How do you break the stereotype of gun owners?

[nyggis]

I am 29 years old and live in a town in northern Sweden.

I live in a small, clean, well organised apartment with a lot of plants and a small library. I hate detective novels, but love to read history related stuff, science fiction, philosophy and literature that is different and intelligently written...

I have a university degree.

I don´t smoke but I drink in a disciplined manner.. Only high quality beer and fine wine. Often to complete a nice meal with my girlfriend (not related).

I do a lot of physical fitness (running, road racing cycling and weight lifting) to keep in shape. Also love to be out in nature hiking, fishing, and a little hunting. I always fish according to catch and release, since I have a hard time killing them...

I love cats, but don´t get along with dogs.

I drive a Mercedes 200 from -91, but is saving up to a SLK 230K -98 which I´m planning to buy this summer. (The closest you get to a road racer bike with a car...)

I think everyone should be free to pursue happiness in the way they choose.

I have nothing against homosexuals, some of my friends are.

Well, now I can´t sit inside anymore... Nice weather outside...

Have a great day, everyone!!!

 

[TG13]

the stereotype i see for gun owners is not one of the redneck.. but, more of the wannabe pseudo-military type and the "tacticool" mall ninja type..

there are parallels between bigotry and racism, and the plight of gun ownership in America, right now.. i think that some people who are for disarmament have successfully projected stereotypes on gun owners.. not to mention, the soft headed gun owners that assume those stereotypes for fashion and to "fit in"..

i think there is such a wide cross-section of gun owning people that there is really no way, in truth, to stereotypify "a typical gun owner in America"..


it's true..

ignorance breeds hatred..

 

[mace85]

Ok...here we go..

White
Male
23 y.o.a.
Straight, enganged, don't beat her.
Pro gay marriage/adoption.
Pro-Choice.
Pro-gun.
Drive a 4 door sedan
Illegals should be deported. Come here as you want legally, but don't cheat the system.

AA in Criminal Justice, EMT-B certificate, working on my paramedic.
Work in healthcare. I believe that universal healthcare will destory this country. Want to fix the healthcare problem? Lets see some tort reform before we start paying everyones bills.

I think the Democratic party is evil, and the Republican party is a bunch of impotent fools. I hate our 2 party system. I am a registered Libertarian.

Any program to redistribute wealth is a step towards total socialism. I do however that reasonable regulation needs to be applied to banking institutions and credit card companies. Some of their tactics are straight theft.

Listen to mostly punk/ska music. Rancid, Tiger Army, Transplants, The Slackers, Mighty Mghty Bosstones. Tim Armstrong, Time Again.

Own a cat, but likes dogs.

First handgun at 18, first NFA stamp at 21.

Member of NRA, GOA, USPSA.

Carry concealed and shoot for fun and sport.

Don't hunt because I don't have the time, not because I am opposed to it.

Enjoy a good cigar, don't drink often at all.

 

[funkerbunny]

I'm not sure if I fit the stereotype

Female

Bi (In a committed relationship with a girl though)

Pro legalization of drugs (Though I don't do them)

Listen to mostly Happy Hardcore and Psytrance styles of electronic music

Collect My little Ponies and Rave Flyers

Play video games (mostly RPG's)

Rarely Drink and when I do never more than one or two beers

Love organic gardening

Watch Faux News only when I first wake up (The anger it inspires is more effective at waking me up than the strongest coffee)

Though I do love dogs, fireworks, and have an American flag sticker on my car, and I guess I did vote for Bush when he said he would let the AWB sunset. So maybe I do fit the stereotype.

 

[ieszu]

Let's see if I can break the stereotype even further:

White
Male
Orthodox Jew
2 BA's (History and Political Science)
Rabbi (by training)
Gunsmith by training and profession
Play computer games
Read in 4 languages (and understand), but converse in only one
Married
Born in PA, lived in CA most of my life
No television in the home
Don't watch any sports
Sci-fi/fantasy nut (But not Star Wars/Star trek)
Don't drink, smoke or chew
I believe that the United States is the best chance the world has for sanity
I do not support Israel any more than I support Uganda or Micronesia
I believe that terrorists should be executed, and that the war in Iraq is completely justified under the 4 other reasons given by Pres. Bush other than WMD's
I own my own business
I am not "tacti-cool", I am realistic. I am not a mall-ninja or Secret Service, so why would I need a tactical wheel-barrow?
No one in my family is closely related enough that we could tell.... but my wife does look like a member of my family... like a cousin

That break enough stereotypes?

 

[Moonclip]

I think the last two posters broke the stereotype very well and I'd be proud to go shooting with either of you

 

[1911RjB]

I:
Do Like NASCAR!
Do read publications not related to gun, actually I read fiction and non-fiction novels constantly.
Do Not beat my wife, kid , probly would beat my dog if he craps on drags his butt across my carpet one more TIME!!!
Do Not own a truck.
Do Not have all my teeth though, a baseball bat took a few of them out a few years back, and no matter how much i asked santa, new ones didn't come back...

 

[357WheelGun]

- I drive a Volvo.
- I have the complete works of Thomas Malory in their original Middle English and have read and enjoyed them.
- I haven't watched any television in the past two months.

