Who is "Jansen Jones"?

[rhino]

Have any of you IDPA shooters every heard of someone named "Jansen Jones" who is being touted as a "nationally ranked shooter" in the following college newspaper article? From the text, it looks like he was misquoted, or at least taken out of context re:30 rd magazine.

http://www.smudailycampus.com/vnews/displa...1/415d06e1603e6

Nationally ranked shooter Jansen Jones, a junior history, political science and pre law major, visited the booth and voiced his opinions about the assault weapons ban.

“I’m a believer in education. It is the basis for everything,” he said.

As a member of the International Defensive Pistol Association for two years, Jones, a hunter from Boston said, “You don’t need a 30 round magazine. The restrictions [on crime] didn’t help reduce crime.”

As a hunter, Jones said it is a requirement to take a firearms safety class.

There are four key points discussed during the class.

“Never point your gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy, be aware of your target and what is behind it, handle your gun as if it were loaded at all times and always keep your gun in a safe and secure place with a lock,” Jones said.

[BradC]

I shoot at most of the DFW area IDPA matches weekly and have never heard that name.

Rest assured, we are trying to find him =)

BradC

[rhino]

Good ... I'd like to find out what he really said.

I'd also like to know what "nationally ranked" really means. The writer of the article clearly intended the phrase to portray Jones as an expert of some kind.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

He isn't listed as a shooter for the IDPA Nationals and not listed in the results for the Texas Championship.

If you really want to stretch the truth, by being a member of IDPA you have an international classification. By being a member of USPSA and if you have a classification, you are "Nationally" ranked.

Regards,

[shred]

Jones, a hunter from Boston

Do such things exist?

I suppose somebody could e-mail him and ask politely.

Jansen Thomas Jones jtjones@mail.smu.edu

[rhino]

I just sent the following e-mail:

Mr. Jones:

I was interested to see your name and quote in an article on the www.smudailycampus.com web site date 01-October-2004, "SMU Democrats favor assault weapon ban." http://www.smudailycampus.com/vnews/displa...1/415d06e1603e6

A few points in the article are not clear to me, so I would greatly appreciate it if you could clarify or explain further. I refer to the following text:

Nationally ranked shooter Jansen Jones, a junior history, political science and pre law major, visited the booth and voiced his opinions about the assault weapons ban.

“I’m a believer in education. It is the basis for everything,” he said.

As a member of the International Defensive Pistol Association for two years, Jones, a hunter from Boston said, “You don’t need a 30 round magazine. The restrictions [on crime] didn’t help reduce crime.”

As a hunter, Jones said it is a requirement to take a firearms safety class.

There are four key points discussed during the class.

“Never point your gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy, be aware of your target and what is behind it, handle your gun as if it were loaded at all times and always keep your gun in a safe and secure place with a lock,” Jones said.

Goldshmid in a discussion with Jones mentioned that his friend in high school was shot by a close friend because they were unaware the gun was loaded.

“I believe education will ease our problems. We’ve lost touch with firearms education,” Jones said. Toy guns desensatize the severity of the consequences, he said.

1. The writer referred to you as a "nationally ranked shooter." Do you happen to know what she meant? I am a long time competitor in several action pistol shooting sports and I follow the news about the top shooters regularly. Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with you, nor have I seen your name in the results of any national championships (USPSA, IDPA, NRA Action Pistol, etc.). If you could clarify this point, it would be great.

2. When you are quoted regarding not needing a 30 round magazine, what was the context? Were you referring to IDPA competition, hunting, or what? Were you misquoted, or do you actually believe that 30rd magazines are either unnecessary (in general), or should be banned by law?

3. When you are quoted ". . .The restrictions [on crime] didn’t help reduce crime," were you referring to the fact that gun control laws do not reduce crime, and that specifically the now-defunct ban on "high capacity" magazines did nothing to reduce crime? If so, it seems that the writer chose to weaken that point.

4. When you listed the four basic rules of gun safety, is there a reason why you chose to replace keeping one's finger out of the trigger guard and away from the trigger with your own rule about keeping a "gun in a safe and secure place with a lock"? Or were you, in fact, misquoted?

I believe you attempted to make an excellent point regarding education being the key to gun safety, but it seemed to be lost as the writer of the article presented your words.

