here's the original article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usguns/St...,205945,00.html

To: Editor in Chief, Guardian Unlimited, UK

In perusing Mark Tran's article, ironically titled, "Everything you need to know about gun control in America", I was struck by how many factual errors Mark committed. Without getting into the seeming editorial agenda at work in Mark's writing, I thought as the editor in chief, you should know what passes for "Everything we need to know" at the Guardian.



ERROR # 1:
How easy is it to buy a gun in America?
You have to be over 18 can buy a gun

FACT:
Adults 18 and older can buy shotguns or rifles, but are prohibited by Federal law from purchasing handguns or Assault Rifles as defined by the 1994 Assault Weapons Act.

ERROR #2:
How easy is it to buy a gun in America?
The main gun control law is the Brady law, named after Ronald Reagan's press secretary, who was also wounded in the failed assassination attempt.

FACT: The main gun control law is the GCA of 1968, which is the basis of all Federal processing of firearms purchases. The Brady Law was merely an adjunct to it...

ERROR #3:
What are the loopholes in getting guns?
In most states, these individuals are legally able to sell one, five, ten or twenty guns at gun shows without conducting a background check or following any of the state's firearms sales laws.

FACT: Any private individual who knowingly sells a firearm to a minor, a felon or any other person prohibited from buying a firearm under state or federal law is subject to criminal prosecution

ERROR #4:
Recent studies have shown that gun shows have become a significant source of guns for illegal users, including children.

FACT:
According to the 1997 Survey of State Prison Inmates, among those possessing a gun, the source of the gun was from -
a flea market or gun show for fewer than 2%
a retail store or pawnshop for about 12%
family, friends, a street buy, or an illegal source for 80%. - Bureau of Justice Statistics, Firearms and Crimes Statistics

Have to ask you, on what basis is "fewer than 2%" considered "significant" by the Guardian? Also, upon which studies is Mark relying that so contradict the US govt. statistics?

ERROR #5:
Did President Bill Clinton try to tighten gun laws after the Columbine High School shooting?
He tried, but the Republican controlled Congress thwarted him. He wanted to raise the legal age for handgun possession to 21

FACT: The McClure-Volker Act of 1986 prohibited handgun possesion by young adults under the age of 21.

ERROR #6:
What is the NRA?
One of the most powerful lobby groups in the US, it consistently seeks to push back any attempts at gun control.

Fact: There are over 20,000 existing gun laws on the books in the United States. In its 125 plus year history, NRA has never sought to push back restrictions on access to firearms by convicted felons, minors or mentally-adjudicated persons. Neither of these jibes with Mark's "reporting"...

Looking forward to your professional and prompt attention to this matter, I remain (sim jr), Editor
www.guncontrolnetwork.org and www.sarahbradycampaign.org

ps- I would welcome the chance to at least advise you on relevant US laws before your next "everything you need to know" piece. Please forward this to Mark as he should know that some of us recognize that he has a problem, either with his competence or his integrity.

Here is the correct link.
[url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/usguns/Story/0,2763,205945,00.html[/url]

Here is a link to a glossary of UK guardian gun links.
[url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/usguns[/url]

Uh . . . "The Guardian" is known to be a left-wing rag.  Unlike in the U.S., newspapers in Britain don't pretend to be unbiased, they proudly wave their biases from their mastheads.

You want left-wing commie pinko ranting, you buy The Guardian.  You want right-wing capitalist running-dog lackey ranting, you buy the Financial Times.  Everyone knows what the biases are, and they are free to choose (or not) accordingly.

Asking The Guardian to report in a "professional" manner is like asking Ariel Sharon to give Arafat a big sloppy kiss on the lips.

Thank God that in America all our unbiased journalists/media are the epitome of professionalism...