Does CBS think that all mass public shooters, indeed all criminals, use machine guns? CBS’s FBI Most Wanted (S2 E5 Jan 26, 2021) once again has a machine gun used in a mass public shooting. The weapon is referred to in the show as “an assault weapon.” Lots of discussions about the “New Patriots trying to start a race war.” TV shows over and over show a “right-wing,” white supremacist angle to mass public shootings, but that is not even remotely close to being the case (see here and here). Lots of references to “hate crimes,” but concern that these “New Patriots” aren’t on any watch list.
Of course, the show also got in plugs for other liberal political positions, such as referring to those concerned about illegal immigrants coming into the country as pushing “Nazi propaganda.” They have “New Patriots” posting statements with lots of English errors such as: “I seen the border crossed by 30 illegals it ain’t right” and “our America our jobs who is with me.” Or bizarre statements like: “The purity of our white nation is being stained by sewage seeping through unguarded borders” and “To ensure our heritage remains untainted we must be resolute in our duty of eradication. It’s time.”


As the Crime Prevention Research Center has pointed out many times, television crime shows seem to think criminals are constantly using machine guns to shoot people. In real life, despite claims frequently made in the news media, none of the mass public shootings have involved machine guns. Of course, the show was also able to get in plugs for other liberal political positions, such as illegal immigration.
Criminals generally use machine guns so rarely that a 2016 survey of prison inmates only broke down the numbers for uses of handguns, rifles, and shotguns. The survey did not even mention fully automatic weapons. Since 1934, there was only one possible known use ever of a civilian using a machine gun in a murder. And even before 1934, they were very rare.
So far this season we have these shows with criminals using machine guns:
CBS’s Bull (Season 5): E6, January 18 2021
CBS’s FBI Most Wanted (Season 2): E4 January 19, 2021, E5 January 26, 2021.
CBS’ Coyote (Season 1): E2 January 7, 2021 and E5 January 7, 2021
CBS’ SWAT (Season 4): E7 Jan 13, 2021
CBS Magnum PI (Season 3): E3 Dec 11 2020
CBS Magnum PI (Season 3): E2 Dec 11 2020
CBS The FBI (Season 3): E1 Nov 17 2020, E4 Jan 24, 2021
In last years’ season (2019-2020), we haven’t been keeping close track, but other recent examples include:
CBS’ SWAT (Season 3): E11 January 15, 2020; E21 May 20, 2020
In last years’ season (2019-2020), we haven’t been keeping close track, but other recent examples include:
CBS’ SWAT (Season 3): E11 January 15, 2020; E21 May 20, 2020
CBS’ FBI (Season 2): E12 January 14, 2020; Episode 18, March 24, 2020
Fox’s Deputy (Season 1): E1 January 2, 2020
FBI: Most Wanted (Season 1): Episode 4, January 28, 2020; Episode 6, February 18, 2020, Episode 9, March 24, 2020
Chicago PD (Season 7): Episode 10 January 8, 2020; Episode 16, March 4, 2020; Season 7, Episode 17, March 18, 2020; Episode 20, April 15 2020
Hawaii Five-O, Season 10, Episode 18, February 28, 2020; Episode 20, March 13, 2020; Episode 21, March 27, 2020
Magnum PI, Season 2, Episode 18, May 1, 2020
Blue Bloods, Season 10, Episode 19, May 1, 2020
The Blacklist, Season 7, Episode 18, May 8, 2020
Here is a list of shows from the 2018-19 television season that showed criminals using machine guns.
The Rookie (Season1): E2, E4, E9, E17, E20
Magnum PI (Season 1): E1, E15
Chicago P.D. (Season 6): E14
Other examples of television media bias on this particular point can be found here.
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