Mr. O’Reilly,

I wanted to point out a factual inaccuracy from last evening’s show (Thursday, June 24th, 2010).

The vast majority of recovered firearms from Mexico have come from South America, and primarily from Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Russia. The rocket propelled grenades captured in a recent law enforcement raid were not of U.S. origin either.

While there have been some U.S. firearms recovered, the majority of these have been stolen from the Mexican police and military.

Oddly enough, as a paramilitary organization the cartel does not want the average American guns that could be smuggled (with a lot more work than "more relaxed" countries) across to them. They seem to want what the military has; that is why they are using true machine guns (fed via belts of ammunition) as well as select fire rifles, grenades, rocket propelled grenades, etc.

This recent accusation is strangely reminiscent of when Mr. Ronnie Barrett was accused of providing fifty caliber rifles to the Taliban. (in actuality, Mr. Barrett provided them to the U.S. Government, who then distributed them to the Taliban … when the Taliban were at war with the Soviets).

Please let me know how you plan to correct this inaccuracy. I have been a loyal watcher for some years, but this flies in the face of what you are trying to do to help those honest folks caught on our southern borders.

Best regards,

J L

Bill,

You are really off base with your allegation that USA guns are responsible for what is going on in Mexico.

This line of reasoning is straight from the Obama administration which wants the USA to adopt the UN Small Arms “Gun Grab” Treaty.

Mexico has plenty of its own guns and it gets those guns from all over the world. Even FOX NEWS knows the truth… see - http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-small-fraction-guns-mexico-come/

Only 17% of the guns involved in crime in Mexico are traceable to the USA. This is what FOX NEWS reports and this is the truth.

Come on, Bill, wise-up.

Charles Benninghoff, Editor, Republican Majority Campaign,  http://rmcpac.com

Mr. O’Reilly,

Let’s set things straight right up front.
Yes, some guns are being smuggled into Mexico from the U.S. Most are handguns.
But, handguns are being illegally trafficked from state to state and from the U.S. to Canada.
It should come as no surprise that guns are smuggled into Mexico.
But, the problem being portrayed by the U.S. media and our government is not as it seems.
You see, Mexico doesn’t allow ownership of most firearms, so ordinary Mexican people seeking self-protection will find a way to get them into Mexico.
As for the drug cartels operating in the border towns along the U.S., they have other sources for their weapons and have become the prime supplier within Mexico.

Reference:
http://www.gunnewsdaily.com/rw807.html

See also:

http://sand.miis.edu/research/documents/gnick-osce.pdf

Excerpt:
-----
In El Salvador, approximately 20% of the assault rifles turned in voluntarily for consumer goods were clearly marked "Property of United States Government".

We know that these are not newly introduced weapons as there is evidence that the U.S. government introduced tens of thousands of M-16s and grenade launchers in the 1980’s.
-----

Yeah, how about that: "Property of United States Government".

Gee, I wonder where THOSE came from?

I ask THAT question because machine guns of new manufacture have been OUTLAWED for sale in the U.S. to private citizens since 1986.

See:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan/press/2006/11-08-06c.pdf

Excerpt:
-----
Ms. McLemore noted that while individuals may possess and transfer machine guns lawfully registered prior to May 19, 1986, federal law prohibits the manufacture of new machine guns unless they are intended for distribution to local, state or federal agencies.
-----
.
See also this:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-grenades_13nat.ART.State.Edition1.4d52ff7.html

Most respectfully,

E.J. T

Dear Mr. OReilly:

Spreading disinformation via your show is a disservice to your listeners as well as the rest of United States Citizens who must constantly battle against such mass media misrepresentations and the subsequent political fallout of more laws and rules infringing on the 2nd Am rights of law abiding to be armed and defend against criminals.

Washing DC reporter Helen Thomas lost her job due to merely stating her factually correct opinions about the Jews’ oppressive military activities against unarmed Palestinians, but you facilitate the lies of treasonous politicians such as Clinton, Obama et al and you should be fired for your fraud and complicit disinformation on pubic airwaves.

GP, editor for The MANonline since 1984 http://www.MolokaiAdvertiserNews.com

O’Reilly,

Are you willfully ignorant of the truth.

People continuously correct you but you keep repeating the same old errors.

"Cartel guns are acquired thru sources including, South America, Eastern Block countries (smuggled in) and theft from Mexican law enforcement and military. With cartel’s huge funding, guns can be acquired from about anywhere!) - certainly not as a prime source, the U.S.A.!"

Is it possible that you will someday start telling the truth on this???

It’s bad enough that we have to listen to con men like Bob Beckel and the other Democrat spin meisters who are regulars on your show.

C. N.

Hi Bill...

For you to say that the firearms that are responsible for the carnage in Mexico are being supplied from the United States is preposterous. The M-16s and other heavy weaponry commonly shown are more often than not stolen from the Mexican Army while the rest is readily available on the world weapons market. The U.S. produced AR-15/M-16 is the most common rifle in the world next to the AK-47. Weaponry produced in the United States can be purchased and from anywhere in the world.

