The new face of gun culture

[ericire12]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2879-Austin-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m7d14-You-can-change-the-course-of-history

Being a relatively new supporter of the civil right of self-defense sometimes affords an outsider’s perspective. One disheartening realization was that certain gun owners purportedly support our rights, but their actions do not.
Talking to longtime shooters in California, it became clear why that state now leads the country in gun control. The shooting community had, at one time, become the new boy’s club in the old oak tree. The exclusion of women and minorities, and its attendant loss of understanding the value of firearms, left them vulnerable to the emotional appeal of gun control.
Add to this the distinct lack of grooming and wardrobe selection by some male gun owners, and you have a match made in media heaven: Sleek, sexy soccer moms protecting their children versus hairy, uncouth bubbas protecting their “outdated” Second Amendment.

At one point, the Million Mom March was a media darling. The main cause of their downfall was women gun owners. It was the Second Amendment Sisters, Liberty Belles, Armed Females of America, etcetera, who provided the media antidote: pro-rights women canceled out the MMM.

Back in California, gun owners got it. In recent years, the California Rifle and Pistol Association and the NRA’s ground troops–the California Members Councils–have begun to swing the momentum around. One of the things they learned is to involve women, and the Women on Target program is alive and well in California.

Today, you can hardly visit a news site that hasn’t run a story on what’s happening with firearms commerce in America. It’s gotten so that anti-rights groups like the Brady Campaign are accusing the ‘gun lobby’ of using fear-based marketing to drive the surge in sales of guns and ammunition. (But it’s okay to do so for gun control.) Dennis Henigan, long-time Brady associate, has even written a book about it which sells for $30 (but it’s not about the money, no doubt).

Beyond their hysterics and the anti-rights perspective infecting Old Media, there remains a truth so obvious that gun ban aficionados like U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder went from publicly promoting a new “assault weapons’ ban to sounding like Wayne Lapierre in a matter of weeks:
Attorney General Holder admitted…during a recent session with reporters, whether he expected any push for a ban this year to curb the flow of guns from the United States to Mexico.
His answer could have come straight from the National Rifle Association: “I think what we’re going to do is to try to, obviously, enforce the laws on the books.”

What is this hidden truth?
Gun ownership has escaped the white male stereotype box and has become…well…democratic. Since reelection becomes priority 1 immediately after election, the Democrat leadership has discovered a new appreciation for the Second Amendment.
There are more women gun owners every day. The Women on Target program is poised for a record-breaking year in terms of attendance and number of clinics this year. And this phenomenon is not limited to Caucasian women.

In addition to the Obama administration’s past rhetoric, people are concerned about tough economic times resulting in more crime. From Florida to Washington state, applications for concealed handgun permits are increasing at record rates.

This could be the beginning of a new American, but only if you are willing to invest a small amount of time and energy. If the last few months of firearms commerce and concealed license applications has scared anti-right politicians straight (for now) then more action on our parts can gain back some of the ground lost in the last few decades.

To that effort, I would like to interview people from all walks of life who, like me, used to believe that only the government should have guns, but had an enlightening experience which led to their conversion to pro-self-defense. You can help broaden our outreach effort across all social, religious, ethnic, etc. backgrounds to induce the politicians to leave our rights and freedoms alone.

If you, a friend, or neighbor, fit this description, please contact me.

AustinGRE@austin.rr.com

It’s our turn now.

[mudman]

BUBBA's need not apply.

[JC5123]

BUBBA's need not apply.

Well that pretty much means everyone here!


KILLJOY!!!!

[ericire12]

Well that pretty much means everyone here!

<-----------------Has an MBA

[JC5123]

<-----------------Has an MBA

Just because I wear a suit to work, doesn't mean that I'm not a redneck at heart! I believe that many here would agree with me.

[Sponsor]

[Kid Shelleen]

It's going to be darn hard to find anyone on this site who "used to believe that only the government should have guns".

Despite the fact that the author is unlikely to find many in his target interview group on our forum, there was still good information in the article. It is reassuring to hear about the upsurge in women and minorities owning guns. This can only help us in the long run. The Democrats typically are very sensitive to the issues of women and minorities. With the pending Congressional elections in 2010, each and every new gun owner is another voter to help us stave off anti gun legislation.