Disabled Shooters - Autism?

[The Cupcake Kid]

No first hand experience either I'm afraid but i really sympathise with you on this and I hope the shooting organisations mentioned will be able to help.

I did have a GP once who refused to write the letter supporting my FAC renewal, but that in itself isn't grounds to refuse the application. It was annoying though and I could only assume he had some personal problem with shooting sports. Prejudice has no place in the health care system.

The NHS does some great work and has some great people, but also has a lot of not so great people with a bad attitude who really shouldn't have anything to do with health care and don't take any responsibility.

Keep fighting it and don't give in!

[Sim G]

I'm going to go out on a limb here, Jeff.....

Reapply for the lad's ticket. You don't know, it may just go through nicely. If not, the legislation allows appeals against the refusal to grant in the County Court.

Legal Aid may even apply, if not then your organisation certainly can! Take it to court. A cold court judgement will be easier to get than trying to change the mind of an anti who is already entrenched in their views!

It may be a $hit or bust course of action, however, if the firearms dept also know you're looking to go all the way, discarding the letter from one doctor in favour of all solid supporting evidence....

Best of British!

[M99]

Sim,

It is the Magistrates Court and I am afraid they will not award costs either - so win or loose you have to pay :(

Mike

[shugie]

My ten year old son is Aspergers too, and has expressed an interest in shooting. I have been wondering how he would get on if he liked it, started shooting and then was told he could not have a licence on medical grounds. But some Aspergers people do also have behavioural issues, which can include getting frustrated with the rest of the world (who from their perspective can often seem like retards, Aspergers people are often very bright) to the extent of getting very angry.

There are people I know with shotgun licences who I would not personally trust with a pointy stick after they've been drinking, but the 'system' does not pick that up.

[FarmerSim]

As a disabled person myself, (MD), who has seen his (un)fair share of cobblers from various "qualified" types, I feel for you. We are fortunate that we (now) have a damn good GP, and an FEO with a brain. Actually the FEO is something of a star - when I provided a long, very medical, article from the New England Journal of Medicine on my condition, he and the FLM, read it thoroughly, and, I think, understood it !!! They were also reasonable in sorting the conditions on my FAC with the MD in mind.

I have also seen all sorts of Quacks in my time, one who even said "you'll be allright when you get a nice GF" - he was fortunate that I just burst out laughing, rather than a more "direct" reaction - what a prat. ( I must have dreamt up the wife and three kids then, eh?) I also had the "pleasure" of an american locum GP, who said " you can't possibly have MD - you are too well" !! - Mrs Sim was well happy with him - I would imagine his ears are still burning... (two muscle biopsies and all the "tests" must have been wrong then !!). One, even wanted to amputate my right leg, as I have bone cist in the femur - "might be cancer", er, yeah, it "MIGHT" - it isn't, but that was surreal experience).

Hard to know what to say, or advise, but keep at the idiots, don't let them get you down, and read everything you can on the subject - I know you are doing this, but I just wanted to say that this has worked for us, and seems to be the best way forward. we also try to do most things in writing, as it tends to concentrate the mind of any quacks/dickheads/muppets.

It may also be worth trying to turn their silly rules back on them:- take, for example, "duty of care", they have a "duty" to make sure they don't allow you to be involved in an activity which can cause you harm, but harm can take many forms, and sometimes it is a balancing act, and wrapping folk in cotton wool will not help them have a full, productive life.

I often wonder if a better term than "disabled" is "differently abled", - as Shugie says, above, folk with Aspergers are often highly intelligent. My own MD gives me significant strength - I've become bored with quacks who ask me to squeeze their fingers, and then complain.

Best of luck with it all

Sim

Eidt fro speelingg!!!

[IainWR]

"Differently abled"

Pretorius might indeed fit that model.

I tend to prefer the NRA words. The guys from Headley Court and their retired-from-Service colleagues attended the inaugural "Adaptive Military Shooting Championships" on the same day as the Final of HM the Queen's Medal. The NRA now has 12 adapted AR-15s to support such events.

That's physical adaption. Mental adaption is something I'm just beginning to explore dealing with.

Iain

[shotgun sam]

My son (14) is registered blind and recently got his FAC. The FEO and the inspector that visited him commented that he shoots better than some people they have met

[Sim G]

Sim,

It is the Magistrates Court and I am afraid they will not award costs either - so win or loose you have to pay :(

Mike

Looks like we were both wrong...... It's Crown Court with the appeal heard by a Circuit/District Judge and two Magistrates.....

And, they look at the case afresh, including what was and what was not known at the time of refusal, as oppose just review the decision.