Out, Loud and PROUD!

[MisterHappy]

[rant]

For those who've seen my posts about being more open with our sport, this comes as no surprise: we need to get the non-shooters to the range. The only way to do this is to de-mystify what we do.

I say use the local papers!

Now, admittedly, the following link goes to a story about my son, but it's the sort of coverage that we need (and if it had been another Junior shooter at our Club, I'd want the story written) Since it was in the paper, both my son (at school) and I have been asked about shooting....the foot in the door.

(Disclaimer- there are a few minor errors, but they got it pretty much right...)

http://www.wickedlocal.com/framingh...gham-resident-recognized-for-his-marksmanship

Bottom line: It's all too easy to get negative press about the Icky Guns (tm). We may have to work for positive coverage a bit, but in any place with a local paper ( I'm not thinking that the Globe will pick up this one) positive items of interest should be shouted form the rooftops. Holding a LTC class...tell the paper! Your club's Junior Team does well? Tell the newspaper! Boyscouts come to camp out and get some Firearm safety Training and the chance to shoot a .22? Tell the paper!

Before we can win their Heats and Minds, we have to get them to see us as "regular folks."

[/rant]

 

[Mr Weebles]

Congrats to you and your son!

 

[Goomba]

nice article, way to go Russel.

 

[scottmac019]

Wow...VERY COOL!!!! You must be VERY Proud and rightly so!!!!

 

[alphawolf]

Way to go little man! My son still talks about you shooting clays the day we went to visit SRG.

 

[Mike-Mike]

Nice job

 

[MisterHappy]

Just to be clear, the intent of the post was not to get Russell more compliments (It's bad enough that he's a better Skeet shot tha I am) ...but to show what we all can and must do to win some converts.

It took a couple of calls to the paper, and an hour or so for the interview ( also, as the reporter was not a shooter, I offered to review her article for factual and technical errors, which she accepted), but it seems to be time well spent.

I also offered to notify her of any other noteworthy happenings. We just had a Junior earn DE in Smallbore Rifle. When her certificate comes in, if we can get her parents' permission, I smell another article....and, maybe, more interst from the ladies of all ages!

 

[Hanwei]

+6 to you.

 

[Pilgrim]

the intent of the post was not to get Russell more compliments

Why not? That alone would have made the thread worthwhile. The rest is just icing on the cake.

I'd be proud as hell and want the world to know !.

Be proud, ya done good with the kid. Congrats to him and you.

 

[danboSMASH]

Great article about Russell! Once the weather gets nicer (yup I am a winter wimp) I think I know who I am pulling out of the clubhouse to help me get a bit better and to earn the rest of those patches!

 

[Dirtypacman]

Great Job my friend.

 

[Coyote33]

http://www.largo.org/

 

[red87930]

I agree the sporting aspect is absolutely a way to get the non shooters interested in our world. It is through this exposure that we will be able to get others involved in shooting. I know discussions of 2A and rights to defend will fall on deaf ears of many. But relating it back to sports will often create interest in folks you would never believe would participate in anything associated with guns. This just happened with me. My son participates in Biathlons out at Harvard Sportsmen Club. Some of his friends found out about it and I got an email from a parent asking for information since her son realy wanted to get involved. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever figured these folks would do anything involving guns. The mom told me that the Biathlon was their favorite sport in the winter olympics. Maybe this Feb will be the year of the Biathlon. Look at what the last Olympics did for curling. If you don't know Curling has become a very popular winter sport and was one of the most watched events in the 06 Olympics.

 

[MisterHappy]

Not just the Sporting aspect...we have to be matter-of-fact about it.

Them: "What!?!!? You let your kid SHOOT!?!?!?!"

Me: " Well, yeah, of course." This has to be said matter-of-factly. Like it's no big deal. Because to us, it isn't.

Then, hopefully, natural curiosity ( like with the new biathletes above) may take over. I've told my kids not to go around school chatternig about shooting, shooting, shooting ( which thay don't, just like they don't go around yammering about other commonplace things) but if someone asks, to answer, and if they express interst, to invite them out to the range. This applies to the teachers, too!

