LMTD: I'm going to make a few corrections, but I'm not going to argue this thread further after this post, unless you outright misrepresent a statement.
"Your comments about focusing on the store vs the paper indicate you felt that instead of the comments being directed at the store they should have been directed at the paper, that is how I read it."
Change "the comments being directed" to "greater efforts being directed" and it's accurate. I agree about the calling out the store owner. But the bigger battle deserves the greater effort - if you want to win overall. And I hardly ever see a media effort here.
"It seemed like you were saying the paper should be forced to give a balanced perspective and I do not agree, I believe the paper has the right to free speech whether I like it or not and I do not want it restricted."
It's a strange idea about suppressing free speech and it's yours not mine.
Sending letters or otherwise participating in media content is not unethical in any way. It doesn't suppress speech, it
is free speech. And if a paper or TV station violates journalism ethics or the public's trust, there would be nothing wrong with calling them on it.
"As far as letters to the paper go, you could sent 1000 and they never have to print a single one."
That's an okay theory/assumption, I guess it's "true" that they never have to, theoretically, but the reality is that they practically have to print some of what they receive. And they
do. (That is easily verifiable in black and white.)
As for the media being biased - no argument there. It's a rotten mess. It's true that media often creates news as you say. And they have lots of tactics for twisting things. I'm glad you understand how they use a shop owner as an authority. Basically a bad-guy authority in their view - like "even evil gun people think open carry is downright nuts").
But beyond calling out the shop owner, we disagree on the media solution. Mainstream media is still incredibly influential (look who's president) and I believe retreating entirely from the battle there is suicide. Alternative media and blogs didn't win the last election for example, even after people had seen his true colors 4 years in. If you really want to win you have to fight the battles everywhere they are. IMO. The media have plans to survive after the age of news print is over, so I don't think we're done with them yet. Even when you successfully pass laws you may struggle holding onto them a few years later if you don't have enough of the population on your side.
It's valid to try and limit the supply of "bad guy" authorities for them, that will help one area. But they really don't need many. They have plenty of supposedly "good guy" authorities for their spin - the mayor, the police chief, small local anti-gun orgs, big national anti-gun orgs, famous politicians, and so on. That's who they usually run with.