Those are probably the biggest stereotype-busters of mine.

 

[AirForceShooter]

that's nice that we're all pretty much high achieving people that lead normal lives.
Question is who knows??
Whick of your friends and neighbors knows you carry and sunndebly when an anti comes along they respond with" my neighbor carries and he's not a nut job"

That's what breaks the sterotype.


AFS

 

[deadhawg]

I'm a long haired old hippie, (Just turned 60) love the Grateful Dead, have some very liberal views on some subjects and very conservative views on others.

Dad and Granddad taught me to shoot when I was about 10, and I have been a gun owner my entire adult life.

I believe peace is better than war, but sometimes war is the only rational response to evil. I think our veterans deserve the best care we can possibly give them.

I will avoid or run away from a fight if I can, but if I can't, it's all out maximum violence on my enemy.

I'm really p***ed off at some of the things our "leaders" do, but I still think this is the greatest country in the world. But I worry about the direction this country seems to be headed and what kind of country my kids and grandkids will be living in.

Ron

 

[RKBABob]

We're owned by four cats.
They let us stay in their 1920's Victorian.
I, the man of the house, do all the cooking for humans and felines alike.
I love watching PBS cooking shows on Saturday.
My wife pays the bills and sets the budget.
My wife is more educated than I am.
I don't beat her.
I secretly like the fact that my wife decorated everything in pink.
We practiced organic cooking and vegetarianism for a while.
We don't hunt or have any interest in hunting.
We feed squirrels in the park.
We try to drive the most efficient vehicle that meets our needs.
It takes me 6 months to drink a case of apricot micro-brewed beer.
We have an entire kitchen cabinet dedicated to gourmet tea.
Gay people don't bother us.
We like to attend local live theatre.
We don't watch NASCAR, or wrestling, or Jerry Springer.
.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Break the stereotype?... I don't try, only ignorant people stererotype other people anyhow.

That said, excuse my spelling.

White, 48, married 20 years last October.
Double income, one kid.
4 horses, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 tame rabbit.
Approx 6 to 8 beers a month maybe something harder on special occasions.
Dipped Skoal for 21 years and quit cold in 2001.
Do a couple cheap cigars a week
Run a 10 year old truck, 32 year old Harley and a 64 year old tractor.
The wife has a bigger better truck than I do (remember, horses ).
Had to live in the country so I could pee in the yard
Do most my shopping at farm supply stores and Home Depot.
Owned guns all my life.
Not affiliated with any organized religion and not considering it.

Plant Operations Manager over 4 manufacturing facilities.

 

[rockinrussky]

*doubletap*

 

[rockinrussky]

Alrighty here's my crack at it:
A 24 year old Russian LEGAL immigrant, and I've been citizen for 6 years.
Came to this country as political refugee - long story, yes 'commies' are involved in this one.
Have a BS degree in History.
Working on a graduate degree in Accounting.
Drive an economic four door sedan.
Libertarian mindset, though I swing more towards the conservatives.
Believe all should have equal opportunity to immigrate legally, and against amnesty to those that came illegally.
I do drink beer, but good quality microbrews (certified beer snob)
I don't care for Nascar.
I don't hunt, though would like a try.
I much prefer to purchase EBRs and military rifles, partly because of a constant fear of them becoming banned.
I DO listen to some talk radio (Rush and Beck), does that put me into some sort of a lunatic fringe right stereotype?

 

[BlazingAngel01]

Have a college degree.
Working on law degree.
Pro-gay
Music-
*anything from late 60"s
*some 80"s
*"EMO"rock
*Rugby drinking songs
Star Trek Nut(I do speak Klingon)
Soccer is a real mans sport.
Play a few computer games.
Read Hawthorne, Hemingway, Thoreau, and a lot like them.
Drive a Couture LS

Hero's

Tom Stevenson
General Curtis LeMay
General John Jumper
Ben Franklin
John Adams
Sir William Wallace
Robert I, King of Scots
Capt James T Kirk

 

[chris in va]

Wow, makes my life look pretty bland in comparison.

-Native of AZ, but lived in TX/CO growing up.
-Did my 4 years in the AF.
-Never been married after 37 years.
-HS degree, tried community college, didn't like it at all.
-Until 2 years ago I was an avid whitewater kayaker. Absolutely loved it. If VA ever gets water again, I'll get back into it. Rafting too.
-Pretty neutral on firearms growing up, but didn't have one until 5 years ago.
-White, Christian but can't seem to find a church I like.
-Avid motorcyclist, NOT Harley. Or sportbikes.
-Love river fishing. Yes. Combine it with kayaking, you got something there!
-Never hunted but got my *first* license this year. Didn't hunt. Kinda disappointed really.
-Pretty mild mannered, don't like to offend anyone. Socially 'shy'.
-Poor due to bad financial decisions on sale of house.
-Technically self employed, professional window cleaner. I get razzed for that all the time.
-Used to hit the rave clubs all the time when in the military. Ah, the days...er, nights.
-Not smart enough to make an educated decision on politics. Everyone has a valid argument.
-I don't mind so much what people do, so long as they DON'T PUSH IT ON ME. God I hate that.