ZUMBOMANIA: David E. Petzal?s take
ZUMBOMANIA: David E. Petzal's take on the Jim Zumbo fiasco
In case you just emerged from a coma and have not heard, the shooting world is agog over a blog posted by Jim Zumbo, former contributing editor at Outdoor Life, over the weekend of February 17. In it, Jim stated that any semiauto rifle with an AR or AK prefix was a terrorist rifle, had no place in hunting, and should be outlawed for that purpose. Then, courtesy of the Internet and all its blogs and chatrooms, the roof fell in.
The speed with which Zumbomania spread, the number of comments it drew, and the rabid nature of same were a revelation. Overnight, this thing became as big as Janet Jackson's clothing failure or-dare I say it?-Britney Spears' shaved head. Jim Zumbo is now as employable as the Unabomber, and Sarah Brady will no doubt adopt his comments to her own gun-control purposes.
For the last several days I've been visiting all manner of blogs and chatrooms, which has reminded me of when I used to deliver used clothing to the local mental hospital. I've tried to make some sense of it all, but because the waters are still full of blood and body parts continue to rain from the sky, I haven't come up with any Great Truths. Lacking that, here are some Lesser Truths.
What Jim said was ill-considered. He's entitled to his beliefs, but when a writer of his stature comes out against black guns, it sure as hell does not help our cause.
Even so, Jim made an immediate apology. He did not equivocate, or qualify, or make excuses. He acted like a gentleman and said he was wrong, and he was sorry. Apparently this is not enough anymore. We now live in the era of one strike and you're out.
For 40 years, Jim has been a spokesman and ambassador of good will for hunting. Through his tireless efforts as a teacher and lecturer on hunting and hunting skills, he has done more for the sport than any 250 of the yahoos who called for his blood.
Jim has paid dearly for what he said. He has lost his blog and his association with Remington. Cabela's has suspended its sponsorship of his TV show; and Outdoor Life has accepted his offer to sever ties. To all the chatroom heroes who made him unemployable, I have a word of warning: You've been swinging a two-edged sword. A United States in which someone can be ruined for voicing an unpopular opinion is a dangerous place. Today it was Jim's turn. Tomorrow it may be yours.
If Sarah Brady is smart-and she is very smart-she will comb through the same blogs and chatrooms I've been reading, excerpt some of the most vicious and foul-mouthed entries, print them up, and distribute them to Congress. Then it will be interesting to see how the men and women who wrote that stuff enjoy seeing their efforts being put to use by every anti-gunner in America.
Stay tuned.
http://fieldandstream.blogs.com/gunnut/2007/02/zumbomania_davi.html
In case you just emerged from a coma and have not heard, the shooting world is agog over a blog posted by Jim Zumbo, former contributing editor at Outdoor Life, over the weekend of February 17. In it, Jim stated that any semiauto rifle with an AR or AK prefix was a terrorist rifle, had no place in hunting, and should be outlawed for that purpose. Then, courtesy of the Internet and all its blogs and chatrooms, the roof fell in.
The speed with which Zumbomania spread, the number of comments it drew, and the rabid nature of same were a revelation. Overnight, this thing became as big as Janet Jackson's clothing failure or-dare I say it?-Britney Spears' shaved head. Jim Zumbo is now as employable as the Unabomber, and Sarah Brady will no doubt adopt his comments to her own gun-control purposes.
For the last several days I've been visiting all manner of blogs and chatrooms, which has reminded me of when I used to deliver used clothing to the local mental hospital. I've tried to make some sense of it all, but because the waters are still full of blood and body parts continue to rain from the sky, I haven't come up with any Great Truths. Lacking that, here are some Lesser Truths.
What Jim said was ill-considered. He's entitled to his beliefs, but when a writer of his stature comes out against black guns, it sure as hell does not help our cause.
Even so, Jim made an immediate apology. He did not equivocate, or qualify, or make excuses. He acted like a gentleman and said he was wrong, and he was sorry. Apparently this is not enough anymore. We now live in the era of one strike and you're out.
For 40 years, Jim has been a spokesman and ambassador of good will for hunting. Through his tireless efforts as a teacher and lecturer on hunting and hunting skills, he has done more for the sport than any 250 of the yahoos who called for his blood.
Jim has paid dearly for what he said. He has lost his blog and his association with Remington. Cabela's has suspended its sponsorship of his TV show; and Outdoor Life has accepted his offer to sever ties. To all the chatroom heroes who made him unemployable, I have a word of warning: You've been swinging a two-edged sword. A United States in which someone can be ruined for voicing an unpopular opinion is a dangerous place. Today it was Jim's turn. Tomorrow it may be yours.
If Sarah Brady is smart-and she is very smart-she will comb through the same blogs and chatrooms I've been reading, excerpt some of the most vicious and foul-mouthed entries, print them up, and distribute them to Congress. Then it will be interesting to see how the men and women who wrote that stuff enjoy seeing their efforts being put to use by every anti-gunner in America.
