Zumbo mission - status update from the front...
quote:Originally posted by NUGE: on the NUGE talkback boards
April 04, 2007
Exclusive Interview: Ten Questions For Jim Zumbo
It was the blog heard round the shooting world. On February 16, Jim Zumbo, long-time hunting editor of Outdoor Life magazine, wrote a blog entry on that magazine's website disparaging so-called "assault" rifles. "I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity," wrote Zumbo. "I'll go so far as to call them `terrorist' rifles."
The repercussions were swift and, for Zumbo's career, deadly. Thousands of furious black-rifle enthusiasts vehemently responded via the Internet, calling for his resignation from Outdoor Life (which is owned by Bonnier Corp., as is Field & Stream) as well as threatening a boycott of the magazine's sponsors if he remained on the masthead. Zumbo quickly claimed that ignorance about the rifles' popularity and fatigue brought on from a long day of hunting led to his ill-conceived comments, but the retraction only led to increased criticism. The magazine, reeling from such negative exposure, accepted Zumbo's resignation. Corporate sponsors such as Remington and Cabela's terminated ties with him. His television show was put on hiatus. In less than a week, Zumbo went from hunting culture hero to Internet casualty.
In this fieldandstream.com exclusive, we sent Zumbo 10 questions asking about details that led to his comments, what it was like to go through such a public castigation, and what it all means for hunters and shooters. These are his written responses. -The Editors
1. It seems your comments exposed a gaping divide between black-rifle enthusiasts and hunters. Why weren't you aware of this before?
I've never had a fascination for firearms. If I wasn't in the business of writing hunting articles, I'd own a half dozen guns or less. To me, a firearm is a tool, like a carpenter's hammer. I go to the range only to sight in before hunting season.
When I go to the SHOT [Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade] Show each year, you won't find me in the big firearms exhibits. I don't investigate new guns. Instead, I'll be talking to people about decoys, camo apparel, game calls, hunting boots, knives, and other hunting accessories. That being the case, when I wrote the blog, I was completely ignorant of the rising interest in black rifles among varmint hunters, and I had no idea of their popularity.
2. If you could address every one of your critics, what would you say?
I
would tell them to please accept the apologies that I've offered, and let's move forward. I'm working to correct what I said. I've made a statement to the Second Amendment Foundation, reiterating my unwavering support of the Second Amendment, and I publicly rebutted statements by U.S. Senator Carl Levin [that used Zumbo's remarks in support of his anti-gun position], exposing his real agenda as an aggressive anti-gun politician. My rebuttal letter was sent to Vice President Dick Cheney, and I requested that it be placed in the Congressional Record.
And to those who believe I now must support the Second Amendment as an "absolutist," let me say I've been a supporter for more than 40 years. I joined the NRA in 1963, and have been a member ever since. I still am.
3. What have you learned about black rifles and black rifle owners?
I've learned that there's an extremely large following of people who own black rifles for home defense, shooting competitions, just plinking, and hunting. I've also learned that many of my pals own black rifles.
A few weeks after my blog statement, when I was giving hunting seminars in Oregon, a man approached me and said he'd been deer hunting and came upon a camo-clad man carrying a black rifle. The hunter was immediately fearful, thinking he'd stumbled into a meth lab or a marijuana patch. The man with the black rifle waved him over, and the hunter approached, very much on guard. As it turned out, the camo-clad man was also hunting, and shared information where he'd located fresh deer sign. The two men hit it off, and are now close friends.
4. What really happened during that coyote hunt that spurred you into making detrimental remarks about black rifles on your blog?
I had just finished dinner. I was tired from a long day of hiking in strong winds, and was about to go to bed when I decided to write a blog. My agreement with Outdoor Life was to do three or four blog entries a week. At that point, I was receiving one or two dozen comments from my blogs, or less. I was trying to come up with a blog subject that evening, and one of the young guides mentioned that there was a "huge" following among black rifle enthusiasts for prairie dog hunting. I was genuinely amazed, and decided that might make a suitable blog subject, generating a bit more traffic than I'd been getting. As we all know, my word selection was inflammatory. The rest is history.
5. You've been defending the 2nd Amendment during your entire writing career. Have your feelings about 2A changed in any way?
