New York Times Publishes Fake Gunowner Story

Bartholomew Roberts · March 10, 2013, 09:55 PM

http://www.pagunblog.com/2013/03/10/...rol-advocates/

The NYT published a piece on a Michael Kundu, supposedly a Master High Power rifleman in Washington who was saying that the AR15 he owns should be banned. Instead it turns out, the person they interviewed is a longtime leftist activist who lost his school board job via some racist emails and attempt to censor certain viewpoints. He is also associated with Sea Shepherd.

Just a reminder that you should always take these types of news articles with a grain of salt. Journalism is probably one of the trades that is rarely practiced any more.

TXAZ · March 10, 2013, 09:58 PM

Isn't that the newspaper that claims it prints "all the news that's fit to print"?

Evan Thomas · March 10, 2013, 10:36 PM

I'm not quite sure how you make that out to be a "fake" gun owner story, BR. Biased, yes, but there's nothing in the actual story in the Times that's obviously fabricated. The writer describes Mr. Kundu as a "master marksman" (lower case), and the story says only that he "he enjoys competitive shooting" and is a "competitive sharpshooter." There are no claims that he has any particular ranking in any NRA or WSRPA competition; that's an inference made by the blogger whose piece you linked to, and there's nothing in the Times story to support it.

So we have not one, but two biased articles, neither of which contributes anything constructive to the debate, IMO.

On the other hand, Mr. Kundu does come across as a self-promoting opportunist...

Double Naught Spy · March 11, 2013, 05:59 AM

Gotta agree. Don't go to blogs for "facts." Check them out yourself.

hardworker · March 11, 2013, 07:16 AM

Journalism is done for profit. Sensational stories sell. Boring stories do not.

thallub · March 11, 2013, 07:21 AM

There is nothing in the blog cited by Bartholomew Roberts that is not true. A visit to Google will find lots of stuff about Michael Kundu.

Not surprisingly, the anti-gun, anti-self defense NY Times views Michael Kundu as a national hero without bothering to delve into his past. If a pro-gun school board member wrote an e-mail suggesting the "different races have different brain sizes and intellectual capabilities" he would have been scoured by that NY rag. BTW: Kundu also thinks that men are smarter than women.

Quote:

Kundu's decision came after the NAACP, the Tulalip Tribes, the Hispanic Commission and four board members asked him to resign in the weeks following a June 3 e-mail in which Kundu suggested that different races have different brain sizes and intellectual capacities. Those racial differences, he implied, help explain the school district's achievement gap.

...............................................................................................................

His June 3 e-mail cited controversial Western Ontario University professor John Philippe Rushton — who has also asserted that men are smarter than women.

http://seattletimes.com/html/educati..._kundu13m.html

More:

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/201...WS01/706129927

Kundu fits right in with others who work for FEMA.

Double Naught Spy · March 11, 2013, 08:36 AM

Ah, but the claim of shooting prowess hasn't been refuted. The guy just isn't known as a serious competitor. That doesn't change his ability to shoot. His views on guns hasn't been refuted either. That Kundu may have a shady side with racist or sexist issues isn't really relevant, but also has been seen inside and outside of the gun community.

thallub · March 11, 2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

That Kundu may have a shady side with racist or sexist issues isn't really relevant,

Given the fact that the NY Times is an anti-gun, anti-self defense rag ready to call pro-gunners racist at the drop of a hat, it is relevant. Its also hypocritical. Hypocrisy is not new to the NY Times.

jimbob86 · March 11, 2013, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Ah, but the claim of shooting prowess hasn't been refuted. The guy just isn't known as a serious competitor.

Neither can it be confirmed.

I've shot in some matches .... even placed..... that does not make me a master of anything.

The guy might own an AR. He might even say they should be banned...... but if those things are so, then he does not live by his own supposed beliefs, and that is an absolute truth.

Bull Barrell · March 12, 2013, 07:34 PM

One must remember when talking about journalism where most journalists get their degrees...

March 10, 2013, 09:55 PM	#1
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	New York Times Publishes Fake Gunowner Story http://www.pagunblog.com/2013/03/10/...rol-advocates/ The NYT published a piece on a Michael Kundu, supposedly a Master High Power rifleman in Washington who was saying that the AR15 he owns should be banned. Instead it turns out, the person they interviewed is a longtime leftist activist who lost his school board job via some racist emails and attempt to censor certain viewpoints. He is also associated with Sea Shepherd. Just a reminder that you should always take these types of news articles with a grain of salt. Journalism is probably one of the trades that is rarely practiced any more.

March 10, 2013, 09:58 PM	#2
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	Isn't that the newspaper that claims it prints "all the news that's fit to print"? __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

March 10, 2013, 10:36 PM	#3
Evan Thomas Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 5,631	I'm not quite sure how you make that out to be a "fake" gun owner story, BR. Biased, yes, but there's nothing in the actual story in the Times that's obviously fabricated. The writer describes Mr. Kundu as a "master marksman" (lower case), and the story says only that he "he enjoys competitive shooting" and is a "competitive sharpshooter." There are no claims that he has any particular ranking in any NRA or WSRPA competition; that's an inference made by the blogger whose piece you linked to, and there's nothing in the Times story to support it. So we have not one, but two biased articles, neither of which contributes anything constructive to the debate, IMO. On the other hand, Mr. Kundu does come across as a self-promoting opportunist... __________________ Never let anything mechanical know you're in a hurry.

March 11, 2013, 05:59 AM	#4
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Gotta agree. Don't go to blogs for "facts." Check them out yourself. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

March 11, 2013, 08:36 AM	#7
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Ah, but the claim of shooting prowess hasn't been refuted. The guy just isn't known as a serious competitor. That doesn't change his ability to shoot. His views on guns hasn't been refuted either. That Kundu may have a shady side with racist or sexist issues isn't really relevant, but also has been seen inside and outside of the gun community. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

March 11, 2013, 07:16 AM	#5
hardworker Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2010 Posts: 820	Journalism is done for profit. Sensational stories sell. Boring stories do not.

March 12, 2013, 07:34 PM	#10
Bull Barrell Member Join Date: September 11, 2001 Posts: 37	One must remember when talking about journalism where most journalists get their degrees...