever seen them on that site. You opened the cesspool.

Edited January 21, 2012 by R_Bert

[hornett22]

That's pretty cool. Hopefully they will run with it.

Because facts don't sell and "news" that strikes an emotional chord with the masses does.

Actually facts do sell. Based on the fact that most of these Papers are about out of circulation. It's them that don't seem to get it.

[Guest bkelm18]

.

[Murgatroy]

They ran it. I am impressed. It is a shame the edited the way they did, but that is to be expected.

Your past, which you have asked to be left out is an interesting twist that opens up a whole new can of worms.

[DaveTN]

Mike you're absolutely right about the attacks, but like any liberal moron, they're attacking me for something I was arrested for almost 2 years ago in which the charges were dropped. Liberals provide me with a great deal of entertainment, gives me something to laugh at, even more so when they're 100% wrong, because I never took any pre-trial diversion, the charges were dropped after a 6 month grace period because there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. It's not called diversion, it was a retirement of the charges. Simple as that.

I have paperwork to prove such, and the charges and arrests were expunged, otherwise I wouldn't have my permit or my handgun. There was no pre-trial diversion, because that still would have meant I would have pled guilty and I didn't plead guilty to anything, I paid no fines, I paid no court costs, there was no probation, no house arrest, no jail time served, so where this guy gets his information is beyond me.

If anyone has any questions/comments regarding what happened 2 years ago, you can pm me about it, otherwise, there's no need to discuss it in here. It's not relevant to the content of the topic I submitted....unless you happen to be a Dumbocrat who can't find a legitimate argument against anything I said in my response to the Editor. As far as I'm concerned, the law is concerned and the courts are concerned that matter is officially closed and has been since Nov 4th of 2010. it's behind me and i've moved on and been productive and constructive.

Sorry, that isn’t how it works. We try to make judgments based on fact. Are you saying you didn’t do or say what you were accused of? Goes to credibility.

[DaveTN]

WyattEarp,

Quit sending me PM’s.

If you want to debate this issue or you would like to offer an explanation for what you Did/Didn’t do; let’s do it on the open forum. I didn’t post that link in the article about you being arrested and indicted on felony charges, and wouldn’t have even known about it if it wasn’t for a link you posted.

Own it, or deny it, but if you want to argue the legal technicalities with me, we are going to do it in the open, not hidden in PM's.

[Guest WyattEarp]

Dave the matter is closed. I'm not going to discuss it here. I gave you an option, you chose not to utilize it and go into a tirade via pm about things you don't anything about. The charges were dismissed. Sorry you don't like that, but it is what it is. Now this thread is about the Letter to the Editor regarding the use of skewed statistics in journalism to sway their readers, and I'll be more than happy to discuss that with you here.

[Daniel]

I do not normally agree with DaveTN but he is right on the matter of this needing to be discussed openly.

Did you in fact send the man the email that was referenced in the news article?

Edited January 22, 2012 by Daniel

[Guest WyattEarp]

I do not normally agree with DaveTN but he is write on the matter of this needing to be discussed openly.

Did you in fact send the man the email that was referenced in the news article?

this is the last time I will say it, future responses will be ignored.

I am not discussing it.

[Murgatroy]

This is the second or third time I can think of that the OP has started a thread, then not liked the heat that he has gotten from it, then demanded the matter closed and not wanted to get into it.

One of the other threads I am thinking of involves when he was being 'accosted' by the bill collector beating on his door for hours, then he bravely claimed that had he been armed he would have busted out of the house shooting.

I don't want to be one to cast stones, but it seems suspect to me that when one's past or current actions are called into question, the OP would prefer to hide and deny than to explain or defend.

I hate to say this, because your original letter was superb, but if this is how you behave, and and your past behavior is evidence, I am not sure I am comfortable with you speaking for me and other responsible gun owners in a public forum.

[Guest bkelm18]

This is the second or third time I can think of that the OP has started a thread, then not liked the heat that he has gotten from it, then demanded the matter closed and not wanted to get into it.