My feelings are as strong as they've ever been to support the Second Amendment. They've never wavered. However, I'd like to say that the First Amendment was central to this controversy as well. Many people said it was unfair that my opinion, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment, offering the right of free speech, was trammeled upon. A common phrase I heard was: "How can we uphold the Second Amendment but trash the First?" One person said he laid in rice paddies in Vietnam to protect our constitutional rights. Other military personnel offered similar comments, including a general and several high-ranking marine officers. Hundreds of other people were disappointed at the hostility toward me, and quoted the First Amendment. Many newspaper editors said the same in editorials across the country.
I'd like to offer this point. The amendment that guarantees me the right of free speech also guarantees my adversaries a right of free speech. That's what makes America so great. We can criticize anyone we want for whatever reason. But when some individuals and organizations sought to end my career because of my Constitutionally-protected opinion, many people said they had gone too far.
6. How did it feel to see your blog discussed and dissected in mainstream media such as the Washington Post and the Colbert Report? What do you think it meant for hunters?
It made me feel absolutely terrible. The worst was when some people used my words to try to support anti-gun legislation. That made me sick. That's why I immediately countered with a letter to the Second Amendment Foundation, an appearance on Ted Nugent's TV show, dialogue on radio programs, interviews, a letter to the U.S. Senate, and other actions.
For hunters, I think it means that there is a very definite divide that we must repair. Gun owners must learn to respect each other, regardless of their interest. To give an inch to anti-gun legislation opens the door to taking away all our guns.
7. Ted Nugent gave you a chance to redeem yourself by having you shoot black rifles and then writing about the experience on his website. How did you get hooked up with him?
Ted Nugent was the first person to call me after the firestorm began. At that point I had no idea what was going on. Ted basically said I "screwed up" (not exactly his words) and that he wanted to "educate" me. He invited me to his ranch. Within a few days I was on a plane. Ted hoped to use me as an example of a hunter who was ignorant of black rifles, turning my ignorance into a positive spin to educate all hunters and shooters. I agreed to do just that. It was a lesson in humility but I believed it was necessary to unify gun owners.
I've known Ted for years, visiting with him at the SHOT Show, NRA conventions, at sportsman's shows. One of Ted's more salient points was that we do not need to defend the Second Amendment. It is our Constitutional right. He also believes in the word "absolutist" to describe support from all gun owners when anti-gun issues are debated. Some people see Ted as a bit rough around the edges, but no one puts the positive spin on hunting and shooting in the media as he does, and no one reaches more of our youth than Ted.
8. You've been a hunting writer for 40 years. Has this experience soured you on the profession?
Not only am I not soured on my profession, I'm overwhelmed by the support I've received from my peers. Practically everyone sympathized with what had happened to me.
I've also received support from leaders in the industry, as well as from shooters and hunters not in the industry. I have boxes of letters from people from all walks of life, and a large amount of email, together amounting to thousands of communications. The comments were varied, from people who said I was right in my blog and shouldn't have apologized, to people who said I was wrong but would accept my apologies. Then, of course, there were those who stated in their blogs that they would never accept my apologies. I can't change that.
Companies that severed relationships with me did so under threat of a massive boycott by my adversaries. That was business; I harbor no grudges.
9. Going forward, what advice would you offer to hunters and black-rifle enthusiasts?
On a chat room during this controversy, I said that hunters and black rifle enthusiasts should tolerate each other. One person took exception to the word "tolerate" and said I should have used the word "respect." I believe his point was that tolerate means to "put up with." I'm not going to get involved in semantics here, but I'd like to suggest that we galvanize ourselves on a united front, whatever we shoot with. It's time to forget our differences and understand who the enemy really is--the politicians who will work day and night to get their foot in the door and take away our firearms one at a time.
I've also heard a number of times during this controversy that black rifle owners are sensitive to anti-gun legislation because so-called assault firearms are continually under attack. It's believed by some that that sort of sensitivity helped inspire the firestorm surrounding my blog statement. I can understand that sensitivity.
