Becoming Antisocial?

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BerettaNut92

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I went shooting with a friend (her dad has Garands, M1As, 1911s, etc. but she hasn't shot handguns in years) and roommate tonight. I felt very at home and easy around them.

Most of the time I find myself not talking much around people anymore. Just get tired of being scapegoated for all the violence in the world when all I do is drop steel plates and tennis balls. I guard my thoughts at church, bible study, potlucks, even around my roommate (who is now considering getting a 9mm). I think I'll be treated better at church if I got caught with child porn than if someone found out I shoot bowling pins for fun.

Seems more and more, being at the range is the only place my character won't be judged. Or maybe I'm becoming antisocial?
 
Skunabilly don't get down on yourself. We are all in this together. Sometimes it's tough to stand up for what you believe in. But you have to have faith in yourself and what you're doing is correct. None of us here are "Sheeple". We maybe the only ones carrying the torch into the next generation. Don't give up man.
 
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i lived right off I-595 in broward county the day Andrew came to town. many neighbors before that point had shunned me, seeing my come home from markam park target range and unloading multiple guns from the car to the house (no garage). after Andrew hit and the looting began those same people came knocking at my door wanting to borrow a gun. forgive the pun, but stick to your guns. in time all these anti's will come around. probably about the same time the red army hits the KALI coast w/ troops, but they will come around none the less.
 
Skunk:

I hear ya. But, I have also found that there are more people like us than you may know. The only way to educate people is through dialogue or a well placed poster. I have a large bullet poster and a Winchester calendar above my desk. Many times, people have stopped by with a work related question, only to be educated about firearms. It also turns out that quite a few people I never would have guessed owned firearms, actually do. I met a first generation immigrant asain who showed me pictures of a white tail doe he took this year with a 10mm. You just never know.

Ryan

P.S. I have taken several people I work with who are not into shooting, shooting. Some have brought their wives/kids along. A good time was had by all. Some have even come back for round two.
 
Story 1:

My GF started a new job a couple of months ago. She's become an avid shooter since we got started in August, wants to share the interest with others but is circumspect for reasons obvious to most of us.

As she got comfortable with her co-workers she'd casually bring up shooting while chatting (the typical "what did you do this weekend?" kind of thing).

Much to her surprise and delight several of them are firearms owners (one has an SKS) and she just found out another used to be a competition shooter.

Story 2:

My GF took her mom and sister to the range a couple of weeks ago for the first time. Her sister had only shot air rifles years ago. A few months ago her mom was literally scared and disturbed by and didn't want to look at the pictures of the CZ 75BD that she took over to show them shortly after she purchased it. :banghead:

At the range her mom really enjoyed the experience and her sister turned out to be a damn fine shot with the Para 14.45 turning in tight groups much to her sisters shock and amazement. A couple of days afterwards the GF got an email from them asking what they have to do to buy a gun!!!!!! :what: :D

The moral: There are more like-minded people out there that we realize, you just have to figure out a way to make contact with them.
 
I'm not "in your face with it" either, but I don't think you need to hide it either. There are a lot of curious or otherwise interested people out there. If you're not in their face with it, they should have no problem.
 
Skunk- I wouldn't get down about it. First, try to build a reputation within your social and professional circles. Then, very casually mention shooting. Try to mention it in a context where it includes another member of the social circle. Like King said, don't toss it in their face. I've found that being patient about mentioning RKBA has given me great results.
 
Dude, you have a classic case of tacticallis excrementis propellum. Indications are:
  • high level of interest in combat hardware and clothing
  • use of the word "tactical" in a serious manner to describe objects
  • minute planning for civil war or riot scenarios
  • a general feeling of opression and persecution from governing officials and LEOs

tacticallis excrementis propellum is extremely common among young, new gun owners. The syndrome typically arises within a year of buying a first gun and/or Discovering the Internet, and is particularly common among males of the 21-30 age range.

Treatment is as follows:

  • read the history of alphabet agencies in the US, to see we're really not at the high water mark anymore.
  • buy a blued steel and walnut bolt action or single shot rifle.
    Preferably a .22lr. Love it to the exclusion of your EBPPers for a period of at least 3 months*
  • make friends with normal people who aren't scared of inanimate objects
  • avoid mainstream media for a period of at least one month


* alternative medicine calls for a BP muzzleloader or CAS duds.


If all else fails, your friends may stage an intervention.


:p ;) :D

-K
 
Well, I admit that I don't relish the whole gun/anti battle that errupts from time to time. I'm fortunate to work in an environment where most management above me is former military and is very gun tolerant. I have had several runins with co-workers that overhear a conversation and the fight is on. From the time I was 18 till about 25, I looked forward to the arguments and relished them. Now, while I won't back down, I certainly don't seek them out.

By the way, I think my biggest asset in pointing out the gross injustice of antis has been Rosie O'Donnell. Even though she later retracted her statement, the time she said that citizens should not possess firearms WHILE HER OWN CHILD WAS PROTECTED BY AN ARMED BODYGUARD has won over three people that I can think of off the top of my head.
 
No my friend I would call you NORMAL.
Click to expand...

Agreed. There's nothing wrong with sticking with people you like. I'd probably be fairly anti social too if I lived in CA.

I've had some strange experiences in CA. I once tried to ask a woman and her teen age son in Laguna Niguel (nice, safe seaside town) "which direction is Highway 5?". I was dressed well for business, had a nice rental car and I was a good 30 feet from them in a 7-11 parking lot. All they had to do was point or say "I don't know". They looked at me as if I was nuts and hurried into their car, obviously thinking I was a threat. Lots of fear in CA.
 