One of the other threads I am thinking of involves when he was being 'accosted' by the bill collector beating on his door for hours, then he bravely claimed that had he been armed he would have busted out of the house shooting.

I don't want to be one to cast stones, but it seems suspect to me that when one's past or current actions are called into question, the OP would prefer to hide and deny than to explain or defend.

I hate to say this, because your original letter was superb, but if this is how you behave, and and your past behavior is evidence, I am not sure I am comfortable with you speaking for me and other responsible gun owners in a public forum.

Very well said. I was thinking the same.

[G27]

this is the last time I will say it, future responses will be ignored.

I am not discussing it.

Wow.

I guess that answers the question after all.

[Guest WyattEarp]

This is the second or third time I can think of that the OP has started a thread, then not liked the heat that he has gotten from it, then demanded the matter closed and not wanted to get into it.

One of the other threads I am thinking of involves when he was being 'accosted' by the bill collector beating on his door for hours, then he bravely claimed that had he been armed he would have busted out of the house shooting.

I don't want to be one to cast stones, but it seems suspect to me that when one's past or current actions are called into question, the OP would prefer to hide and deny than to explain or defend.

I hate to say this, because your original letter was superb, but if this is how you behave, and and your past behavior is evidence, I am not sure I am comfortable with you speaking for me and other responsible gun owners in a public forum.

Murgatroy, im not going to request this thread be locked. But speaking about something that is 2 years old and a case that was dismissed serves no purpose. People make mistakes in life, and we learn from them and move on and better ourselves. I have nothing to hide, I just don't want to talk about it. There is nothing productive that will come from it. It's over, it's in the past, the court system has considered the matter officially closed, there is no conviction, there is no pre-trial diversion, the charges were dismissed and the charges/arrests were expunged and I have moved on from it. People may not like it, but they aren't the Judge, the prosecutor, or the victim, and it doesn't matter what they like. It matters what the law says.

If people wish to judge me based on what the news has reported about me and a case that has been dismissed by the court system, then that is their decision. I have worked very hard to get to where I am now, and I'll continue those efforts, and those close to me who are my real friends know just how hard I work every day in every aspect of my life. I've not been in any further trouble and for the most part, I have steered clear of trouble and drama with the exception of the roommate situation, and I removed myself from that situation by moving out when I was able to.

That was not a bill collector, it was a process server screaming profanities and beating on our front door and making threats, and I didn't say I would have busted out shooting, I said I would have drawn my gun on him when I opened the door and ordered him to get on the ground, had I had it. I am glad that did not happen, and I said that out of ignorance and emotion, and lack of education of the laws and the proper procedure of how to handle that situation. I was quickly educated by others here that was not the proper way to handle that situation, and afterwards I spent a great deal of time researching when it is appropriate and when it is not appropriate and what constitutes imminent fear of death or seriously bodily harm so that should such a situation ever arise, I will know how to respond in the proper manner, and that would have not been the proper manner and gotten me in trouble.

[Il Duce]

I do not normally agree with DaveTN but he is right on the matter of this needing to be discussed openly.

Did you in fact send the man the email that was referenced in the news article?

yes it is him. look at the pics of himself on his site and his mugshot in the other link

Welcome to DrewG Photography

City Councilman Undaunted By Racist Email - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

[DaveTN]

I am not sure I am comfortable with you speaking for me and other responsible gun owners in a public forum.

That was my point in my “Goes to credibility†statement.

He sent me an unsolicited PM wanting to discuss “Nolle Prosequi†“Fine lines and extenuating circumstances that the public doesn’t know and probably wouldn’t understand anywayâ€, how a dismissal means he is not guilty, and how an employer can’t even ask him about his arrest.

I’m more than willing to discuss just how wrong he is on some of his assumptions, but sine he told me that he would discuss them with me “but anything said during this conversation shall be denied by me as false and without merit.†I doubt there is much point.

I may say some things here that certain people don’t agree with or they might take issue with, but I don’t think anyone here has any reason to believe me to be a liar. And I’m not going to be accused of it by him.