nfrancis wrote:
Guns however are a different matter. Guns are different. Guns worry and scare people only a little bit less than the people who drool over and covet the guns that worry and scare people. Anyone who doesn't realise this needs to have a good long hard think about why this is the case.
People continuously mix up guns and shooting - even people who advocate shooting and are involved in it continuously mix up guns and shooting. If you care about guns the reality is you are going to be perceived as having a bit of a problem and a bit weird. If you care about shooting you are probably going to be accepted a bit more rationally.
Frankly, "get on with our shooting"...we may not be able to for much longer because if we do not stand united and accept all shooting disciplines we will end up with nothing.
Two things - firstly - the more people that go shooting the harder it is to get rid of it. Go shooting - go shooting more often and encourage people to go shooting with you. Why do you think football is almost immune to all sorts of social negativity - real or imagined. Its because its so immensity popular.
Secondly - promote the shooting and only the shooting. Enter more competitions, promote the sport and only the sport. Forget the guns - guns don't really have anything to do with shooting - I don't even own any guns - I just have sporting kit.
Whilst we're there lets forget the politics, the conspiracy theories, the looney MPs and the endless pointless on-line petitions as well.
Well you have certainly set your stall out there.
So legal gun collectors are now amongst the reasons that the country is anti gun.
People who appreciate firearms for their history, innovation, skill of making, aesthetics and purely enjoy getting them to shoot again should be sacrificed on the alter of your competitive sport.
I shoot with half a dozen clubs and have many shooting customers and only around 10% are competitive or have completive interests, the majority enjoy their firearms for shooting them to their standard and the pleasure that owning these guns gives them.
When you have got rid of these gun owners and shooters under your beliefs then you will find it very lonely in trying to get support to keep your narrow field of interest.
You seem to be quiet happy to sacrifice other legitimate gun owners interests to keep your interest alive.
Shame on you I say.
I have never seen such a divisive, self serving, self interested, treacherous view on shooting and gun ownership since the machinations of our "national" bodies during the time of the pistol ban.
If thinking like yours is prevalent amongst shooters then gun ownership and shooting in the UK is truly doomed.
In my contribution to the fight for shooting rights I support your right to have your view and your right to shoot the disciplines you want, even as you stab me in the back I will continue to do so.
You also talk as though many of us do not promote shooting and you are the only one to do so, which is blatantly not the case many shooters and clubs do this but perhaps they are not so publicly vocal about their activities as you. I an fully supportive both in thought and deed about getting new people into gun ownership and shooting. However I am not naive enough to think that this on its own will stop the establishments assault on legal gun ownership in the UK, a national unified approach around gun ownership is the only way and the more people there are like you diluting and undermining this then the we are truly on a hiding to nothing.
I find it sad that your flawed logic on this issue sustains your hope in us leaving a shooting legacy in the UK to our children and grandchildren.
I own, collect and shoot guns, I make no apologies for that. It is a legitimate interest and is recorded as such on my firearms certificate even although you would wish to deny me that. I shoot at targets but have no interest in competition whatsoever. Sporting kit indeed, what a cowardly, appeasing and apologetic approach devoid of any integrity and pride.
Have you ever thought of taking up airsoft or perhaps football instead, you seem to be more suited to that self centred, competitive, tribal culture. Gun ownership and shooting could also benefit.
