This is the old debate between whether we look silly and stupid to people who hate and fear us already, and stodgy and anal retentive to everyone else.
The anti-gun nuts hate us already. Nothing we can do will change their hate filled minds.
While I agree that owning and using guns is a serious responsibility, so is life, and it is important to have fun in both.
I didn't get into guns because I feared getting mugged, or invaded by hordes of Russians, (Hey , it was the late '70's under Jimmy "My name is Earl" Carter) but because I wanted to survive the possible collapse of Civilization after nuclear war. Which I thought at the time meant hunting for food, and possibly fighting bandits (hopefully as part of a militia, or at least with the aid of neighbors). Fortunately, things changed, Reagan won the cold war, and the chances of nuclear Armageddon lessened. Still, my love for weapons, not just guns but devices to cause mayhem in general remained as did my self taught skills in blacksmithing, (hey one will need skills in post-Armageddon America). I still practice blacksmithing because it is fun, I shoot because it is fun, not because I expect Russian paratroopers, or the collapse of civilization, or that I enjoy hunting, (I don't much anymore). I like to make holes in targets, shatter bottles and cans, wage war on rabbits and the occasional coyote.
I have nephews who are into the Zombie Apocalypse thing, and it was a way to get them interested in shooting and survival skills. Nothing extreme, just the kind of stuff you learn in Boy Scouts. How to start a fire, make a shelter, find your way in the woods, that sort of thing. If fear of nuclear Armageddon could get me interested in guns, interest in the Zombie Apocalypse could do the same for others. At least in the case of Zombie Apocalypse, it is purely imaginary, unlike the very real fears or the late 70's. Remember the movie "Red Dawn"?
My point is that the anti-gun nuts and the News Media will smear us no matter what. Remember what the News Media did when Gabriel Giffords was shot by a pot smoking deranged left-wing psychotic? With out any evidence, they accused Sarah Palin, the Tea Party, Republicans in general and gun owners and gun shows for the tragedy.
Do you really expect them to stop and ask if we as responsible gun owners talk about the "Zombie Apocalypse" if a Zombie theme related shooting does occur? They will accuse us regardless of the facts, because that is what the agenda driven News Media does. It isn't about facts or evidence, it is about what they think the Public needs to be told. It is very politically driven. Just look at the Gabriel Gifford shooting response and the ignoring of the "Fast and Furious" scandal. They don't have to "lie", they just put people on who will tell the story that the News Media wants you to hear, if they happen to lie, that's not the News Media's fault, is it now?
We have a corrupt news media, I don't think what we say or do will have much of an effect on what they report or how.
I do not intend to live my life in fear of what my enemies will say about me.
If the Moderators of THR want to continue to ban all things Zombie, because they live in fear of what the News Media will say about them, well, it is their forum to Moderate, they can do as they please. But I think it is silly, and refuse to play along.
I am not a big fan of the Zombie theme, but I must admit I love Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International series and the Japanese Anime "High School of the Dead", something my nephews showed me. I just really hate living in fear of what other people, especially those for whom I have little respect will say about me.
Now that I have had my little rant, Merry Christmas to you all and a merry New year.