Why are gun enthusiasts so against fighting for their rights?

[wacki]

I've had way too many people in this forum tell me "don't waste your time talking to anti's", "people can't be edumucated (sic) common sense", etc.

Well I went into the gun club today to shoot trap/skeet. They are suffering from legislation that shut down their sporting clays area but managed to leave their skeet/trap area intact. I asked them why they don't have NRA pamphlets on the shelf so people can learn about guns and help protect their rights. Their response was "it won't help in this situation". Well that might be true but it would certainly help down the road. I told him about how buckets of water kill more children under 5 than guns, Obama voting to ban centerfire ammo, etc. He, a manager of a gun club, was indifferent about that. His response was like "ehhh I guess it might help in that situation but I dunno".

I get the feeling if I showed up with a box of NRA pamphlets he'll let me put them on the shelf next to all the gun promo pamphlets. Still, it's frustrating to see people whose very livelihood depends on the sport of firearms simply not care.

Just curious, what would be the best pamphlet to put on his shelf? I'm seriously considering calling the NRA-ILA and asking for a box of pamphlets and then giving them to the gun club.

 

[hso]

Do, but also get materials from GOA and JPFO and the Second Amendment Foundation and CCRKBA.

Why'd they shut down that part of the range?

 

[pdowg881]

Obama voted to ban centerfire ammo? I actually said What the !? out loud on that one.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

They probably figure by putting NRA, GOA, JPFO pamphlets at a range would be "preaching to the choir" (like here) since people are already there to shoot. It might help later like you said though, bringing them home, to work, etc. I'd bring some in or contact those orgs and see if the'll send them some publicity packets with pamphlets for free.
Converting an anti is hard. Sometimes you don't have the time or energy. They feel you are attacking one of their core beliefs. Some don't listen because they see you as a 'gun nut' which they see as an irrational person with a screw loose (we feel the same way about them at times don't we?) Sometimes you can at least give them some things to ponder.

 

[bogie]

"Gun nuts" are big on bitching about smelly hippies, and calling themselves politically conservative.

Cluebat time: Those "smelly hippies" know a LOT more about how politics and activism works. And they use it in their day to day lives. Your average "gun nut" would rather do the same thing, day in, day out, and not stand out from the herd...

 

[Hemicuda]

Wacki... you have the right idea, and I agree and praise you for it... keep trying... but appearing educated would help your cause too... NOT using phrases like "Why do are gun nuts so against fighting for their rights?"

"Why do are" is NOT a usable english phrase... the "are" doesn't belong...

 

[1 old 0311]

I would be real happy if they took 15 minutes, every four years, and VOTED! Everyone has time to bitch, but not enough to do anything about it.

 

[armoredman]

Get pamphlets, and sneak drop them in doctors offices, lawyers waiting rooms, school administration offices,etc, anywhere the general public who never goes into a gun shop might find them.

 

[sam1952]

Wacki, you make a good point. I am guilty of the same complicacy you are talking about. A little bit more from all of us could make a difference.

Hemicuda, I think you're being a little tough on an obvious typo. I understood what he was saying. Just like your typo,

NOT using phrases like "Why do are gun nuts so against fighting for their rights?"

"Why do are" is NOT a usable english phrase... the "are" doesn't belong...

I'm sure you meant to say the "do" doesn't belong ........

 

[bogie]

Could I make a suggestion?

Let's NOT get into a "he just butchered the Englich langwidge" bit, and concentrate (FOCUS?) on the thought at hand?

How can we motivate the firearms community into actually giving a damn?

 

[wacki]

Wacki... you have the right idea, and I agree and praise you for it... keep trying... but appearing educated would help your cause too... NOT using phrases like "Why do are gun nuts so against fighting for their rights?"

"Why do are" is NOT a usable english phrase... the "are" doesn't belong...

Sorry about the grammar mishap. I was in a rush when making this post. I've also had an average of 4.5 hours of sleep per day for the last 5 days. I will admit I normally don't give a crap about the quality of my prose but that typo does not reflect my level of education. Heck, my German is better than that. And now I'm off to take a 30 min nap.

 

[pax]

wacki ~

I've wondered that for years.

