David Codrea:

Let me tell you something about ATF “gunwalking.” Did you know that if you go to Wikipedia, you’ll find no mention of either me or Mike, or our documented roles in breaking the story while imploring both Congress and the media to even notice it? Go ahead– go explore that last link for a few minutes and see all the reporting that was done before the rest of the media had written word one. Now find anything in that early reporting that later investigations did not bear out — notwithstanding discrediting attempts by those taking their talking points from the administration. Several people interested in a complete chronology of events have tried to change that, but their entries were always edited out within a day or so.

David goes on to explain why the acting director Brandon of the ATF is just as bad or worse than Jones.  Of course he is.  What did we expect from the organized crime gang of the Obama administration?  Go read all of David’s piece.

Now, I want to address some thoughts concerning the what David said (and I cited) above.  First of all, it has been said of bloggers that we live a symbiotic relationship with the main stream media.  We don’t do original reporting, original analysis, or anything approximating what the real media does.

I reject this notion with prejudice.  While it’s certainly true that much of what we link and analyze comes from the media, there isn’t a chance on earth that anyone in the media could have developed the theological case for guns and self defense I developed in Christians, The Second Amendment And The Duty Of Self Defense.  Nor would they have known where to go to get such an analysis performed.  On occasion I have conducted original interviews and documented and analyzed information no one in the media has done, and to date no one in the main stream media has thought to obtain information on gun crime in national parks after the law had been changed in 2010 through a FIOA request as did I.  Finally, the main stream media simply cannot accomplish the same kind of analysis performed by many bloggers.  If you think so, prove it.  We’re listening.

As for David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh, they broke the story on gun walking into Mexico as conducted by the ATF.  That much is clear.  It’s also clear that they followed that story until its conclusion, and will continue so as anything else develops.  The fact that they didn’t get the credit for it only speaks to the ugliness of the main stream media.

I may be speaking out of turn, but I also know that David has sent his articles to other venues such as Drudge Report, only to find out that Matt Drudge waited until the stories were carried by the main stream media to report on them.  I have sent one or two links to Drudge, only to see some of my source information (with which I did further analysis) linked by Drudge Report.  Matt Drudge, for all of his claim to hold the main stream media accountable, is a fawning fan boy of the main stream media, and only wants himself to hold anyone accountable.  He worships the main stream media.

I’ve also logged dozens of instances where I’ve sent my links around to large bloggers, only to see my source information linked by those bloggers without attribution.  Dozens of times.  This is very bad form.  I know who you are.  I won’t mention names because it does me no good to pick fights.  But it matters for one simple reason.  Bloggers do this for the opportunity to advocate and persuade.  In order to do that, one has to have readers.  It’s as simple as that.

Whenever you can, forward important links to friends, contact and family.  You have the additional benefit that with David Codrea, you have both a legitimate reporter and a blogger (who as any blogger does more advocacy journalism and commenting).  Persuasion and truth-telling is the name of the game.  And if you don’t blog yourself, it’s always handy and welcome to have reporters who send you information that assists you in your blogging efforts.