"Short Takes" Short on Facts

Just a brief note on some unusually lax fact checking in the latest "Point."

In an effort to embarrass John Kerry, Mark Hyman talks about Kerry’s supposed ownership of a “Chinese assault rifle” as mentioned in an “interview” with Outdoor Life Magazine. If Mark had looked into it a little bit further, he’d have learned that the “interview” was really a creative summary of information given to the magazine by campaign aides who filled out questions submitted in writing. In fact, Kerry owns a bolt-action rifle used by the North Vietnamese, not the illegal assault rifle Hyman suggests.

But the question still remains: why would Kerry have an interest in some antique gun from Vietnam, of all places, that he doesn’t even shoot? Oh yeah, he actually went to Vietnam and served in combat.

Hyman also cites “recent polls” that show that African Americans support racial profiling of Arabs. He asks mockingly, “Don’t they know it’s not politically correct?”

Well, this poll was taken more than three years ago, within a month of the 9/11 attacks. Given this (coupled with the fact that African Americans are more likely to live in the urban areas that would be the most likely targets of similar attacks), we suspect this “recent” poll just might not represent an objective position on the issue. Of course, that doesn’t keep Hyman from using this “news” to lampoon African American objections to racial profiling. Here’s a link to the Clarence Page article Hyman appears to be referencing (take a note of the date).

Was “The Point” fact checker on vacation? Is there a fact checker for “The Point”? We’re just wondering.

And that’s The Counterpoint.