Stay tuned.
http://fieldandstream.blogs.com/gunnut/2007/02/zumbomania_davi.html
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Sorry if its already been posted... Here's a nice field and stream article: Looks like Field and stream is catching some heat. http://fieldandstream.blogs.com/gunnut/2007/02/zumbomania_davi.html 0 -
Petzal is just like Zumbo, he just fails to get to the core of why Zumbo got "Zumbo'd".
It is about the 2nd Amendment NUMBNUTS.
Zumbo said what he said, meant what he said and never apologized for his failure to support and lack of understanding of the 2nd Amendment.
Geeez, what a bunch of clueless f*ckers.0 -
quote:Originally posted by lt496
Petzal is just like Zumbo, he just fails to get to the core of why Zumbo got "Zumbo'd".
It is about the 2nd Amendment NUMBNUTS.
Zumbo said what he said, meant what he said and never apologized for his failure to support and lack of understanding of the 2nd Amendment.
Geeez, what a bunch of clueless f*ckers.
If you check out the blog you would see this Petzal guy is getting pounded hard.0 -
I think about what this man did and knowing that I am totally perfect, that I have never done anything wrong nor will I ever, I am totally content to ignore his apologies and to make sure that he loses his job. In fact, I feel great about it. 0 -
Petzal wrote this back in 1994: Gun owners -- all gun owners -- pay a heavy price for having to defend the availability of these weapons ... and the American public -- and the gun-owning public; especially the gun-owning public -- would be better off without the hardcore military arms, which puts the average sportsman in a real dilemma."
-- Column by David Petzal, "Endangered Tradition" column in Field and Stream, June 1994.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Gunners762
Petzal wrote this back in 1994: Gun owners -- all gun owners -- pay a heavy price for having to defend the availability of these weapons ... and the American public -- and the gun-owning public; especially the gun-owning public -- would be better off without the hardcore military arms, which puts the average sportsman in a real dilemma."
-- Column by David Petzal, "Endangered Tradition" column in Field and Stream, June 1994.
I knew there was a reason I don't subscribe to any of the "Outdoor" rags.0 -
My post on Petzal's blog
__________________________________
Sir,
In reading your comments, it became clear to me that you are a lot like Mr. Zumbo, you just don't get it.
It isn't that he apologized and "we" failed to forgive him. He said what he said, he meant what he said and he subsequently apologized (using the term loosely) for everything but what the crux of the controversy was.
The core issue, is his ignorance of Amendment II of the US Constitution.
It "aint about hunting" Sir. It is about the right of the people to keep and bear arms, not keep and bear "sporting arms".
I see that you don't seem to get it either.
You guys seem to be part of the problem, not the solution.
Please do me a favor and don't purport to represent gun owners, you obviously do not.
Mr. Jeff XXXX
Arizona Resident and Peace Officer0 -
I posted to each of his articles"
Post#1
Petzal, you are no better then Zumbo. You just don't get it...this has nothing to do with hunting and what is and what is not appropriate to hunt with. This is ALL about our 2nd amendment rights and figuring out who supports the rights of the people. You, like Zumbo, are no friend of the 2nd amendment.
Post#2
What is wrong with these writers? How can they be so out of touch with the reality of the assault on our rights? I don't want an apology from this idiot, I just want him to go away and quit dividing gun owners into competing factions.0 -
Who in the hell is David E. Petzal. And why does he think we should be interested or influenced by what he says? 0 -
Field & Stream and Outdoor Life are not and never have been "pro-gun". Both have been owned by Time, Inc. for years and are being sold to some outfit in Sweden.
http://tinyurl.com/3x4o9x
Of course Misters Zumbo and Petzal are entitled to their opinions just as Mrs. Brady, but it's a bit unreasonable for them to get ill with me for my failure to support them in their efforts to destroy the remnants of freedom in this country.0 -
Once again, the woods are FULL of people that own guns..and are ANTI-GUN...in the finest traditions of that word..they walk in the shadow of Shumer/Kennedy/Fiendstein/Sen. Dodd....
Able to remain quietly anti-gun because others do their dirty work FOR them....0 -
Dear Mrs. Brady:
I would like to treat ol Zumbo like the Shawnee Indians treated white captives. Tie him to the stake, and put a circle of firewood around him ten feet away from him.
Take about four hours to roast him alive.
From my cold dead fingers, Yowsuh!0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
Field & Stream and Outdoor Life are not and never have been "pro-gun". Both have been owned by Time, Inc. for years and are being sold to some outfit in Sweden.
http://tinyurl.com/3x4o9x
Of course Misters Zumbo and Petzal are entitled to their opinions just as Mrs. Brady, but it's a bit unreasonable for them to get ill with me for my failure to support them in their efforts to destroy the remnants of freedom in this country.
I'm not surprised. Those mags are about as lame as Time. They write for morons. Most of the articles are puff piece reviews of new crap I can't afford and don't need. Never read an article that was critical or called something overpriced crap.
TimeWarnerCommieCrap.0 -
Quote by Captplaid
"I'm not surprised. Those mags are about as lame as Time. They write for morons. Most of the articles are puff piece reviews of new crap I can't afford and don't need. Never read an article that was critical or called something overpriced crap."
You don't think they'd accept a gratuity for praising to the max a piece of that c___, do you?[;)]0
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