Ah, business as usual on Twitter.
Eric Boehlert and Instapundit Glenn Reynolds got into a debate after Media Matters published Boehlert’s article claiming that, among other things, the notion that armed private citizens can stop mass shootings is pretty much a myth.
A tweeter made this remark:
https://twitter.com/trestradapalma/status/380106635642818560
Boehlert chimed in:
@trestradapalma @vadum @1catherinesiena right, just ignore fact that 1 of most deadly mass-shootings in US history took place in Texas.
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) September 17, 2013
https://twitter.com/vadum/status/380127832497602560
Instapundit speculated:
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380128301358268416
@instapundit @vadum @trestradapalma @1catherinesiena Austin sniper killed by cops. but keep trying Glenn…
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) September 18, 2013
Texas police officers are credited with delivering the fatal shots to shooter Charles Whitman that day, but armed citizens did play a role, as Instapundit made clear:
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380137101809160192
@instapundit @vadum @trestradapalma @1catherinesiena pls tell me you don't teach history. just clueless: http://t.co/FjokLgT6SX
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) September 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380142568186474496
That’s true. This is from a CNN article:
As Martinez and Crum headed to the top floor, Martinez found out Crum was a civilian and quickly deputized him. They had to step over the bodies to make their way up to the Tower’s observation deck. Down below, armed citizens shot back with their deer rifles, offering resistance to the shots fired from above.
The response was definitely a team effort between police and private citizens.
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380142749632049154
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380137101809160192
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380143406879477760
https://twitter.com/vadum/status/380143499695247361
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380143979586535424
We think that “willful dishonesty” is in Media Matters’ mission statement.
https://twitter.com/vadum/status/380146302098497537
https://twitter.com/sschubart/status/380152510415003648
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380159847561310209
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/380163627350622208
@EricBoehlert @instapundit Eric, read "A Sniper in the Tower" before you embarrass yourself further.
— Desert Pundit (@desertpundit) September 18, 2013
One final note: In his article, Boehlert did not bother to ask how many armed citizens prevented shootings from becoming mass shootings, and there are examples. But why cloud the narrative with all of the available information?