Thank you for your time. If you can address my questions, I would be grateful. Please note that I may share your response with others (online), although I will give you full credit for your words.

Joseph Viray

rhino@link2000.net

[ogiebb]

Sik em rhino sik...

[BradC]

Man Rhino, I think you may be my new best friend.

I stopped by the largest Saturday match in the area today (IDPA) and took a quick glance at the roster, no matches.

I'll watch for his name in all the scores this week and post if he turns up at a match.

BradC

[EricW]

"...desensatize..."

I just can't take any "journalist" who can't spell at a 4th grade level seriously.

[tightloop]

Get on his ass, Rhino....

[cold]

hey guys

this is Jansen Jones from AR15.com I run the group buy on 458socom uppers from Teppo Jutsu

I was eggregesly missquoted, the lady note taking was furiously writting stuff down while i was in a heated debate with an SMU democrat who said people could go by MP5ks at the store down the road.... heres what I sent to a guy who emailed me from this site.. ..a little bit ago

"thanks for your note sir

yes I was mis quoted several times, the young lady who was "note taking" was rushing to write down things i said while in an arguement/ discussion with the SMU democracts at the booth, I said I shot IDPA WITH some nationaly and regionally ranked shooters (i myself am not), again she didnt get it right, i told here what the 4 rules of gun safty were and she must not have gotten them all down, and i added that having a gun safe or gun locks, which are provided with most guns now, is another crutical thing. I was mis quoted several times, however at least she did try to get another side, the writer her self was good friends with the SMU democrats running the booth, and since they were just mis interpreting the ban etc I felt someone needed to step up. I said the 30 round mag was un-need in most cases, I told her I am a long time hunter, I have a ranch in Neb and turkey hunt and GUIDE on it in the spring time. Halley Caller out of Pa sends their TV crew to film with us. I do know what I am talking about however unfortunately i was miss quoted or, to give her some easy, she was writting things down furiously to keep up with the debate i was having with one of the booth holders. hope this helps.

Jansen"

[cold]

on a side note, this is a neat site, Im all over the web forums and have never been here!

feel free to email me,

the best example I used, she didnt even get in the article (she her self was a very liberal woman...)

but i explaind how the ban did the following

say you have a ball of clay

the ban said you cant have clay in a ball shape (due to the restrictions)

however

you can have clay in a square shape, the ban in effect did nothing and thus, it was pointless, that was my arguement to them, however it was lost on to them due to their rethoric of, guns kill people blah blah, you shouldnt have one, I had to stay and fight but gave up after 45 mins of discussion....they had pointless dead end arguements however, they were unwilling to hear my side whereas I at least heard them out.

Honestly, I do believe that education is the key to keeping the general public in a more favorable mindset about firearms, I have lived in Nebraska, Boston and now Dallas, and if the general public just had a more common sence and educational approach to firearms, I dont think we would have such hard up road battles. I do believe that my generation was numbed to guns due to super soakers etc, the SMU DEMOCRATS kept telling me of kids using loaded guns as toys and I said part of that is also due to irrespobsibity on the parents part, that was where the lock came into play but she mis quoted it. However, common sence with firearms needs to be used, and the SMU DEMOS looked at me and said, how do you have common sense with things that kill. AT that point, I realized I was arguing with people who did not wish to have an open mind even though they claim to be. Alas, I wish I had some back up there...would have been useful

CoLd

[GeorgeInNePa]

Most of you don't know me, but I want you to know that Cold(Jansen) is one of the good guys. I'm in on his Group Buy for .458SOCOM uppers at AR15.com. He's not a liberal goof.

[BradC]

Glad to hear you were misquoted Jansen! I'm a DFW area shooter myself, hope to see you on the range!

BradC

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

It sounds like the young lady cut a few too many classes

Thanks for coming by COLD.

Regards,

[ogiebb]

Good thing its all cleared up...nice to have ya on our side

[EricW]

It sounds like the young lady cut a few too many classes

Actually, she is probably at the top of her class in Journalism. Sorry to go serious, but you have to keep in mind that this type of BS is WHAT THE MODERN STUDENT IN JOURNALISM IS TAUGHT TO DO. I am in no way exaggerating. A prominent tenet of the modern journalist is that there is no such thing as unbiased journalism, so therefore any attempt at such is a pointless endeavor.

