My editorial published in WI's largest paper

[UltraShy]

http://dev.www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/62443257.html

BADGER GUNS
The wrong villain

I was appalled by the blatant gun-bashing bias of the front-page article on Badger Guns (Page 1A, Sept. 27). The article makes it appear that that particular gun store is doing something wrong.

Here's what the store is doing "wrong":

First, it is located closer to the high-crime areas of Milwaukee than any other gun shop, and, second, it has a high sales volume.

I can think of places that sell more guns than Badger, but it seems that criminals in Milwaukee aren't willing to take a 25-mile drive outside the city to buy their guns in areas that have almost no gun crime despite having stores that sell a stunning number of firearms.

What is the store guilty of other than being located closer to a crime-infested city than other gun shops that locate in surrounding counties where gun crime is a rarity?

Karl J. Schubert
Wauwatosa

If you go to their website (using the link at the top) you can simply click on a link contained within my editorial text posted there to see the highly biased article to which I refer.

[Amocholes]

This is getting old.

[IDK]

Originally Posted by Amocholes

This is getting old.

I didn't know there was a limit on the kinds of threads that were allowed to be posted?


To the OP, I think the aim of the article was more on the problems with gun regulation, and the loopholes people use to get a hold of guns. Like you said, this store is only sticking out like a sore thumb because of its short distance from the city. The problems of 'straw sales' and such are also problems that all gun stores share in common. Even if they shutdown that one store, nothing would be solved, the criminals would just have to travel a little farther to get their gun.

I appreciate my right to bear arms, but even you have to admit there should be a better system in place to make sure that criminals do not have such easy access to guns. The hard part is actually coming up with a plan that would work without infringing on the gun ownership rights of good law abiding citizens. I think this is why anti-gun people favor a complete gun ban, because no one can think of a plausible way to regulate the guns without completely removing them. But even then, this would not stop criminals from getting their hands on firearms...

If we could somehow find a way then maybe someday the gun nuts and the gun haters could finally shutup once and for all

[millenniumman75]

There isn't a limit, but the topics are eerily similar .

[Amocholes]

Gun control seems to arise even in threads that have nothing to do with it. It borders on Agenda Pushing.

[UltraShy]

A week prior I'd submitted an editorial to that same paper on the topic of tariffs on tires from China and they decided not to publish it. That would be truly new ground as I've never before done an editorial on tariffs and have only mentioned tariffs a handful of times in my seven years on SAS.

Apparently their editorial staff found this editorial submission on a controversial store more compelling, having it posted online a mere 33 hours after I submitted it.

In the future I will avoid posting editorials that have anything to do with firearms as I don't wish to break any SAS rules regarding "agenda pushing."

All I wanted to do was share with my online SAS friends my success in getting yet another editorial published. I never expected it would cause any problem and I'm sorry if it looks like agenda pushing to anyone as that was not my intent.

[millenniumman75]

Each one is interesting to read. I would have to hand it to you that you are thankful (as many of us are) of the 2nd Amendment, though.

[TiMeZuP]

Yea Ultrashy that is the first article I read. It's awesome you had it published in the paper! It's even more cool you shared it with us. So many folks with SAD wouldn't dare publish something because of there SAD. You should be feel proud being able to control that area of your SAD. It's kinda inspirational to see; even though you have SAD, you manage to be able to do that for the rest of us to see. I don't know why the other guy got so upset, maybe jealous? Who knows but keep up the good work. I would at least like to see your pushing through your SA, no matter what the means are. Thanks for inspiring me.......

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by TiMeZuP

Yea Ultrashy that is the first article I read. It's awesome you had it published in the paper! It's even more cool you shared it with us. So many folks with SAD wouldn't dare publish something because of there SAD. You should be feel proud being able to control that area of your SAD. It's kinda inspirational to see; even though you have SAD, you manage to be able to do that for the rest of us to see. I don't know why the other guy got so upset, maybe jealous? Who knows but keep up the good work. I would at least like to see your pushing through your SA, no matter what the means are. Thanks for inspiring me.......

