How do you break the stereotype of gun owners?

The liberal left anti-gunners control the media and frame the negative stereotypes of anyone with whom they disagree.

Far from being proponents of free speech, they vilify anyone who does not agree with or look like them.

So, how are you different from the stereotyped image the media and antis have of gun owners? That is, white, uneducated, poor, slob with a Confederate flag in his pickup truck plastered with NASCAR stickers and a bed full of empty beer cans.

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I am white. (strike one). I am well educated: AA, BS in Sociology, MDiv. My family income is way above the median. My wife complains about my anal neatness, and I don't believe that my Connecticut family roots would allow me to demonstrate the Stars and Bars. I own a pickup truck (strike two). Instead of NASCAR stickers I have NRA and SASS stickers. I don't drink beer.

Only two strikes, so I guess that I don't quite fit the stereotype.

This is how

How do you break the stereotype of gun owners?

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Last week there was a thread concerning the masked gunman in NY city.

I searched but didn't find it. (dang) In the original post and the first few replies there was discussion about the media distorting the story for sensationalistic value. The news source was showing a picture of a Barret rifle while talking about the .50 cal rifle the masked gunman had ( it was a Wolf .50 cal black powder). I suggested that some of the members contact the news service and politely correct them. Although I got some replies saying that such a reasonable approach could never work, some on this forum sent e-mails, etc. correcting the news service and explaining the difference between a BP and a Barret. Soon the news service corrected themselves (hooray).

I suggest that every time the media distorts the truth about our sport and the second ammendment we collectively and individually correct them and encourage them (the media) to hold themselves to a higher standard.

This approach will not work in every instance, but it may, incrementally, show us in a better light and remove some of the hysteria and sensationalism that a large part of the media seem to use.

Just think about it please,


Wheeler44

I am a proud atheist, hold a master's degree in finance, and I'm a strong Libertarian. The latter's probably part of the stereotype but not the first two. I think having a strong, voluntary army is essential but I absolutely do not believe we have the right, nor should we the will, to station troops outside of our borders. I believe it letting people do business without our government's involvement and certainly without the backing of an army for certain industries. Our military should protect our borders. In the case of true tyranny or real genocide (as opposed to counter insurgencies), a world body should intervene. The UN may be dysfunctional but the idea is sound. Other than that, let people trade and learn from one another freely.

I'm single, look like a white guy. My mother is a German Jew and my father Irish. I am not a Zionist.

I support the 2nd amendment, and the others too, without reservation.

ROTFL! Middle aged woman (there's one!), mom of four, stay at home mom at that. I've frequently joked that the reason I've never been "made" when concealed carrying is that NOBODY (who didn't know me) would look and say, Oh, now, THERE is a person likely to carry a gun

And being all that, I hunt, shoot trap, love taking target practice with rifle and pistol, and carry concealed every day.

<CRASH>

(the sound of a stereotype shattering).

Springmom

Is this a gun board or the personals section of the classified ads?

Didn't finish the first one, this a gun forum I don't care what you think of believe nor do I want to express mine. Like celebrities, sing your song or do your acting and leave the personal/religion, and politics at home where they belong. Fine with me if you all wanna share but that's my take on it.

"I like football, porno, books...

Books about WAR!"

I'm from MA.

Dope

The gun "stereotype" is not based on anything really. It's a fabrication of the anti-gun minority to try and create a social stigma against gun owners.

How do you break it? Just be yourself. Gun ownership doesn't by itself define me - but it is part of who I am. People will either accept that or they won't.

I usually spit my chaw, and loose teeth at them, pistol whip 'em, and ram their Prius with my barely functional pick-up truck, with the Confederate flag plate on front.......

That usually straightens them out.



I don't bother to justify myself when a gun-bigot decides to get an attitude. Just being a gun owner is enough to make them think that I should be rounded up with all those other NRA-TYPES and sent somewhere that right thinking people don't have to think about us.

Somebody shows me he's a bigot, he can just go away.

--Travis--

I'm somewhat of an enigma in that I am a conservative American Indian and a member of the UAW. I added college to my education to become an industrial electrician. I drive 2 pickup trucks. Whoops. Been married to the same lovely woman (who is not otherwise a relative) for the last 32 years. Could not even think of beating my handicapped wife, though I could truly hurt anybody that even thinks about approaching her in a negative way, does that count? I still have all my own teeth and have never "chewed." I usually have a case or 2 of Michelob Light on hand. Whoops. The only flag I fly is the Stars and Stripes except for those silly things that represent the seasons that my wife loves so much. My neighbor flies the Stars and Bars sometimes, though, and that's his business; I couldn't care less. I have 2 cats and love them dearly. No dogs. I don't really intend to miss a NASCAR race on the tube, but do frequently and it's not the end of the world. Maybe half a whoops. Hmmm.........50/50?