I'm much happier than I use to be; a large part of the reason is due to the fact that I don't own a TV here in taiwan.

I can also tell you, not having a TV has improved the relationship between me and my gf significantly..

At work (I'm teaching) most cannot believe I own guns; as in taiwan, gun ownership is strictly banned... But amongst the logical, they understand the rationale behind gun ownership..

Also, I can tell you also, it's a PRK thing. I am judged less in Taiwan then I am in PRK.

Kiddie Porn; oh everybody goes through that stage in life... Guns?? Oh you must have more issues then Michael Jackson... :rolleyes:
 
This has been illuminating, reading some "in-the-closet" and "coming out" as shooters stories.

I'm pretty much as "out" as a shooter as I am as bi. Nobody's business until it comes up; when it does, be ready to try some educating. Since my state is debating becoming a shall-issue CCW permitter, I expect the issue to come up rather more often than it has thus far.

I did once get an anti, fresh out of "Bowling for Columbine," to rethink her position, just by coming out as a gun owner.
 
Skunk, I've never particularly made an issue of guns, except when there are both an anti- and a pro- in a group with me. I'll ask the pro- guy how his shooting/reloading/hunting has been, just for the reaction from the anti-. :)

I've always run with the sports car/folk music/hunting&shooting crowd, so it's never been much of a problem.

Living in a community where only a tiny percentage is anti-gun doesn't hurt anything, either. Every great once in a while, one of the little doofers will mouth off, and somebody points out that hoplophobia is readily dealt with by a competent psychiatrist.

:D, Art
 
Sounds like you need a shooting club, Skunk!

Everybody that I meet in more than a very offhand sense quickly learns that I'm a shooter, a firearms enthusiast, and a (ahem!) political misfit. I consider the acceptance of these things as touchstones for determining the worth of a potential friendship.

I try not to get in other people's faces about it, but life is really to short to hide who I am.

Oh, and I have no television. It helps.

- Chris
 
This brings up an interesting thought.

Is this how colored folks feel when they move into an anglo neighborhood.

Think about it, and put it into perspective.

waterdog
 
Don't know what it's like where you live...

but here in Indiana, significantally more people are pro-gun than anti

Skunkster...I think your "problem" may be that you are beginning to believe the crap-ola that's printed in the mainstream media

This may sound a little odd, but if you don't listen to Rush, it's hard to keep a sense of "balance". My wife is totally amazed when people try to debate me. I usually tear them to pieces with logic. I've gotten way past being ashamed of being a gun owner, and am quite proud of the number of people I've converted.

Logical, rational debate has won many over. Illogical ranting and raving proves their point...and...IIRC, you're in California, the land of fruits and nuts. There's NOTHING mainstream about Kali.
 
Not antisocial, but because of the non-pc status we gunners have in CA, we have to be discreet about it.

Interesting point waterdog. Instead of guns, it's skin color. We gunners can feel ostracized like Skunk is.
 
Skunk

This is one goal of Sarah Brady and the gun-grabbers... they want to stigmatize gun owners much the same way smokers have been stigmatized by the media and politicians.

When people are made ashamed for what they are doing, that is when people become anti-social and only feel at ease with other people like them. Fortunately, gun ownership is still legal, and there are at least 80 million of us in the United States. Its just that some of these 80 million have felt ashamed of their gun ownership because of the mass media.

You need to join a 'support group'. Fortunately, these too, are out there. Go look up USPA/IDPA, IPSC, Highpower, Smallbore, SASS, Cowboy action, etc. Watch out for these support groups though, they will make you want to spend your money on new 'toys' :D
 
Skunk....

The media in California is tightly controlled by the left, therefore, it SEEMS you are alone. The legislature is also. It seems all the centrists and right wingers have real jobs...
In the past twenty some years, voters have rejected just about all forms of gun registration and restriction. It is only the left wing, socialist legislatures that enact the laws. Makes you wonder how such extremists keep getting elected, huh?

California is full of gun owners and shooters. I'm just up the road from you in Long Beach.

I am concerned about your church. Jesus said internal forces, not external forces are what corrupt someone. He also mentioned the personal ownership of weapons on more than one occasion as something normal, to be expected, and proper. I can't believe any serious Bible student (like the pastor or teacher) would not understand this. Did I mention I'm the pastor of First Baptist Church, Signal Hill?
 
Skunk, much of it may have to do with where you live. Here in WI, hunting is such a part of the state's heritage that owning guns is not considered "abnormal," except by the lunatic fringe who truly are abnormal. Even the majority of Democrats don't object to guns themselves (they just want restrictions of one sort or another).

I really think that the number of truly anti-gun folks is pretty small. Fortunately for me, the folks in my industry who fit that description already know I'm a gunowner and will have nothing to do with me. No problem.
 
Hey brother, turn that frown upside down :D Sure going against the grain :banghead: in CA is a tough road, but it will make victory that much sweeter! I have given up actively debating knuckelehads, but I'm up for a intelligent discussion w/ anyone actually willing to listen to common sense.
 
As luck would have it, I went to lunch yesterday with 5 others. When we got back to the office, I asked one of the guys whom I know enjoys shooting if he would like to accompany me to the gun shop to exchange a sling I had bought the day before. When we got there, the place was mobbed. I had never seen that many people in there. We walked up to the counter and while waiting for someone to help me, I happened to look over and see two other guys from our office. This struck me as odd. I have worked with these guys since I moved to Florida 2 1/2 years ago and we have never discussed guns. After I got back to my office we all stood around talking about guns for a while. Pretty neat experience. I guess most people keep it to themselves. I for one do not. Everyone knows I am a gun owner.

Hang in there Skunk. It'll get better after you move from that crap state you live in.

GT
 
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