Seems like every time a pro-RKBA person gets an idea for promoting gun rights, there are 16 other "pro"-RKBA people ready to shoot the idea down, try to talk him out of it, and to make fun of him for doing it.

Open carry, to get people used to the idea of good people bearing arms? Read the threads -- naysayers and ninnies everywhere.

Call your congresscritter? "Why bother?" is the usual response.

Join the NRA? Heavens no! Either those people aren't purists enough for us, or they're too extreme & divisive, or the NRA hasn't done anything for me locally so I'm not going to join until they have.

This state of affairs is shameful enough to make a sailor blush.

Bottom line? YESS!!! Go ahead and order the pamphlets. Pass out "lost my business" cards to anti-CCW business owners. Write to your local editor. Call your congresspeople. Join the NRA.

You might not be able to do everything. You might not even be able to do much. But every single gun owner should do something.

And there's no valid excuse not to.

pax

 

[wacki]

Why'd they shut down that part of the range?

The official reason is zoning laws. But the gun club has been around before there was even a town. They were literally "zoned" out of a big part of their business because the city council decided to draw a line over 50 years after the club had been built. This club used to have a 50 cal range. Now they can't even provide sporting clays. They might be able to get that part of their club open again but not without expending much time and money.

The local residents don't seem to care and the club is in good order. The club is thronged every weekend. It's just a few people in power and one business owner that are creating this ballyhoo.

 

[Handyman]

It's not that the "gun nuts" are against fighting for there rights . IMO , most people , anti or pro gun , are just too apathetic when it comes to politics . They are more concerned about whats going to happen on the next episode of survivor or who's going to win the big game . I think most people are just trying to live there lives the best they can and mostly feel powerless to change things . But I'm not saying don't try . Pass out pamphlets , talk to people and try to educate them , write or e-mail your local polititions and let them know how you feel , support the NRA and other pro gun organizations and get out and VOTE when the time comes .

 

[Digital Falcon]

I am new to this whole political activism thing. I have owned a gun since my eighteenth birthday. I went over ten years without having a range to go to so I didn't touch the guns I owned. For the last nine months I have had a great Indoor range that I can go to, and it has reawakened my passion for firearms. I have managed to bring at least three people over to the light as far as gun ownership in that time. I am afraid that it won't be enough, but I have also started writing my congressmen and have joined the NRA.

Do I think I have changed the world, no, but I can say that I am trying? I have gotten responses from every single Senator or Representative that I have written to. I have had email discussions with the Sheriff regarding his beliefs on the topics and I try to keep those around me up to date on the news.

There have been many years of indoctrination by the media and the politically correct crowd. How many of us actually think of them as high capacity magazines, or use the term assault weapon? These are phrases that didn’t exist fifteen years ago. There is a lot of time we have to make up for.

I for one will try to keep up the letters when I can. I will try to show people around me that I own guns and I am not a homicidal maniac waiting to happen.

 

[Handgun Midas]

most people , anti or pro gun , are just too apathetic when it comes to politics

This is very true; myself included, although this forum is helping me turn around.
Just because a person's hobby or business is a political issue does not empower that person with political concern.

And to the OP, why use the term "Gun Nuts" in this company?
That is the slander for us amongst the antis and the ignorant.
Negative connotations and all that.

 

[BobMcG]

Gun nuts?

I'm a gun owner, gun enthusiast, and a gun collector. I dislike very much being referred to as a "gun nut" by anyone or any group of people. I see the term being thrown around in the THR all too often. It seems to be quite the popular catch phrase that some members think is really cute and something to be proud of to labeled as such. News flash! There is nothing cute, flattering, endearing, nice or acceptable about the term. To me it's a very derogatory term. Certainly nothing to be proud of. One that I expect to be used by and come spewing from the mouths of antis, not from fellow gun owners. If some of you feel it's OK to allow yourselves to be considered a bunch of "gun nuts" than well, that's your prerogative. I don't consider it OK because I feel the term is demeaning to all gun owners.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

"Gun nuts" are big on bitching about smelly hippies, and calling themselves politically conservative.