To suggest that the firearms causing the mayhem south of the border are coming directly from the United States and from legitimate firearms dealers is blatantly false. You should be ashamed of yourself for misleading the Public. Have you gone over to the camp that would trample upon the Second Amendment?
Sincerely,

Bill M, Veteran, Retired Police Officer, Firearms Dealer, Reno, Nevada

JPFO....

I don’t know for sure one way or the other where the guns in Mexico come from.
If O’Reilly said they came from America and they in fact came from somewhere else, it wouldn’t be the first time the news media got wrong information.

If he said that Mexicans came across the border, went into a gun shop and bought them and took them back to Mexico, that would be a big deal.

Nothing like that was said.

To say that they came from USA and leave it at that is not as big a problem as you are making out. It’s like saying that the GMC SUV’s the Mexican gangs were driving around in came from America. Does that mean the USA should stop making/selling the machine guns, or stop making the SUV’s?

O’Reilly did not advocate restricting the sale of anything, and most (I’m sure not all) people would assume that the kind of weapons stockpile shown in the news clip was not purchased over the counter at a border gun shop.

Ira E

Yesterday, June 24th during your, "Factor" broadcast, you claimed that guns made in America were responsible for violence in Mexico.This assertion is false and a Hillary Clinton lie.

I was watching,The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News. You discussed the Arizona border violence, and how the police are being threatened, you stated your concern for a more secure border and your concern that "all of the guns the drug cartels are using, are coming from the United States, machine guns, etc." This is simply not correct. You have had other guests on your show in the past that have even told you the contrary that the majority of the guns were not from the US.

They are bought from overseas and stolen from the Mexican Police. I know you don’t believe the propaganda spouted by the current administration, so please don’t pass it along. Keep up the Good Work you have been doing and leave the lies to the irresponsible.

Thank You,

A proud supporter of our Country and Constitution. W C

Dear Mr. O’Reilly,

You should be ashamed of yourself for broadcasting this nonsense.

Even an anti-gunner like John Kerry said that only about one out of every four weapons seized by Mexican authorities last year was submitted to ATF to be traced back to purchasers and sellers in the United States. Not 90% of the cartels’ firearms. 90% of 25% of only the minuscule fraction of guns reported seized, with no indication of what percentage of those seizures came from cartel members vs., say, rival corrupt government officials or police, or citizens "illegally" protecting themselves.

Your staff should be more careful with their research. They could start with Fox News as a source:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-small-fraction-guns-mexico-come/

Regards, G C

Wrong again

On your 24th program, your claim of the guns are coming from the USA is not true and what worries me is that you state this and other things for a fact that are not true. Fox should take action to see to it that you only state the facts, for a fact, rather than your normal, "Chris Mathews/Oberman "Talk-a-Thon" without facts.

J E, Pahrump, NV

Your use of the words "dangerously stupid" and "despicable liar" are totally out of line and not necessary. Educating the public about guns and gun control is any gun owners (me) responsibility; but turning Mr. O’Reilly off with such language just hurts our cause and is of no help at all.

Thanks, R S

O’Reilly is anti gun and always has been. I have not watched his show since he verbally attacked Stuart Rhodes of Oathkeepers.

David L G

That just proves what I’ve been saying all along-- O’Reilly is a liberal in conservative clothing. He’s not even well disguised!

Candy

Dear Bill,

Re: with guest Sara Carter from the Washington Examiner, Bill O’Reilly stated his concern for a more secure border and his concern that "all of the guns the drug cartels are using, are coming from the United States, machine guns, etc" (From JPFO.)

Please quit being a propaganda tool of the Constitution-despising far left.
ALL MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL GUNS DO NOT COME FROM AMERICA.
Have you bought a gun lately? No? Go try.
In your neo-comm state of NY you will find it difficult to purchase a gun.
Gangstaz have far easier, far less expensive methods of obtaining firearms than going through legitimate US channels.
Gangs, whether Mexican or US-based, typically have large arsenals, engage in highly profitable tax-free/Social Security-free/medical benefits-free criminal activities, and many members have rap sheets that would preclude their obtaining firearms legitimately.
That also means that Mexican gangs do not head down to Juan McCain’s Tijuana Gun Store and pick up a few dozen full-auto M-16s, M-4s, AK-47s, M-60 and M-50 machine guns, a few thousand hand grenades, and then head out to kill off groups of 20 or 30 members of the Mexican Army.

The US has plenty of enemies worldwide in whose interest it is to distribute arms to gangstaz, which facilitates drug distribution, which facilitates societal decline in the US.
The US is the last bulwark against the victory of evil in the world.
By the way, common folk in Mexico do not have the 2nd Amendment rights that US citizens have, and you can see the carnage that results on a daily basis.
Did you watch the recent John Stossel More Guns Less Crime report, on Fox?
More guns in the hands of honest citizens means less crime.
More guns in the hands of criminals means more potential crime.