10. What's the worst thing that was said to you during this controversy?
Some people said I was unpatriotic. That's outrageous and I resent it. I've been flying the American flag in front of my house every day for the 15 years I've lived here. I've taken our wounded heroes on all-expenses-paid hunts. This year I'll be doing the same. One young man lost both legs in Iraq when a mortar round exploded close by. He's going antelope hunting with me this fall, and I'll push his wheelchair. I don't know him personally; I met him at a waterfowl hunt in Maryland last fall. I visited Walter Reed hospital this winter and talked to wounded warriors who lost upper limbs, observing how they are taught to shoot with prosthetic devices. I'll be taking some of them hunting as well. I love our country and the brave military who fight for it. Anyone who believes otherwise is patently wrong.
Upgrade/Mission - underway and moving forward... Carry-on!
April 04, 2007
Exclusive Interview: Ten Questions For Jim Zumbo
It was the blog heard round the shooting world. On February 16, Jim Zumbo, long-time hunting editor of Outdoor Life magazine, wrote a blog entry on that magazine's website disparaging so-called "assault" rifles. "I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity," wrote Zumbo. "I'll go so far as to call them `terrorist' rifles."
The repercussions were swift and, for Zumbo's career, deadly. Thousands of furious black-rifle enthusiasts vehemently responded via the Internet, calling for his resignation from Outdoor Life (which is owned by Bonnier Corp., as is Field & Stream) as well as threatening a boycott of the magazine's sponsors if he remained on the masthead. Zumbo quickly claimed that ignorance about the rifles' popularity and fatigue brought on from a long day of hunting led to his ill-conceived comments, but the retraction only led to increased criticism. The magazine, reeling from such negative exposure, accepted Zumbo's resignation. Corporate sponsors such as Remington and Cabela's terminated ties with him. His television show was put on hiatus. In less than a week, Zumbo went from hunting culture hero to Internet casualty.
In this fieldandstream.com exclusive, we sent Zumbo 10 questions asking about details that led to his comments, what it was like to go through such a public castigation, and what it all means for hunters and shooters. These are his written responses. -The Editors
1. It seems your comments exposed a gaping divide between black-rifle enthusiasts and hunters. Why weren't you aware of this before?
I've never had a fascination for firearms. If I wasn't in the business of writing hunting articles, I'd own a half dozen guns or less. To me, a firearm is a tool, like a carpenter's hammer. I go to the range only to sight in before hunting season.
When I go to the SHOT [Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade] Show each year, you won't find me in the big firearms exhibits. I don't investigate new guns. Instead, I'll be talking to people about decoys, camo apparel, game calls, hunting boots, knives, and other hunting accessories. That being the case, when I wrote the blog, I was completely ignorant of the rising interest in black rifles among varmint hunters, and I had no idea of their popularity.
2. If you could address every one of your critics, what would you say?
I
would tell them to please accept the apologies that I've offered, and let's move forward. I'm working to correct what I said. I've made a statement to the Second Amendment Foundation, reiterating my unwavering support of the Second Amendment, and I publicly rebutted statements by U.S. Senator Carl Levin [that used Zumbo's remarks in support of his anti-gun position], exposing his real agenda as an aggressive anti-gun politician. My rebuttal letter was sent to Vice President Dick Cheney, and I requested that it be placed in the Congressional Record.
And to those who believe I now must support the Second Amendment as an "absolutist," let me say I've been a supporter for more than 40 years. I joined the NRA in 1963, and have been a member ever since. I still am.
3. What have you learned about black rifles and black rifle owners?
I've learned that there's an extremely large following of people who own black rifles for home defense, shooting competitions, just plinking, and hunting. I've also learned that many of my pals own black rifles.
A few weeks after my blog statement, when I was giving hunting seminars in Oregon, a man approached me and said he'd been deer hunting and came upon a camo-clad man carrying a black rifle. The hunter was immediately fearful, thinking he'd stumbled into a meth lab or a marijuana patch. The man with the black rifle waved him over, and the hunter approached, very much on guard. As it turned out, the camo-clad man was also hunting, and shared information where he'd located fresh deer sign. The two men hit it off, and are now close friends.
4. What really happened during that coyote hunt that spurred you into making detrimental remarks about black rifles on your blog?
