Well Dougan I think you're wrong. What you're saying is NF was put under pressure and came back with a stupid comment. Sorry but I can't believe that for the simple reason that we are on a forum where we can take our time in constructing our replies, he wrote exactly how he sees it and he's done similar on other threads. That petition failed because UK sportsmen just didn't get behind it, it was the same old apathy that folks like Alpha1 and NF projected, that and the I'm alright Jack crowd. Sorry mate but my opinion of Mr Francis has not changed.Well I've had a read back over both 'petition' threads, and I'll stand by anything I said, then and now.
In the first one, you and others give Francis a hard time...but it's the eventual handbags between you and Alpha that gets the thread locked...
...then in the 'part 2', you, Sim, Adam and others give Neil such a hard time that he eventually makes a stupid comment; the point at which I had to say I couldn't continue to defend him - But despite that I still think he was provoked, and was answering specific and antagonistic 'interrogation'...which is why I'm saying that he can not be compared to Yardley, who goes out of his way to spout his anti agenda.
I think the thing that re-reading it all has made me realise (bearing in mind that was a year ago), is that there are some on here who have a massive chip on their shoulders about the NRA; and those from, or representing the NRA, are not given the same latitude or courtesy as everyone else...with some (those who always say we should be "united"), saying that they would not support GR just because they disagreed with NF's opinions...SAD
And, at the end of the day, he was right...the petition didn't even get a quarter of the signatures it needed...and more effort and energy spent actually shooting would have done far more good.
With regards to "some on here who have a massive chip on their shoulders about the NRA; and those from, or representing the NRA", as far as I'm concerned that's up to them and their reasons for doing so though some of those reasons the way I see it are quite valid or were at the time. My own personal view is that the UK NRA in the present anti gun political climate can't just issue statements of support and leave it at that, it has to get pro-active in fighting for your firearms rights/privileges or it can do what you yourself would like and just follow it's remit but I'll tell you here and now mate, following it's remit is the slippery slope to kissing what firearms rights/privileges you have goodbye.
The UK NRA can carry on doing nothing more than issue statements of support but that won't get the job done mate, you can bet your last penny the antis won't stop chipping away at your firearms rights/privileges until you don't have any at all. The choice as a shooting sportsman is yours mate, you either fight or you watch your chosen sport die.
One last thing, you finish with
No he wasn't right and he wasn't right for the simple that sportsmen should have been doing both, promoting and getting new blood in and getting themselves and the new blood behind the petition. That my friend is the problem, it can't be one or the other, it has to be all or nothing.And, at the end of the day, he was right...the petition didn't even get a quarter of the signatures it needed...and more effort and energy spent actually shooting would have done far more good
? And I signed the first petition as did my dad and our friend that shoots with us. No one else at our club did Dougan. You and I at least did something.
yep that's really going to put the fear of death in people like this Professor guy and his anti gun pals.