Do Mexican gangstaz go through legitimate channels to harvest, manufacture, and distribute their street pharmaceuticals?
Do they go through legitimate channels to "mule" drug shipments, illegally (illegal=against the law, a concept many on the left don’t understand) across the porous Mex-US border?
No and no.

Criminals use the criminal underworld distribution system, whether for their purchases or for their sales and income. That includes weapons
Please correct your thinking on this issue.

Regards, Nick G, ID

Bill,

I watch you on FOX and love your approach to the handling all the bravo sierra.

Regarding this JPFO link - http://www.jpfo.org/articles-assd02/o’reilly-and-mex-guns.htm

I wanted to share my observations and thoughts with you concerning this matter. Recently a large catch was made in Mexico of ammo and vast quantities of M-16’s etc. While these guns are indeed made in the US. it is my observation, after spending a vacation 18 months ago in Cozumel, that the Mexican army was well supplied with M-16’s. given all the stories I hear about graft in the government and the Mexican armies occasional involvement in border violence I would suspect that the drug cartels handsome inventory is available via the corrupt few of the Mexican army.

I am a lifetime member of the NRA and a pro gun man!!!!

Take care,

Mike W M

Bill O’Reilly showed his ignorance on that one. It is american dollars spent for drugs that cause violence in Mexico .... along with that open border.

Guy L

Dear Mr. O’Reilly.

It has been brought to my attention by a very reliable source that on your June 24th show you made statements that you knew or should have known were untrue! If this is true I can only say I am discusted with you and FOX NEWS. For years I’ve watched your show and read your books. I trusted you. NO MORE!

Your remarks regarding gun smuggling from America to Mexico I would have expected from many in Washington who’s philosophy is "Why tell the truth when a lie will suffice.". You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what you were saying was untrue. All you had to do is look at the numerous pictures on the news to see that the vast majority of the guns were all but illegal in America except for some law enforcement agencies.

Next time before you open your moth and make an ass of yourself I suggest you check with your better informed peers at FOX NEWS. FOX NEWS lost a lot of their credibility with your unconscionable conduct. See this Fox link. www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-small-fraction-guns-mexico .

I’ve thought long and hard for an explanation of why a commentator with your record could fall so low. I can only think of three explanations.
Were you using psychedelic drugs?
Were you bribed?
Were you coerced?

If you have some other explanation I suggest you make it be heard loud and clear by the informed American Public who are disgusted by what passes for news from most of our media. If the reports of what you did are true FOX’s management should fire you. I’m sure you could find employment with the Brady Center and help them spread their less than truthful propaganda.

Robert B. K

Dear Mr. O’Reilly

On your program The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News ---Thursday June 24th, 2010---you made reference to the guns used by the Mexican drug cartels as being from the United States. Mr. O’Reilly many sources give very different statistics---including a story on Fox News from April, 2009.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-small-fraction-guns-mexico-come/

We are asking that you look into the information more thoroughly and correct your misstatements. Many people think that guns are bad and need to be banned. But as lawful gun-owners know, an armed society is a polite society.

Thank you.

Respectfully, Ed & Tama H

I posted this email to the O’Reilly show on June 25th

Mr O’Reilly I wanted to send you this information as it seems whoever does your research is lacking on facts. I am referring to your broadcast on June 24th.

The article is an effort to correct your reporting that the guns used by Mexican drug cartels all come from the US. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-small-fraction-guns-mexico-come/ The fact is all of the guns do not come from the US. From the article you will see that most do not.

The danger of these types of pejorative assertions of imaginary facts only lead to ominous decision-making by our left-leaning politicians in Washington: Ominous to our Constitutional Rights. The country can ill afford much more of that.

Thank you

L R, Wasilla Alaska

I sent this e-mail to Bill O’Reilly today:

Bill O’Reilly,

If you actually said that Mexicans get all of their guns from the U.S., be a man and retract your lie with the same enthusiasm with which you spread it.  And don’t throw around any of your stinking red herrings in the process, either.

K B, Dunwoody, GA

Hi Bill,

I like you. I like your program, but I am very disappointed in you. Where did you get your information that guns are from the U.S., that cause violence in Mexico? That is so untrue. With the drug cartels in Mexico, Columbia, and smugglers all over the world, American made guns are the least likely to be found in these other countries.

Bill, are you for or against the second amendment? We don’t need intelligent people like you with the amount of viewers listening to you, feeding the public more lies to dampen our gun rights. The way things are going, the Constitution is already in very serious jeopardy. Please get your facts straight. Otherwise, keep up the good work. I really respect the fact that you are such a great advocate for the unborn.

Sincerely,

Connie O, Oak Creek, Wisconsin