Blog Critique

http://www.infowars.com/homeland-security-to-purchase-25-million-shotgun-rounds/

I chose to critique an infowars blog about Homeland Security.  The blog states that Homeland Security recently purchased 25 million shotgun rounds. The blog goes into detail how 25 million shotgun rounds is an excessive amount.  The blog continues to show evidence that Homeland Security and other government police forces like the postal service are all increasing the amount of firepower and ammunition they have and consume.  There is a lot of talk about a large scale mass panic attack that the government is preparing for.
            To think about this blog I look at chapter five, socialization.  Going deeper into socialization one can easily see that there is much impact from mass media to people that effects the way one becomes part of society.  I saw this article as a mass media way of proving a point from a gun control perspective.  This article is trying to use fear and violence to scare people into seeing their point of view.  The point of view of the blog is that the government shouldn’t need so much firepower and we the people should be worried about it.  As people socialize they pick up beliefs from others, some pick up beliefs from mass media. 

This blog does a good job in making people believe that the government is up to no good, or that they are using an excessive amount of firepower.  This blog does a good job at showing really how much ammunition the government is using, it is very unnecessary.  If I didn’t have a previous opinion about guns and the government I would definitely be worried and concerned after reading this blog.  The way the blog puts it there is no reason the government should be consuming all of those bullets.

What was bad about this blog is that it is completely one sided.  The blog only slightly dives into the other side of the spectrum.  The blog states that one military article stated the amount of ammunition consumed by homeland security is not to be worried about.  The blog should go into more detail of the opposing side and prove how that source is less that the blog.
            I would use the social conflict approach to think about this blog.  This blog is trying to generate change and along the way is provoking conflict ( it comes naturally with topics like this).  Although this blog does not show inequality among class, race, or gender it shows conflicting views.  Conflicting views is what changes things in society like rules, laws, and norms.  When a certain view becomes 50% or more popular then it becomes the majority view.  This blog just like most others are trying to get their view to be the majority by showing their side of the argument.  All in all this blog did not impress me very much, and it did not change my opinion on the topic of guns and the government.