Let's be thankful for Jim Zumbo

[Eleven Mike]

Why should we be thankful for Jim Zumbo? Because his example will be very instructive for some of those on the fence. The outrage over Zumbo has made matters very clear to a lot of important people in the gun fraternity and those on the fringes of it.

Not long ago, someone started a thread about whether Outdoor Life was in favor of the RKBA. Now, whatever their attitude might have been in the past, the honchos at OL have booted Zumbo, because they have seen that gunnies will not let them ignore our right to own EBRs. The same could be said for Remington and a few others who may have been wavering. Just defending "traditional" guns is clearly not going to cut it anymore, not if you like to keep your business's doors open.

I'm not saying the Zumbowning was some magical cure. This is not over yet. But it definitely gives the only-my-guns-really-matter crowd something to think about. And something to fear. I think the solidarity we've shown (gun owners, gun makers, gun writers, hunting industry folks) is going to have far more effect than any boost the Brady Bunch might get from Zumbo.

Ya think?

 

[BobMcG]

You've got a point there...

 

[AndyC]

Yup - a catalyst of sorts. I've always been pro-rights but that incident has hardened my resolve to do more.

 

[tuna]

Another plus is that we've shown that when PEOPLE stand together and say that xyz will not be tolerated by our money, CORPORATIONS listen.
Now, if we can get a company like Remington to listen to us (who would likely wind up selling a boatload of .223 ammo no matter if they like ARs or not - who else are we really going to buy from?) and stop sponsoring someone like Zumbo, maybe we can stop talking amongst ourselves and start letting others know that banning EBRs is stupid.

TV sponsors, legislators, etc etc.

I know its been said before, but we've just seen how fast it works. On a holiday weekend yet!

 

[Pilgrim]

One of the best outcomes of the Zumbo affair is we have finally realized that owners of EBRs are not the shooting minority we once were.

Pilgrim

 

[lance22]

Yes, with HR 1022 on the books, a message was sent 'loud and clear'. I recieved an email from Gerber Lengendary Knives' this morning, stating that they had withdrawn assosication from Jim Zumbo. I think they were the last of his major sponsors so now it is over and there is nothing left to sponsor for the few that remain.

Vendors such as Gerber, Mossy Oak and others have been reminded ... let's hope that others got the message as well. As for Zumbo, I think he needs to retire as he's done way too much damage. I'm sure he'll claim to have seen the light while he's on the air (tonight?) with the Nuge ... but at this point I don't care if he sees the light or not, others have seen the light and that's what's important.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Zumbo is an ongoing watershed moment.

While the gun purists might have gotten away with throwing us off the sleigh to the wolves 10 or 15 years ago, those days are over.

It's pretty clear that the EBR community is no longer viewed as expendable, and those gunowners who fail to grasp and support the deeper importance of a formidably armed citizenry are.

This signals the beginning of the failure of the gun bigot's divide and conquer plan for gunnydom: the EBR owner is now if not mainstream, then a sufficiently sizeable minority that they won't be calved off.

 

[JohnL2]

My God, this really is Zumbo-gate.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

He was also on record about making comments about how traditional type muzzleloaders are not accurate or reliable for hunting...seems nothing except his choices are right or acceptable.I tire of these elitist "expert" hunters and their TV shows.Adios Zumbo.Good luck getting your sponser's free hunting boot removed from your mouth.

 

[spocahp anar]

I do not own an AR rifle, though ironically, I was looking at buying one when this broke out. I am a C&R collector with a few exceptions. I bet that more comments can be attributed to non EBR owners than you think.