I had just finished dinner. I was tired from a long day of hiking in strong winds, and was about to go to bed when I decided to write a blog. My agreement with Outdoor Life was to do three or four blog entries a week. At that point, I was receiving one or two dozen comments from my blogs, or less. I was trying to come up with a blog subject that evening, and one of the young guides mentioned that there was a "huge" following among black rifle enthusiasts for prairie dog hunting. I was genuinely amazed, and decided that might make a suitable blog subject, generating a bit more traffic than I'd been getting. As we all know, my word selection was inflammatory. The rest is history.
5. You've been defending the 2nd Amendment during your entire writing career. Have your feelings about 2A changed in any way?
My feelings are as strong as they've ever been to support the Second Amendment. They've never wavered. However, I'd like to say that the First Amendment was central to this controversy as well. Many people said it was unfair that my opinion, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment, offering the right of free speech, was trammeled upon. A common phrase I heard was: "How can we uphold the Second Amendment but trash the First?" One person said he laid in rice paddies in Vietnam to protect our constitutional rights. Other military personnel offered similar comments, including a general and several high-ranking marine officers. Hundreds of other people were disappointed at the hostility toward me, and quoted the First Amendment. Many newspaper editors said the same in editorials across the country.
I'd like to offer this point. The amendment that guarantees me the right of free speech also guarantees my adversaries a right of free speech. That's what makes America so great. We can criticize anyone we want for whatever reason. But when some individuals and organizations sought to end my career because of my Constitutionally-protected opinion, many people said they had gone too far.
6. How did it feel to see your blog discussed and dissected in mainstream media such as the Washington Post and the Colbert Report? What do you think it meant for hunters?
It made me feel absolutely terrible. The worst was when some people used my words to try to support anti-gun legislation. That made me sick. That's why I immediately countered with a letter to the Second Amendment Foundation, an appearance on Ted Nugent's TV show, dialogue on radio programs, interviews, a letter to the U.S. Senate, and other actions.
For hunters, I think it means that there is a very definite divide that we must repair. Gun owners must learn to respect each other, regardless of their interest. To give an inch to anti-gun legislation opens the door to taking away all our guns.
7. Ted Nugent gave you a chance to redeem yourself by having you shoot black rifles and then writing about the experience on his website. How did you get hooked up with him?
Ted Nugent was the first person to call me after the firestorm began. At that point I had no idea what was going on. Ted basically said I "screwed up" (not exactly his words) and that he wanted to "educate" me. He invited me to his ranch. Within a few days I was on a plane. Ted hoped to use me as an example of a hunter who was ignorant of black rifles, turning my ignorance into a positive spin to educate all hunters and shooters. I agreed to do just that. It was a lesson in humility but I believed it was necessary to unify gun owners.
I've known Ted for years, visiting with him at the SHOT Show, NRA conventions, at sportsman's shows. One of Ted's more salient points was that we do not need to defend the Second Amendment. It is our Constitutional right. He also believes in the word "absolutist" to describe support from all gun owners when anti-gun issues are debated. Some people see Ted as a bit rough around the edges, but no one puts the positive spin on hunting and shooting in the media as he does, and no one reaches more of our youth than Ted.
8. You've been a hunting writer for 40 years. Has this experience soured you on the profession?
Not only am I not soured on my profession, I'm overwhelmed by the support I've received from my peers. Practically everyone sympathized with what had happened to me.
I've also received support from leaders in the industry, as well as from shooters and hunters not in the industry. I have boxes of letters from people from all walks of life, and a large amount of email, together amounting to thousands of communications. The comments were varied, from people who said I was right in my blog and shouldn't have apologized, to people who said I was wrong but would accept my apologies. Then, of course, there were those who stated in their blogs that they would never accept my apologies. I can't change that.
Companies that severed relationships with me did so under threat of a massive boycott by my adversaries. That was business; I harbor no grudges.
9. Going forward, what advice would you offer to hunters and black-rifle enthusiasts?
On a chat room during this controversy, I said that hunters and black rifle enthusiasts should tolerate each other. One person took exception to the word "tolerate" and said I should have used the word "respect." I believe his point was that tolerate means to "put up with." I'm not going to get involved in semantics here, but I'd like to suggest that we galvanize ourselves on a united front, whatever we shoot with. It's time to forget our differences and understand who the enemy really is--the politicians who will work day and night to get their foot in the door and take away our firearms one at a time.