You forgot the Chrome women on my trucks mudNrock flaps.
.
I smile alot, leaves others guessing.

How do you break the stereotype of the knuckle-dragging, inbred gun owner?

• Be yourself - that is...normal
• Talk about guns, shooting, hunting, the fun you have as part of the shooting sports in as normal a manner as someone talks about last night's football game
• Don't be a fanatic -- fanatics tend to breed distrust
• Don't back down but don't be in people's face...take any opportunity to talk about guns and shooting but stick to facts and not emotions
• Take someone shooting...often. I bet you can't take someone for an afternoon with a .22 LR, a brick of shells and some pop cans and they not have fun
• Treat shooting as if it is normal (because it is) and don't hide it...I proudly read gun magazines when I fly...I enjoy every negative glare I get and every once in a while strike up an interesting conversation with a fellow shooter

As for me...

• Married, three kids
• BS, MS, MBA
• Mid-level executive at a Fortune 50 electronics firm
• Higher levels of income
• Private pilot
• I do hunt, hate to fish, like to camp
• I do drive an SUV (my SUV **hearts** Iraqi oil)
• 1 dog, 1 cat, 2 gerbils, 3 fish
• Big, suburban house -- a 101 year old restored post-Victorian, though, not a McMansion

How do you break the stereotype? I'd start with, "Of course I have a gun... don't you?"

After buying my first firearm I've had several comments that seemed so odd...
"Do you hunt?" Do only hunters have a rifle?

"Your not going on some shooting rampage now are you?" Yes, because a bolt action .22 rim fire would be the first choice of someone that wanted to pile up the body count.

"Why would you need a gun?" Do I need a reason? Why do I need an iPod? I don't need a lot of things I own. I want, I get. (Within reason and budget of course.)

I'm not sure how someone breaks the stereotype that a gun owner is some kind of criminal or otherwise a lesser person. One thing that might help is to stop treating them like criminals, such as putting an end to the NICS. That just points out a catch-22 doesn't it? If gun owners are viewed as criminals then we need a background check, since we have a background check because there must be a high number of criminals that own or want to buy guns.

I don't think it matters how law abiding firearm owners present themselves, the people that want to take our guns away will find some way to stereotype us as less than themselves.

Is this a gun board or the personals section of the classified ads?

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This is a great thread for antis to see. We all know the stereotype and laugh about it, because we know better. But there really are folks out there who have no exposure to guns or gun owners beyond what politicians and the media tell them, and some of those folks actually believe the stereotypes.

Showing that we are normal folks in every walk of life is, I think, an excellent tool to help preserve the RKBA.

I got ya all beat...

1) I'm a graduate professor, in urban Detroit, who has converted 3 of my colleagues to become gun-toting RKBA believers. Two additional are saving for their pistols.

2) I shoot with my graduate students when I see them at the range.

3) During class break time, I speak with my students about RKBA, and say to the antis,

I'll give up my firearms when you give up free speech, free association and free expression. But then, it won't matter becuase I won't give them up, and you won't be able to say anything about it.

Besides...explain to me how the antis, who want to take my firearms, and who do not own firearms themselves, believe they will be able to take mine! Picture it...people with no guns...gonna take the guns away from gun-owners.

Do you see the flaw in that logic?! Hell, they can come take them...but it won't be the guns they get first...I'll give them the bullets first. If they still want my guns after I give them all the bullets, let them take them...if they can!"

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Yes...I really, truly do say that. And, in all seriousness, most of my students express pro-RKBA.

I am white educated (Working on 2 IT Degrees).
I am former Military.
I believe that everyone should own at least one fully auto weapon.
I Hate NASCAR. I am a NHRA guy. (Thanks to NASCAR and there stupid points system, they did it to NHRA and screwed it all up)
I may live in the south but there is no Confederate flag flying around me or my cars.
I do not drive a pick up. I drive a 2007 Saturn Ion.
I do not get into petty fights with nothing but emotions. I use logic and stats to point out to gun haters that I am not a bad person.
I have all my teeth.
I do not drink. (One beer a year can not be seen as drinking)
I believe that is the Government gets it hands on my health care I will not have any. (The VA is government Health care and it is so bad people can not get hardly anything they need esp. mental health care for returning war veterans)
I believe that if two men want to get married more power to them they are not bothering me. Same goes with women too.
If they want to raise a child go for it. They would more than likely have a loving home that is clean neat and they would dress a lot better than many kids out there today.
I believe that the schools should be used to TEACH not for a personal campaign to save the world threw my child.
I believe that the government should keep there hands out of education.
I believe that if you are a women and on welfare you should have to be on birth control (Norplant or once every three month injections). You should also only have a limited time on welfare before being removed and made to stand on your own two feet.
I do not believe we (our Military) needs to be a world wide meals on wheels.
I do not own a dog. Although I do have 4 cats.
I believe in taking care of our environment. Although Global warming is a Hoax brought about by the government to scare people after the fall of communism.

