From: "Alex Hamilton", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>I've just finished putting the finishing touches to the end of my
>involvement with the shooting sports;
>Returning my Certs to the police, handing in what ammo I had, put my
>shotguns in the local shop for sale etc.
Sorry to hear that you are giving up shooting and I hope that that is
because you just lost interest rather than for any other reason.
>During my 16 yr membership, the most I saw at a Club AGM was 15!
>There were, of course plenty to moan afterwards!
>I would say at least 80% of the membership were not members of any
>shooting organisation - (before you ask, I was a member of 5).
I know that it is depressing when shooters do not see the need to act,
but the situation you describe is no different in my club. In fact, I
would say that closer to 95% of membership are not members of any
national shooting body and many need to be reminded several times each
year to pay the club's subscription. Despite almost continuous
agitation
about the need that we all go on the march on March 18th only me and two
other members have so far registered with Countryside Alliance - "I am
not paying ú a minute is the excuse!"
>Now I see there's a discussion going on regarding who is "allowed" to
>wear Camo gear! I'm sorry, but who the hell has the right to tell
another what he can
>and can't wear!
>Some time ago, at an NPA AGM at Bisley, there was a move to ban "the
>ostentatious wearing of holsters, off range" because the media might
use
>it to discredit the sport! "The sport" had already committed suicide
by
>being afraid of the media in the first place!
Nobody has said anything about "the right to wear anything"! It was a
sensible discussion about general appearance and that it mattered. As a
former motorcycle rider you are most probably aware that Hell's Angels
have terrible reputation and they are thought to be responsible for acts
of terrorism, racism, drug dealing etc.. It follows that if we dressed
up as Hell's Angels we too would be tarred with the same brush and it
would not matter if we were all Benedictine monks, because Joe Public
would brand us as violent, dangerous, undesirable and certainly not to
be trusted with firearms.
So, just as you have rights to wear what you like, Joe Public also has
rights to regard you in any way he likes and I think we stand a better
chance, slim as it is, of saving our sport if we try not to present
ourselves as violent.
I know that I have the right to defend myself against attackers and I am
well aware of the Bill of Rights, but the hard fact is that my pistols
and your SLR have been confiscated, so I think I am being more realistic
to regard that right as a privilege and not abuse it.
>I've been criticised (at an MLAGB competition) for using a "service
>load" in a .577 rifle, for target shooting. Apparently it's "not done"
(the reply went "It bloody well is now")!
I know, and every time I use a stripper clip to load my target rifle my
fellow shooters cringe! So, my options are either to respect their
"dislikes", or tell them to sod off and leave the sport. That sums up
my "rights", but what would be achieved if I adopted the latter option -
precisely nothing!
Any chance of retrieving your FAC and the "equipment" and carrying on
until you drop off your perch?
With Best Wishes,
Alex
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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