There's always the temptation with interacting with the Journalism profession to think "*I* am more intelligent and more eloquent than those who have gone before me, and I shall succeed where others have failed," and in the end, you are misquoted and dejected because your efforts always end up as ammunition for the opposition. It is the media's job to deceive the public in promoting their agenda. It is what modern journalists are trained to do. YOU CANNOT WIN, FOR THE GAME IS RIGGED FROM THE OUTSET.

If you were to go on Fox news as a live guest with a written guarantee of xx minimum minutes to express your view, you might have a chance. As far as print, radio, and regular TV news, forget it. I wouldn't say you'll be screwed at the first opportunity, you've been screwed before the TV truck pulls up.

Sorry for the negative energy, but that's really the way it is.

[tightloop]

Eric

Dude, your glass is half empty, not half full.....bummer..

[EricW]

Eric

Dude, your glass is half empty, not half full.....bummer..

TL,

If I hadn't seen, heard, and experienced the phenomenon, I wouldn't say that. 60 Minutes changed the news industry profoundly. Telling news is a horribly unprofitable endeavor. Telling stories on the other hand is the mother of all cash cows. Unfortunately even-handed fact-telling and a good story rarely collide in our universe.

The modern "journalist" is a fairly contemptible creature.

[mactiger]

Well said, Eric.

I've done a few interviews with the local, highly respected, sports editor for the Baton Rouge paper, in conjunction with State championship (USPSA) matches. Even he added his own slant to what should have been a straight-forward Q&A session.

As Shred says, "It's all about the hype".

Troy

[driver8M3]

Dude, your glass is half empty, not half full.....bummer..

his glass is full...of reality.

[Nik Habicht]

The modern "journalist" is a fairly contemptible creature.

Eric,

I can't let that one go past. I've worked in a newsroom for the past decade. What I see is a mix of people who simply don't know enough, but are striving to learn, people who are competent at their profession, but don't know anything about guns, the firearms industry, recreational shooting, etc. other than what they read in publications, and a few who either have their minds made up already or are burned out.

Now go ahead and insert cars, the automotive industry and auto racing in place of guns, the firearms industry, and recreational shooting in the above paragraph --- and I'll continue to stand by those words. The bulk of the people I work with will try to report fairly and accurately. They are hindered by having to write multiple articles each day, often covering several events. Then throw in a subject they may not have a background in, combine it with the usual time pressures and what do you expect? I've made a difference in this newsroom --- both for fact checking and for suggesting other questions to be asked or avenues to be explored.

[Nik Habicht]

I've done a few interviews with the local, highly respected, sports editor for the Baton Rouge paper, in conjunction with State championship (USPSA) matches. Even he added his own slant to what should have been a straight-forward Q&A session.

Troy

Troy,

any chance that the slant was caused by ignorance --- not by bias?

[EricW]

I can't let that one go past.

Hi Nik,

I didn't mean to offend you, but that has genuinely been my experience with the media. I think that perhaps some smaller papers still have integrity, but the overwhelming majority of journalist really are propagandists. This is based on what I saw being taught to journalism students back when I was in school.

I genuinely believe that the overwhelming majority of reporters see it as their obligation to push an agenda, and that this agenda comes before facts. Even those that "err" on the side of reporting facts are very selective about which facts they choose to report, which to me, differs little from lying.

As far as newpapers go, this is hardly a new phenomena. Yellow journalism has a long history in America. Print journalism has been broken for a long time. It's just that we've had the privilege of suffering its wrath for over three decades now. Eventually the die-hard hippies will retire/die and maybe they'll go hassle someone else.

[mactiger]

I don't think it was bias as much as just not listening to what I was saying. He just got a number of things slightly wrong, which did appear to be bias, in those instances. I got the distinct feeling, though, that the sport was considered "extreme", from the articles.

I understand your point about journalists being ignorant about a lot ot things, but it seems to me that they'd try to get the facts right, and not prove their ignorance, or worse yet, misinform their readers. It's not necessarily malicious, but with deadlines, editorial constraints, etc., it seems sometimes that the facts tend to play second fiddle to just getting some copy on paper. Does that make sense?

Troy