Thank you. I'm glad that you enjoyed my editorial. And I'm pleased to hear that I actually manage to inspire you. I can only think of one other member who has revealed their full name & location as happens when I post an editorial that falls just short of drawing a map to my door.

You're new on SAS so you're not familiar with my history. In the past, every time I got an editorial published I would post a link to it along with the full text. The problem is that a wide variety of gun control issues have been used by me as editorial topics. It's an easy subject, having so many different aspects to discuss.

Today I got another editorial published, but I will refrain from posting it as it's on another aspect of gun-control. I have privately shared it with a few other SAS members and if anyone else would like to see it they can either contact me for the link or simply Google me to find it.

Some seem to think guns are the only thing on my mind, which isn't true. While typing this post I was interrupted by a phone call from my county supervisor regarding the issue of taxes & the Milwaukee County budget, which I e-mailed him about a few hours ago. I just survived a four minute phone call with an elected official! That's like SA progress, isn't it?

Karl

[Amocholes]

Perhaps you could start a social group on gun control.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by Amocholes

Perhaps you could start a social group on gun control.

Doesn't look like I need to start any as that ground is well-covered.

There already are various forums just like this board, except they cover the issue of guns. I saw one that got so specific that it exclusively covered 1911s only (a model which I'm sure you're familiar with, being a former military man yourself).

This will likely surprise many but I only very rarely read any gun forums and I've posted maybe 10 times in total to all online gun forums combined.

[Amocholes]

I meant a social group as part of SAS there is a link to "eGroups" at the top of the page. Or you could post them in your Blog.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by Amocholes

I meant a social group as part of SAS there is a link to "eGroups" at the top of the page.

Hadn't thought of that. Actually, wasn't even aware of that possibility. Will have to look into it.

[TiMeZuP]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

Hadn't thought of that. Actually, wasn't even aware of that possibility. Will have to look into it.

I would rather see more links of articles you have published regardless of the content. Whether or not I agree with you, your approach towards your perspective is the utmost interesting.....

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by TiMeZuP

I would rather see more links of articles you have published regardless of the content. Whether or not I agree with you, your approach towards your perspective is the utmost interesting.....

Thank you for your compliment. I appreciate it.

I'm really not trying to push an agenda. The odds of me changing somebody who is anti-gun into an NRA member I'd estimate to be near zero.

When I share editorials here I mainly just want to show my (modest) success to others. It feels good to see one's own name in print and know that an editorial board deemed your work good enough for publication. I especially take pride in editorials like this one that made it into the Milwaukee Journal, as it's the largest paper in Wisconsin. A majority of my editorials get rejected by them.

This is unlike Madison's Capital Times that publishes virtually everything I submit. I gather they must not get a whole lot of submissions.

[WineKitty]

For the record, Karl, I personally have never seen you posting these editorials as some kind of "agenda pushing" and disagree with those who think that is what its about. I totally see that you are sharing with your SAS friends your publications and I see nothing wrong with that at all.

Good for you, I enjoy your writing, even if others dont, and I hope you can continue to post the links.

One doesnt have to agree with another one's post to consider it a genuine good piece of writing, esp when its something like a published in a public newspaper editorial. I fail to see why its agenda pushing of any kind. Congrats Karl, on another great piece of writing that the papers in your area published. I will always be in your corner for that, and I am sure you already know that. You know I am your friend, always on your side.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by WineKitty

Good for you, I enjoy your writing, even if others dont, and I hope you can continue to post the links.

Thank you.

From now on all editorials that have anything to do with guns will be found in my blog on SAS. Don has given me the OK on this as it seems "agenda pushing" doesn't apply to blogs, presumably because anyone who reads my blog would have had to make a specific effort to find it unlike a thread that you can simply stumble upon.

I will continue to post links & the text of editorials on S&C when they deal with issues that I have not extensively covered before.