Neat thing about numbers is that they can be interpreted in many ways, and they can be twisted to say what you want to say. My first thought was WOW - 90% gun ownership. Then I remembered that my gunroom covers an awful lot of people. Second thought was that I'm covering up for a lot of "anti's."
I wonder if we could somehow put this into a perspective like has been done in the area of hunting. I don't have my instructor info close at hand, but the rounded version is that 10% of the Nation's population is pro-hunting (whether they actually participate or not), 10% is anti-hunting, and 80% has no firm stance. That 80% is being constantly influenced by campaigns from both sides that are trying to get their support. The best promotion for hunting rights is not the reams of printed information or miles of video tape produced, but rather the actions of hunters and how we care for the areas we hunt in, the way we respect the animals we hunt, and the way we act in public.
Just as becoming a Firearms Safety and Hunter's Education instructor has changed some of the t-shirts and bumper stickers I used to find funny (I still find them funny, but I am more aware of the message they send to a public that does not understand). In the same way I have adjusted my gun ownership. Even though I don't mix alcohol and shooting, I am careful to not send a message that I might. I don't have my targets and spent casings intermixed with empty beer cans in the back of the pick-up. Slogans like "Nine out of ten voices in my head told me to stay home and clean my guns today," "This is your brain and this is your brain on hollow points" (you know the one with the prairie dog), and "Some people just need to be shot" all carry a humorous message in the right context, but what do the 80% think. I proudly have "NRA Life Member" displayed on my truck and some of my apparel, I do have some gun, and shooting and hunting logos on some of my stuff, but it all pretty neutral stuff.
Ignorant life used to be so much more fun. Now knowing the 10%/10%/80% split makes me think more and more about how I do things. I don't change what I say or do, but I make sure to know my "audience" and adjust the presentation to who I am with. Just like Tom Knapp represents Bennelli and shotgun sports, Jerry Miculek represents S&W and revolver shooting, and Rob Leatham represents Springfield and IPSC when they are in public, we all represent hunters, sport shooters and gun owners when we can be recognized as such by others. We all need to project a positive image to the "80%" whenever possible.
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Topic: U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people (Read 4765 times)