I've also heard a number of times during this controversy that black rifle owners are sensitive to anti-gun legislation because so-called assault firearms are continually under attack. It's believed by some that that sort of sensitivity helped inspire the firestorm surrounding my blog statement. I can understand that sensitivity.
10. What's the worst thing that was said to you during this controversy?
Some people said I was unpatriotic. That's outrageous and I resent it. I've been flying the American flag in front of my house every day for the 15 years I've lived here. I've taken our wounded heroes on all-expenses-paid hunts. This year I'll be doing the same. One young man lost both legs in Iraq when a mortar round exploded close by. He's going antelope hunting with me this fall, and I'll push his wheelchair. I don't know him personally; I met him at a waterfowl hunt in Maryland last fall. I visited Walter Reed hospital this winter and talked to wounded warriors who lost upper limbs, observing how they are taught to shoot with prosthetic devices. I'll be taking some of them hunting as well. I love our country and the brave military who fight for it. Anyone who believes otherwise is patently wrong.
Upgrade/Mission - underway and moving forward... Carry-on!
0
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After all the BS this guy went through he still doesn't get it:
quote:I've learned that there's an extremely large following of people who own black rifles for home defense, shooting competitions, just plinking, and hunting. I've also learned that many of my pals own black rifles.
A few weeks after my blog statement, when I was giving hunting seminars in Oregon, a man approached me and said he'd been deer hunting and came upon a camo-clad man carrying a black rifle. The hunter was immediately fearful, thinking he'd stumbled into a meth lab or a marijuana patch. The man with the black rifle waved him over, and the hunter approached, very much on guard. As it turned out, the camo-clad man was also hunting, and shared information where he'd located fresh deer sign. The two men hit it off, and are now close friends.
Why even tell this story? It sure makes it sound natural to fear black rifles...0 -
I would like him to suck on that guys nut that was removed. 0 -
I think he can do our cause a lot more good than harm! He has made amends lets give him a break. If you want to direct your anger at anti-gun folks I suggest you start with Mayor Bloomberg of NYC or Carolyn McCarthy in the US congress.
Many folks would be confused if they came across a hunter in full camo with a "bushmaster 223" in the woods of this state! Thats a big surprise, NOT!
Don't get me wrong, I love AK's and Bushmasters and M14's. Have a mini- 14 and its a hoot to shoot. I support all 2nd amendment rights, can't even understand why I can't be trusted by my government to own a full auto M16.
I can understand how a hunter could take that position by accident, not thinking about the big picture outcome that a anti-gun statement could make in the media. He now knows the hard truth, now lets take advantage of his support for second amendment rights to advance our cause!
One mistake does not make a traitor out of a lifetime gun owner and NRA member. Give the man a break![:0][:0]
It takes a lot more courage to give a man a hand up when he is down than to continue to keep your foot on his neck![:0][:0] Just my personal opinion.0 -
Sig - My boot is firmly on his Adam's Apple, and my Mini-14 is resting on the bridge of his nose.
It will take him a Looong time to repair the damage he has done to us.
Doug0 -
quote:I've learned that there's an extremely large following of people who own black rifles for home defense, shooting competitions, just plinking, and hunting. I've also learned that many of my pals own black rifles.
A few weeks after my blog statement, when I was giving hunting seminars in Oregon, a man approached me and said he'd been deer hunting and came upon a camo-clad man carrying a black rifle. The hunter was immediately fearful, thinking he'd stumbled into a meth lab or a marijuana patch. The man with the black rifle waved him over, and the hunter approached, very much on guard. As it turned out, the camo-clad man was also hunting, and shared information where he'd located fresh deer sign. The two men hit it off, and are now close friends.paraphrase:
After I stuck my foot in my mouth and lost my career, I'd like to suck up and say that there's an extremely large following of people who own black rifles and I can see it their way! gee, they're my friends. how about this story: (someone just like me) told me he was (doing what I do) and came upon (what I was dogging on last week). he was really scared, thinking (what I said was true). The (scary guy) (did something scary), and the hunter (was scared, of course). golly! the (scary guy) was not so bad, he's just like (what I said was good last week)! they started doing stuff together! now they're friends!
some people lie for a living.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
Sig - My boot is firmly on his Adam's Apple, and my Mini-14 is resting on the bridge of his nose.