Cluebat time: Those "smelly hippies" know a LOT more about how politics and activism works. And they use it in their day to day lives. Your average "gun nut" would rather do the same thing, day in, day out, and not stand out from the herd...

I agree with the bold statement.

I disagree with the opening statement.
I think, by and large, most of us are very libertarian in out thinking(while conservative yes, but more libertarian than Republican conservative); and that means we think that people should have the right to do what they want, provided they do not infringe on our rights--which yes, I realize the antis are doing.
Using the "system" to push our agenda on others is just contrary to the way we see things. I also think, we expect people to be rational and understand that the government does not have the right to do what it is doing (this is one of the reasons we are libertarian in our thinking). Sadly, most people are simply too ignorant and too lazy to understand what they are really doing when they vote.
To me, libertarian (not the party, the philosophy) is anti activism, and that is very much hurting us. We think of ourselves as individuals, that makes it tough to unite for a common cause.
The Left has no problem using Borg "group think," as generally they WANT to let others take responsibility for what they think and do. They prefer to be told what the think and do, as this takes the responsibility off of them and makes them feel safe.

 

[BlackManWithAGun]

As for me...

This thread has done a couple of positive things for me. One, I realize the importance of not using the term Gun Nut per my brother from NY again. We have enough negatives. Secondly, I see a similarity to our plight as gun owners and free people to that of a new convert. The longer we do something, the easier it is to become apathetic to the joy we first received, i.e. a new Christian is eager to share the Gospel with his friends, a white belt wants to take on Jackie Chan, and a new American citizen knows more about this country than your kids, etc. Long time firearms enthusiast, build up a callous around them, a wall, that as long as their ammunition supply isn’t depleted or their hunting lands are still accessible, the hell with the rest of the world. We have to realize that no man is an island. I have seen the enemy and sometimes it is us.

Lastly, please share this with your shooting buddies. In the day you stop being an activist, stop being enthusiastic about your rights, eager to share your knowledge, available to teach, is the day you contribute to our demise. You have heard that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. It is also growth. Like a tree, our garden of liberty only has two options. Grow or die. If you are not growing, fertilizing, weeding or tending to the garden you have been given, you are contributing to its death.

Give me liberty….

Kenn

 

[wacki]

Mr. Dickie, Blackman

excellent posts


BobMcG, fair enough. We need a new nickname. Preferably one that is 2 syllables. Gun nut is just so quick and easy to say it's hard to avoid using it.

 

[Autolite]

"Why are gun nuts so against fighting for their rights"?

I find the frustration wears a person down. The rationale used by the antis to create such idiotic gun laws is so pathetically lame that it indicates a severely deteriorated thought process. Trying to reason with an anti is like trying to explain quantum mechanics to a mental vegetable. Their capacity for rational thought has been completely obliterated by irrational emotion. Once a person exhibits the inability to mentally process simple logical concepts, continuing the discussion becomes moot and only leads to further aggravation ...

 

[armoredman]

Read Alan Korwins' Politically Corrected Glossary, attached below, for a far better approach, terminology speaking.

 

[BobMcG]

Perhaps...

... it could have been worded,

"Why are Pro-Guns so against fighting for their rights"?

 

[Waitone]

The average human has a profound ability to deny reality. I think the reason is said human understands that he were to accept reality he would have to change his life or lifestyle. By and large shooters are engaging, in their opinion, in a sport; nothing more. They personally are not a threat to anyone or anything so why would anyone else consider them or their sport a threat? Since they see no threat why behave like they are a threat. Presto chango! No activism.

Attitudes will not change until there is a direct threat to their lifestyle. The recent demise of Mr. Zumbo at the hands of "gun nuts" could well explode in the face of second amendment advocates. Problem is the threat could very easily be perceived as coming from inside the shooter's camp causing hunters to make league with Brady et al against true second amendment supporters.

 

[A. Patriot]

In past years I have manned the NRA/Friends of NRA table at local gun shows. Many people, even at the height of various Democratic gun-grabbing administrations, have the following attitude:

"I've got mine, they're not taking it away, to hell with the rest of you" attitude.



Hunters (I hate to say) seem to be the worst.