 

[richc]

That is fantastic!!! Congrats on having such a fine shooter in the family and such positive press coverage.

Just one piece of advice, father to father here... next time be careful naming the thread. "Out, Loud and PROUD!" sounds like the tag line for a gay rights parade!!!



Rich

 

[MisterHappy]

That is fantastic!!! Congrats on having such a fine shooter in the family and such positive press coverage.

Just one piece of advice, father to father here... next time be careful naming the thread. "Out, Loud and PROUD!" sounds like the tag line for a gay rights parade!!!



Rich

That was deliberate.

Think about it...20-25 years ago, if you were gay, you were in the closet, a gay bar or the ER after a stomping.

Now, when there's a gay pride parade, the only news coverage is which politicains showed up to march along.

We shooters, especially the ones in this Great Commonwealth, have to take a page from the gay's playbook in terms of being accepted.

(Let's see what would happen if we all got on our new NES patches, a few Gadsen flags and some licensed firearms and had our own parade!)

Hell, here it's easier for two guys or girls to get married* than for some law-abiding citizens to get a LTC!

The title of my orignal post was meant to stir up attention and provoke thought...how open are we all about our legal, law-abiding and safe (not to mention that ol' 2A thing) hobby?

*Not a slam against gay marriage....I'm already married so who others marry is of no importance to me.



And, thanks to all for the props for my son.

 

[Guntrainer]

Excellent!!

 

[richc]

That was deliberate.

Think about it...20-25 years ago, if you were gay, you were in the closet, a gay bar or the ER after a stomping.

Now, when there's a gay pride parade, the only news coverage is which politicains showed up to march along.

We shooters, especially the ones in this Great Commonwealth, have to take a page from the gay's playbook in terms of being accepted.

(Let's see what would happen if we all got on our new NES patches, a few Gadsen flags and some licensed firearms and had our own parade!)

Hell, here it's easier for two guys or girls to get married* than for some law-abiding citizens to get a LTC!

The title of my orignal post was meant to stir up attention and provoke thought...how open are we all about our legal, law-abiding and safe (not to mention that ol' 2A thing) hobby?

*Not a slam against gay marriage....I'm already married so who others marry is of no importance to me.



And, thanks to all for the props for my son.

So I'm thinking the NES logo under a giant rainbow?

Regarding gay marriage... as Kinky Friedman once said "I support gay marriage because I believe they have right to be just as miserable as the rest of us!".

Congrats again,

Rich



Rich

 

[icyclefar]

Great read! Now lets flood the story with positive comments. (I've already left mine)

I was there that day with my son, it was a great day, Russell was beaming!

Plus 3 for you!

 

[Maj. Boom Boom]

I agree with everyone else here, Great job! but i have to say as a "rant" it's an F

 

[CRSIII]

+ whatever! (I still can't figure it out)
We need all the positive press we can get.

ETA I think the thread title should go on the back of a t-shirt!
With an AR right underneath!

 

[newenglandshooter]

Congrats, Russell. And to the main point of the post, I am new to shooting and am interested in learning to shoot a shotgun and learning to shoot trap. How do I go about doing this? I was just thinking of hanging up a notice at my gun club to see if anyone would be willing to teach me to shoot a shotgun. I have only shot revolvers.

 

[MisterHappy]

In my experience, most trap shooters are happy to teach a newcomer how it's done.

If your club shoots trap regularly, I'd say just go out on a day when they're shooting, and say that you want to give it a try. If you'd rather do your learining more privately, contact your Trap chairman. They'll know who is best at teaching.

Your info doesn't indicate where you're located, but if it's the Metrowest area, I'd be happy to show you the basics at Southborough Rod & Gun Club in Hopkinton.

The first thing to do is to do it.....it's easy to pick up the basics, and get to the point where you're breaking a good percentage. Have fun!