GuyRelford
Master
If anyone has read the cover story in this month's Indianapolis Monthly, "Under the Gun," you'll see that it is a complete hatchet job on Second Amendment rights in Indiana. Like so many misguided "journalists," the writers focus exclusively on one instrumentality used to commit violence, rather than the causes of violence itself - like poverty, the breakdown of the traditional family and the proliferation of drugs. I am embarrassed to say that I assisted Indianapolis Monthly in putting this article together. They contacted me over two months ago and interviewed me extensively about Indiana's gun laws - which they used to put together a sidebar in the article. They also asked me to fact-check that part of the article - with a request that I do so within 24 hours.
With awesome help from my son Craig Relford we met that deadline. Needless to say, I was deeply disappointed when I read the actual article, which features as a "gun enthusiast" attorney Bryan Ciyou - in full "tacticool" getup, including camo BDUs, shemagh, a drop-leg holster and combat boots. In contrast, they featured a positively saintly picture of anti-Second Amendment activist Shannon Watts. You have to see pictures and read the article to understand the dichotomy and how badly we are portrayed as gun owners. After seeing the article, I sent the authors and Editor in Chief Amanda Heckert the following email:
"I have now read your article, "Under the Gun." If I had known that you intended to do a completely biased, one-sided, unfounded attack on the Second Amendment in Indiana, I would certainly have declined to be involved. You went out of your way to portray gun owners as extremists (thanks in part to Bryan Ciyou) and you deified Shannon Watts and the anti-Second Amendment crowd.
After spending several hours of my time attempting to assist you in publishing an informed, objective factually accurate article, I see now that my time was wasted. And I deeply resent the fact that you took advantage of my good will - including your request that I fact-check your article within 24 hours, which I did. You clearly had undisclosed ulterior motives throughout the process of publishing this article.
I naively believed that you would publish an objective, unbiased article. Unfortunately, you established that Indianapolis Monthly is unworthy of my time. Kindly refrain from asking me for assistance in the future.
Guy A. Relford"
Feel free to express your own opinions to the editor of Indianapolis Monthly. aheckert@indianapolismonthly.com
With awesome help from my son Craig Relford we met that deadline. Needless to say, I was deeply disappointed when I read the actual article, which features as a "gun enthusiast" attorney Bryan Ciyou - in full "tacticool" getup, including camo BDUs, shemagh, a drop-leg holster and combat boots. In contrast, they featured a positively saintly picture of anti-Second Amendment activist Shannon Watts. You have to see pictures and read the article to understand the dichotomy and how badly we are portrayed as gun owners. After seeing the article, I sent the authors and Editor in Chief Amanda Heckert the following email:
"I have now read your article, "Under the Gun." If I had known that you intended to do a completely biased, one-sided, unfounded attack on the Second Amendment in Indiana, I would certainly have declined to be involved. You went out of your way to portray gun owners as extremists (thanks in part to Bryan Ciyou) and you deified Shannon Watts and the anti-Second Amendment crowd.
After spending several hours of my time attempting to assist you in publishing an informed, objective factually accurate article, I see now that my time was wasted. And I deeply resent the fact that you took advantage of my good will - including your request that I fact-check your article within 24 hours, which I did. You clearly had undisclosed ulterior motives throughout the process of publishing this article.
I naively believed that you would publish an objective, unbiased article. Unfortunately, you established that Indianapolis Monthly is unworthy of my time. Kindly refrain from asking me for assistance in the future.
Guy A. Relford"
Feel free to express your own opinions to the editor of Indianapolis Monthly. aheckert@indianapolismonthly.com
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