I've learned a lot from this.........

One thing I find interesting is that some people who claimed to be educated believe in a lot of silly things.
I am autodidactic.
I have a huge gas guzzling Ford Expedition Wagon
I have a big Japanese pick truck. Both new. And paid for.
I don't trade blood for oil. Thats why I have big rigs, I don't put the wife in an eggshell and think good thoughts about myself.
I am a real conservationist not a hysterical child frightened by boogeymen.
I don't hunt because I don't need to or have time for it.
I don't like country music.
I am an artist and a poet and a warrior, all rolled into one loveable fine figure of a man.
I have lots of guns, knives. swords, and books.
I have friends of all kinds from all walks of life.
I read about 50 books a year and write at least 500 letters.
I would never vote for a Democrat and I think socialist are slow killers of the human spirit and soul.
I don't have a rebel flag but respect your right to have one.
I don't judge anyone on the color of thier skin or sexual preference.
I do on thier political choices. Death to tyrants and a pox on supporters of tyrants.
I am not in the least ashamed of being who I am and I do not owe an appology to any persons living or dead.
I don't drink but encourage it in others, it makes them smile. A drinking girl is an expensive date but almost always worth it.
I don't smoke but encourage others to do so if they so desire.
I leave other people alone.
I have a parrot who can cuss better than you.
I don't practice self congratulations as a way of life
but I sure had fun sounding off writting this.
yeah and I can't spell.

I don't always help the image much.

Last week, after work, I hopped into my Jeep Cherokee, flipped the radio on and tuned it to a local country station, drove to the local store and bought myself a bottle of whisky and a couple cans of chewing tobacco.

In the checkout lane I realized I had a shirt with "NRA" on it, 8" tall letters.

Sorry 'bout that guys.

Let's see:

Don't hunt--will if I have to to eat, but as long as the supermarket's in business...
Don't drink beer--prefer mixed drinks like a gimlet, maybe 1-3 a year.
Am generally a very quiet, soft-spoken, reserved kind of person, with an IQ in the 150s*, and a history student.
I listen mostly to classical music, and read the classics frequently.
Still have all my teeth.
Dress fairly upscale, in khakis and shirts with collars. (Albeit the latter are also khaki, frequently by 5.11)
Don't hate all liberals as "Pinko Commie Turds"--some of my closest friends have had politics opposite to most of my own.

Just off the top of my head...

*I try not to talk much about this one, I prefer to let performance speak for itself and for me.

after having the morning beer & chew while watching nascar, i hop in my camo truck and drive along the county roads spraypainting (camo, of course) stop signs. then when the afternoon hits its time for some wife beating and banjo playing except instead of a banjo its a M16shotgunA5withgrenadelauncher thats how i butcher my dinner meat from coon and armodillos THEN after dinner for dessert i have squirrel dumplings from fresh rooster egg after the bears and cougars have left and the truck explodes i slip into somthing more 'comfortable' and go skiing on the bed of my truck waist high fill with beer cans WITH DOUBLE BARREL FULL AUTO GLOCK 9MM POWERED +P++P++PP++PPP++P LOADS BLASTNG MY WAY THRU THE CLEARING OF DEER AND SMALL ANIMALS, never looking back becus thats not what spartans did at the olympics millions of years ago

White, but technically part Cuban

Jewish

Son of a physician and an attorney

Nobody in my family who is married to each other is related by blood. ie: Mom and dad were not related when they met and married.... uncles and aunts are the same..... no inbreeding going on here.

BBA in Economics
(Just took the LSAT and am getting ready to take the GMAT so I can do a JD/MBA)

Very computer literate, a geek I suppose - Linux user and hobbyist programmer. Run my own Linux server for hobby and business purposes.

Play the keyboard and have a home studio as another hobby. Further hobbies are magic, juggling, unicycling, and balloon art.

Worked for years as a children's magician/juggler/balloon-artist

Rarely drink and when I do I drink very little.

