Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Deflection: A Primary Tool For Left-Leaning Media

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Deflection: A Primary Tool For Left-Leaning Media

What do you do when your ideas stink, your message has been debunked and there is a negligible return on your investment in the gun control agenda?

For anti-gun Democrats facing this dire situation, the answer is to deflect. Leftists and their allies utilize stories that titillate and joust for attention to keep Americans focused away from any good news. So much bad information presented all of the time means that we are less likely to scrutinize what is written for accuracy or bias. In fact, study after study shows that readers seek information sources that confirm what they already believe. In light of this, it is of the utmost importance that media, the so-called Fourth Estate, hold itself to the highest of journalistic standards in all reporting—online, in print and on television.

Someone has not yet gotten the memo, because The Washington Post is at it again, this time attempting to create a connection between a Missouri radio shock jock and the senseless shooting of Republican Congressmen at a baseball field in Alexandria, Va. As Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., fights for his life, recently returning to the intensive care unit for more surgery to deal with infection, Peter Holley has undertaken the herculean task of connecting openly left-wing shooter and Bernie Sanders supporter James T. Hodgkinson to the so-called right-wing political world.

So, what would trigger a writer at The Washington Post to make such a wildly inaccurate and easily disprovable assertion? Because deflecting to gun control didn’t work. When news of the shooting hit the media, a few offered up the same tired and ineffective gun control talking points: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe even struck out with, “93 million Americans a day are killed by guns!” He later corrected himself, but thankfully the gaffe was enough to negate his entire statement. Other gun control activists tried to pile on but were summarily dismissed when it was pointed out that Capitol Police officers used guns to stop the rampage, taking fire themselves while saving countless lives in the process.

Considering the level of demagoguery constantly dumped upon gun owners, NRA members and anyone who supports the Constitution, perhaps we should come to expect this level of poor reporting. But what is driving it? Could it be the successes that President Donald Trump has created for Americans? So far, the president has reconstructed and repaired the bonds with our allies in Saudi Arabia and Israel, while demanding that NATO members get up to speed on their financial obligations. President Trump is utilizing strong language to deter illegals from entering our southern border, lowering illegal entries by 70 percent and saving American taxpayers untold millions of dollars in the bargain. The appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court has already yielded beneficial rulings that hew to a strict constitutional line. The president also pushed the Keystone pipeline through, and has signaled to businesses at home and abroad that America is open for business once again. The market has responded accordingly.

The president also spoke in person to the National Rifle Association's Annual Meetings in Atlanta, assuring members and gun owners that he will never permit the Second Amendment to be infringed. These developments, many of which satisfy campaign promises, should be covered in full by the media. Yet they are largely ignored.

There is one other possible reason for the obsessive deflection—the fear of what is happening silently, legally all over America. More people than ever are buying firearms and getting trained and certified to carry concealed firearms for defense of themselves and others. The latest report puts that number at more than 14.5 million—up substantially over the last few years. Add to that the knowledge that under a Trump administration, there is a serious possibility that national Right-to-Carry reciprocity could become the law of the land. Adding further insult to injury for gun-grabbing leftists is the normalization of America’s love of safety through gun ownership.

Yup. Deflection is the tool of choice for leftists—what else have they got? 

BY Stacy Washington

Stacy Washington is a decorated Air Force veteran, Emmy-nominated TV personality and host of nationally syndicated radio program “Stacy on the Right,” based in St. Louis. She loves God, guns, and is a member of the NRA, obviously.

TRENDING NOW
Ammunition Serialization: The Five-Cent Fiasco in Illinois

News  

Monday, March 30, 2026

Ammunition Serialization: The Five-Cent Fiasco in Illinois

Democrat officials in Illinois have long taken unabashed pride in the abridgement of Second Amendment rights, and their latest attempt at “bullet control” is again making headlines.

Connecticut: Pistol Ban Advances in the Legislature

Sunday, March 29, 2026

Connecticut: Pistol Ban Advances in the Legislature

Last week, the Connecticut Judiciary Committee voted to advance HB5043 - A bill championed by Governor Ned Lamount aimed at banning so-called "convertible pistols".

California Court’s “Technical Issue” Nullifies Background Checks

News  

Monday, March 30, 2026

California Court’s “Technical Issue” Nullifies Background Checks

California, already well known for its de-policing, non-prosecution, and other soft-on-crime policies, has taken enabling criminals to a whole new level.

“Gun Free Zones” Herd Honest Citizens into Physical and Legal Peril

News  

Monday, March 30, 2026

“Gun Free Zones” Herd Honest Citizens into Physical and Legal Peril

Never mind the homelessness, drug use, and routine violence … according to Empire State politicians, New York City’s transit system is a “sensitive place.”

Is Finland Looking to Emulate America’s Founding Era on Firearms?

News  

Monday, March 30, 2026

Is Finland Looking to Emulate America’s Founding Era on Firearms?

We’ve written before about Finland, a European nation with arguably better gun laws than the majority of the continent.  

NRA Defeats California Gun Control Law; State Must Pay Nearly $500,000 in Attorney Fees Incurred by NRA

Monday, March 23, 2026

NRA Defeats California Gun Control Law; State Must Pay Nearly $500,000 in Attorney Fees Incurred by NRA

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California granted a stipulation for final judgment and permanent injunction in Safari Club International v. Bonta, under which the state conceded that its firearm advertising restriction is unconstitutional ...

Study: Entrenched and Intensifying Leftist Bias in Social Science Research

News  

Monday, March 30, 2026

Study: Entrenched and Intensifying Leftist Bias in Social Science Research

A new study by James Manzi of the U.K.’s Oxford University has now confirmed what everyday Americans have seen for themselves at college and university campuses across the country.

NRA Seeks to Invalidate California’s Handgun “Roster” in Legal Challenge

News  

Monday, March 30, 2026

NRA Seeks to Invalidate California’s Handgun “Roster” in Legal Challenge

The National Rifle Association has taken legal action challenging California’s Handgun Roster, a regulatory regime that effectively bans most commonly owned handguns.

Virginia: Legislature Adjourns from 2026 Session; Anti-Gun Bills on Governor's Desk

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Virginia: Legislature Adjourns from 2026 Session; Anti-Gun Bills on Governor's Desk

On Saturday, March 14th, the Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die from the 2026 legislative session, and the future of the Commonwealth hangs in the balance. 

Washington: Governor Signs 3D-Printing Ban

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Washington: Governor Signs 3D-Printing Ban

The Washington legislature adjourned sine die from the 2026 legislative session on March 12. 

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.