It will take him a Looong time to repair the damage he has done to us.
Doug
Interesting! I side with Ted N. on this one! Think it is simply a matter of the education of an old time hunter that isn't into the military hardware.
I personaly have known several hunters over the years that felt the same way. They had no use for military type hardware and would never think of using that type of rifle for hunting. They were not aware of the fact that many hunters used inexpensive sporterized ex-military rifles as their first hunting rifles. My first was an Italian Cacarno Carbine in 7.35 cal. Its all I could afford at the time.
Time to forgive and forget Doug! Turn the other cheek! If he slaps us again, we will have him drawn and quartered!0 -
While I believe he erred due to ignorance not arrogance, he erred.
He has and continues to do what he can to make amends. The viscious attacks on him only serve to bolster the publics perception that us black rifle owners are bad. I think it was impressive that enough noise was made to cause profit mongers to dump him, however I never enjoy a man losing his source of income. Too bad the same voices who came out so loud to dethrone one of ours are not used to remove the ignorance of others and remove some politicians. How many of you dont vote? If you dont you are just as guilty of hurting the rights of gun owners in my opinion. And by the way Zumbo is entitled to his opinion, If he honestly believes "Black Guns" are bad he should not apologize, he could have fought this and recruited others to stand by him, instead he choose to at least TRY and fix it. So know I don't love him or his comments but I do have repsect for him. I know a lot of you dont but comments like my boot on his chin my Mini 14 on his nose or whatever simply prove the gun grabbers to be correct.0 -
I feel like I should forgive him. I wrote to Outddor life and thanked them for accepting his resignation. After seeing him humble himself, I am willing to forgive him.
Many people are anti-gun and we are always working to make them into converts. Zumbo has been converted. He even took all the heat and threats and didn't retaliate. I say let's welcome him into the group that has been converted. Both of my younger sisters used to be anti-gun.
One married a cop and he converted her and the other woke up one night with 2 guys in ski-masks in her bedroom and her phone wires cut. Those crooks converted her and you should see how well her and my little neices can shoot. In fact, my youngest neice can't wait to break out the guns when she gets to our house when visiting. At my reitrement party a couple months ago, (which I had at the local gun club) there were men and women and boys and girls all out enjoying a day of skeet shooting and handgun plinking. No stuffy dance hall and suits at my party, instead sunshine and the smell of gunpowder. Every kid got to shoot a few straight-away skeet from the low house if they wanted and for the most part, they wanted.
The more we can convert, the better off we all are.0 -
quote:Originally posted by GUNFUNCO
I feel like I should forgive him. I wrote to Outddor life and thanked them for accepting his resignation. After seeing him humble himself, I am willing to forgive him.
Many people are anti-gun and we are always working to make them into converts. Zumbo has been converted. He even took all the heat and threats and didn't retaliate. I say let's welcome him into the group that has been converted. Both of my younger sisters used to be anti-gun.
One married a cop and he converted her and the other woke up one night with 2 guys in ski-masks in her bedroom and her phone wires cut. Those crooks converted her and you should see how well her and my little neices can shoot. In fact, my youngest neice can't wait to break out the guns when she gets to our house when visiting. At my reitrement party a couple months ago, (which I had at the local gun club) there were men and women and boys and girls all out enjoying a day of skeet shooting and handgun plinking. No stuffy dance hall and suits at my party, instead sunshine and the smell of gunpowder. Every kid got to shoot a few straight-away skeet from the low house if they wanted and for the most part, they wanted.
The more we can convert, the better off we all are.
"Now the congregation shall all rise and join in the singing of Rock of Ages..."0 -
Can I have an "Amen"? [:D][:D][:D] 0 -
Seems to me that Doug Wilson doesn't get it. His post seems like a GREAT reason to ban guns of ANY kind. [:(!] 0 -
The only people that 'don't get it' are the supporters of Gumbo.
The NRA and game fields are FULL of anti-gunners...JUST LIKE ZUMBO.