I have a thing for Yankee Candles and aromatherapy - especially the Christmas related scents. (I'm not gay, but while we're at it I have a lot of college friends who are)

Read a lot (and I'm not ashamed to admit that I loved the Harry Potter series and can't wait to see them make the last two books into movies)

I have a huge DVD collection... but not a single porno

Moderate as far as politics go
- I do believe abortion should be legal, but I also believe it should have limits
- I don't agree 100% with Bush's decisions, but I do support our President
- I believe gay marriage should be legal
- I'm super pro RKBA (have plenty of guns including 2 AR's and 6 Glocks)
- I'm not convinced that human influence is responsible entirely for the current climate shifts, but I'm open-minded to additional evidence on either side of the debate.
- I believe stem cell research should be given much more priority by our government
- I don't believe in the Universal HealthCare system proposal
- I believe in being conservative as far as taxes go, the government wastes too much money and spends money on things that should be left to the private sector.
- I haven't gone hunting, but I can't wait for my first trip
- I currently hate most of the democratic candidates for President '08 about as much as most of the republican candidates
- I believe drugs should be legalized, and taxed (one of the few times I believe taxation is good)
- and it goes on..... my political views aren't held by any one party

I don't drive a pickup truck or an SUV, I drive an '07 Infiniti G35 sedan, before that it was an '00 Honda Accord Coupe

I live on the ocean in a luxury home in a very expensive and high-class neighborhood.

I have all my teeth, plus they are all straight and white, and I go to the dentist regularly.

I don't think I have any family in the true "South". I'm in South Florida which isn't really the south, despite it's geographical location. The rest of my family lives in Los Angeles, San Fran, Chicago, NYC, Philly, Washington DC, and Las Vegas.

I've lived and worked in London.

I have a General Class ham radio license, but will be taking the Extra Class test soon.

As far as guns go, as mentioned, I have plenty.... and several thousand rounds of premium ammunition (Speer GD, Hornady TAP, etc.).... and I carry a gun every day.

No criminal record obviously.

I also love knives. Currently I seem to be loving Benchmade and Spyderco.

I love cats and dogs... but currently only have 1 dog.... a tiny white dog who has never growled in his life.

I have never beaten any woman and would sooner kill myself than do so.

My favorite time of year, despite being Jewish is Christmas time. I put up a huge holiday/Christmas light display. I'm about to start work on putting up this year's in 2 weeks. I love the creativity involved. It's not about the religious aspect for me. It's about the magic of building a fantasy world out of lights.

I don't remember my exact IQ, but I remember being told when I tested at 17 that I wasn't quite in "Genius" but on the border between "Extremely gifted" and "Genius"........ I was just glad not to be retarded

I'm not a fan of NASCAR. I do enjoy the NHL though. I sometimes enjoy the NFL, but sometimes it can be boring. For example, I fell asleep at the Dolphins vs Raiders game today.... and no it was not on TV... I was in the stands with thousands of people cheering...... just.... I was sleeping. The game was mostly boring, it was raining, and I had just taken the LSAT yesterday and had not yet gotten much sleep. NBA is ok.... I'm not huge on it though. Hockey is my sport for watching. I play tennis though and am pretty good (I weigh almost 300 pounds but I more or less guarantee I'll kick your butt at tennis ). I'm not as good, but I do enjoy playing basketball or football with friends... and golf. I'm just not big on watching these sports on tv or in person.

I'm heavy.... but I'm trying to lose weight.

I'm out of stuff to type.... but I'll add that I type at over 60 wpm... which I think is a neat skill.

So, how are you different from the stereotyped image the media and antis have of gun owners? That is, white, uneducated, poor, slob with a Confederate flag in his pickup truck plastered with NASCAR stickers and a bed full of empty beer cans.

(Waits for the first "I'm gay".)

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Well...um...

I'm White, poor and not a total hygiene freak.

But I'm pretty educated, I don't own a pickup truck(or a car period), NASCAR usually bores me unless there's a horrendous wreck, and I put all my beer cans in the garbage.

And I'm not gay, but I am bi. Does that count?

I know some of you think this thread is rather pointless, but understand that some people who would otherwise own guns do not because they feel that they must somehow conform to that negative stereotype or will be classified in that way.

Heck the first words out of my mouth before I fired my first gun were, "I'm not your stereotypical gun owner, but..."

The thing is, there shouldn't even be a "stereotypical gun owner", just as there really isn't a stereotypical drill owner.

Wouldn't it be funny if every time someone saw you with a power tool they said, "Uh oh, better watch out, Paul is going to flip...that house!" or "Crazy 'Norm Abram' over there thinks he's on New Yankee Workshop!" ? Next thing you know Canadian Tire requires a drill purchase permit and Home Depot bans open drill carry in all Texas stores...