Media Coverage Reveals Double Standards in Violence Reporting

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) has recently pointed to notable inconsistencies in how various forms of violent crime are reported by the media, specifically distinguishing between incidents involving knives and firearms. Despite numerous reports of attacks with knives or hatchets—many of them resulting in fatalities—there has been a conspicuous absence of the term “knife violence” within those narratives, leading to accusations of hypocrisy regarding media coverage.

Findings on Coverage of Violent Incidents

CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb stated, “We checked ten different reports regarding fatal and non-fatal knife attacks, all over the country, and not a single report included the term ‘knife violence’ anywhere in the text.” In stark contrast, he noted that references to “gun violence” are ubiquitous in discussions surrounding firearm-related incidents.

The Role of Language in Violence Narratives

Gottlieb criticized the media for what he perceives as a glaring double standard in the portrayal of homicides involving guns. He remarked, “I can only conclude the media has a deplorable double-standard when it comes to reporting homicides involving guns, yet the victims are just as injured or dead.” He further criticized the recent shift by the Department of Health and Human Services in removing language that labeled gun violence a public health hazard, which he argues was part of a broader agenda to demonize both firearms and their owners.

Understanding the Impact of Terminology

“The term ‘gun violence’ was invented by the gun prohibition lobby in order to create the illusion that guns are bad,” Gottlieb explained. He indicated that this language has permeated reporting to the extent that it has become standard within newsrooms and public discourse, rendering the term absurdly commonplace.

In the reports reviewed by CCRKBA, it was observed that suspects in knife-related incidents were consistently identified as individuals, with no implication that the weapon itself bore responsibility for the crime. In contrast, Gottlieb highlighted how firearms-related events often fall under the nebulous category of “gun violence,” encompassing a range of issues from attacks to accidents and suicides.

A Call for Balanced Perspectives

Gottlieb expressed concern over the availability of knives compared to firearms, noting, “While everyone seems so eager to restrict gun ownership, literally anyone can buy a knife, no questions asked.” He emphasized that neither knives nor guns are the inherent problem; rather, it is the people who misuse them that pose the true danger. He concluded, “The antidote to crime is to punish the criminals, not penalize law-abiding citizens who have harmed nobody.”

About the CCRKBA

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a leading organization advocating for gun rights, with over 650,000 members and supporters across the nation. The organization is dedicated to preserving the right to own firearms through active lobbying efforts and grassroots organization within communities.