Only a couple words in the above Zumboblahblah dealt with the Second..."Home defense"...NOTHING about reining in tyranny.
Always easy to pick out the "I support 20,000+++ gun laws" types among gun owners...and REAL easy to understand WHY we have them.
Gun Owners, shooting Second Amendment supporters in the back.0 -
I reacted more passionately than political correctness would support.
Sometimes, when one speaks from emotion and strongly held beliefs, one tends to overstate.
Let me put it this way: I don't believe Zumbo should be welcomed back to the fold, yet.
He did enormous harm, which I'm sure will be used against us for a very long time. What he said, he said. Once you pull the trigger, you can't get the bullet back.
I will wait and see what he does over the next five years.
By the way, the "one" would be me.
Doug0 -
I never liked that jerk. I always thought he was a know-it-all pomus ass ! What goes around comes around ! 0 -
folks, i too see the pains that mr. zumbos words have caused those of us who wish to own specific types of firearms. hr 1022 is one of those attempts to remove those exact firearms from circulation. his use of the term "assault rifle" was, indeed, the poorest choice (exceeded only by "terrorist rifle") of words that a Second Amendment supporter could have used. now, i may be a little over critical here, but the new term it seems is "black rifle".
while i know this is more probably in reference to the finish and color of the firearm, i just can not help but sense the underlying connotation still being proffered. here i speak of the "black" inference of "illegal" or "evil" such as the "black market" or a back alley deal. personally, i think the terms should reference their origins, such as "military inspired" or "military styled".
i feel this would be more accurate in a description and educate the misinformed masses as to the actuallity of the firearm itself. the term "military surplus" has 2 meanings for me. first, it describes the firearm, and second, sadly it makes me think that "surplus" is an over abundance of this type of rifle so the military sold some off. this i feel is the view most people have of that term. true that some are actual military rifles, but the nagant, cosmetically speaking, less resembles the m-16 that most of the public have viewed in either movies or tv shows. and, i hate to say, that many of us gun owners perpetuate that very view by using the term "black rifle" our selves. i understand the quagmire of either easily saying "i shoot a black rifle" as opposed to sounding too technical with "i shoot a remington .243 with a composite stock and a 8x32 red dot scope." yes that is a mouthful. please forgive me if my terminology isn't correct. i don't use scopes. but is there something, some other term or word, that we owners can use that can negate the negative connotations inferred by "black rifle"?0 -
"Rifle"
Doug0 -
quote:Doug Wilson Posted - 04/06/2007 : 12:43:11 AM
"Rifle"
Doug
i agree
chris0 -
quote:Originally posted by Highball
The only people that 'don't get it' are the supporters of Gumbo.
The NRA and game fields are FULL of anti-gunners...JUST LIKE ZUMBO.
Only a couple words in the above Zumboblahblah dealt with the Second..."Home defense"...NOTHING about reining in tyranny.
Always easy to pick out the "I support 20,000+++ gun laws" types among gun owners...and REAL easy to understand WHY we have them.
Gun Owners, shooting Second Amendment supporters in the back.
Highball, sometimes you need to relax a bit. Humans err, to err is human; forgiveness is divine. I can recognise when a sincere man is making a sincere apology. BTW me thinks there is closer to 40,000 gun laws. Not all of them are an affront to the second amendment.
Just because most people don't have unrealistic blinders on does not make them the enemy to the second Amendment. Not every gun law is tyranny rearing it's ugly head. Common sense, a not very common commodity, is lacking in many laws but not all.
The Turner Diary is a work of fiction. Calling NRA members anti-gun puts you on the lunatic fringe. That lessens your potential effectiveness in helping to stop the gun grabbers.0 -
The Founders were called 'lunatics'...and much more.
I find very little correlation between the NRA and the Founders.
I stand with the Founders.
Where do YOU stand ?0 -
I met Zumbo briefly hunting oryx. He seemed like a decent, down to earth guy. I have always thought his writing kind of irrelevent, he sure could not fill O'Connors shoes, or Carmichaels for that matter.
I share his lack of interest in military hardware if not his mistrust. Time to let him crawl back home, he has publicly humiliated himself enough.0
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