Mr. Censor

[Imaginos]

Just got back from a trip to San Antonio (Texas that is.)
Noticed a lot of disturbing things on thet trip, but the thing that is stuck in my mind is a conversation I walked into when I went down to the hotel lobby for breakfast.

A group of college-age people were standing around and talking loudly about some some kind of beer blow-out a few of them had recently attended. While this does not sound out of character for college kids, I found it troubling that all of them were wearing jackets and hats with the name of their college trap & skeet team. In addition, there were a lot of cases suitable for take down shotguns scattered all over the place with their other luggage.

My first impulse was to step up and ask them if they realized that they were doing the 2A and their school shooting team no favors by having that particular conversation in public while wearing their team uniforms and with obivous gun cases piled all over the place. Then I started to wonder why I felt so strongly about the situation.

Have I become so paranoid about appearing respectable and proper in relation to all things gun related, that I have become a social prude?

Have we, as the gun culture, developed our own form of hyper-repressive political correctness out of fear that anything we say or do will be used against us in the propaganda war currently being waged?

Is it possible that we have become so wrapped up in defending a single civil right that we have begun to be afraid of having a good time?

I didn't say anything to anyone, but I am still thinking about the emotions and questions that situation brought out. I thought would kick it to the forum to see what others have to offer.

 

[johncolo]

there college kids they all party Im sure you did at once I dont honestly see a problem unless there showing up drunk to shoot

 

[clt46910]

Just because someone goes to a beer bash does not mean they got fall down, commode hugging drunk. Some college students are responsible young people.

I would not worry about it. I do understand how you feel, I sometimes find myself feeling the same way. I see some idiots at gunshops and gun shows and think "They are not really helping the cause". Then I have to remember we are all different with different points of view. I may have been that idiot at one time to someone else.

 

[Imaginos]

Not a Case of Projection

I have been there/done that in regards to being young, dumb, and full of beans, and I have told plenty of "war stories" regarding some of the colossally stupid things I have done. It was not the behavior of the students. They were acting in a generally polite and calm manner. Had they been talking about anything else, I most likely would not have even noticed them.

It was the combination of their topic of conversation and their jackets that identified them as being members of a shooting team that caused a very strange and visceral reaction within myself.

I felt like I should run over to them an shush them like they were "talking dirty" or something. It was a very bizarre feeling, and it got me to exploring how & why I have become so hyper-sensitive to anything that could reflect negatively on the 2A battle.

 

[Mr White]

I agree, you were probably more sensitive to it because of you pro-gun POV. My guess is that the majority of folks wouldn't give a group of college kids talking about a beer party a second look.

 

[Autolycus]

Who cares if they went out and got drunk? So what if they had shotguns in their cases. Were they drunk while shooting? Probably not.

College kids drink and go to all kinds of crazy parties. You got to lighten up.

What you should worry about is groups like the Minutemen and other extremists talking about things.

 

[johncolo]

why do we have to worry about the minutemen there doing more to stop the flow of illegals then the goverment personally I think anyone trying to cross the border where they shouldnt be should be shot on site is that itself not a act of war there invading Our country

 

[jeepmor]

Have I become so paranoid about appearing respectable and proper in relation to all things gun related, that I have become a social prude?

Yes

Have we, as the gun culture, developed our own form of hyper-repressive political correctness out of fear that anything we say or do will be used against us in the propaganda war currently being waged?

No, it is your issue.

Is it possible that we have become so wrapped up in defending a single civil right that we have begun to be afraid of having a good time?

Again, No, it is your issue


College was a lot of fun and I drank a lot of spirits. That's a big part of what college is about for a big chunk of the college students. Most of it is simply social lubrication, nothing more. I was not much into guns in college, but did have a 22LR and enjoyed walking 100 yards off campus and terrorizing the ground squirrels, it was fun. However, we never even considered doing it while we were drinking, and we never did. Even as irresponsible young adults, we still knew better than to mix the two. And from your description of the scenario, you are a middle aged "judgemental old man" (as I used to call my dad) filling in the blanks for your own mind's convenience, not necessarily as they fit.

As I grow older, I find myself doing the same thing, making connections that ease my thinking processes or allow me to take the position that my mind is comfortable with, not necessarily what is simply the real truth of the matter.

I see my older friends, one in particular comes to mind, that have this attitude of "I'm older, you have to listen to my point of view, it's better than yours" mentality instead of the approach I have more respect for. Which is, "my experiences have taught me this" type of delivery. What becomes the issue for me is their utter refusal to even listen to any point of view that is not lock step with theirs. Liberals and conservatives alike can be guilty of closing their minds to any ideas outside of their own point of view.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Nope, "it's not possible that we have become so wrapped up in defending a single civil right that we have begun to be afraid of having a good time." Perhaps that's true of you, but since I wasn't there and didn't have such thoughts it can't possibly be true of me. Stop projecting.

I don't much care if a group of college kids enjoy themselves as long as they're not hurting anyone else. College kids drink, sometimes too much for their own good. I'd have been happy to see them wearing their skeet and trap jackets at breakfast.

My own first impulse, if they didn't look too hung over, would have been far different from yours. I'd probably have gone to their table, said I was happy to see them wearing their jackets, asked them about the match, and inquired what guns they were shooting. Then I would go to my table, wish I were 50 years younger, and mutter excuses about why I don't shoot as well as they do.

Being a proponent of the Second Amendment doesn't mean that one must live a life of perpetual denial or saintliness. (By the way, I don't drink alcohol.)

 

[beretta9]

I had a situation a few years back that is kind of like yours, and I am sure there are many more like it.
I belonged to a volunteer fire dept. We were having a raffle to raise money, and I suggested we give out some sweatshirts with our logo as prizes. Then, I got to thinking, what if some alcoholics or bad guys started acting up in public with clothing with our logo on it, how would that look? So I had that suggestion dropped. I am still undecided if that was a good idea, or if I was just paranoid.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

Yes, you're making an issue out of something that wouldn't bother the rest of us.

What you should worry about is groups like the Minutemen and other extremists talkig about things.

I know. Those "extremists might talk about defending their country since the federal government won't do its job. They're almost as bad as the extremists that talk about defending their homes or selves from their fellow Americans since their local government can't on the internet of all things.

 

[DWARREN123]

Not just shooting but any type of team can be hurt by less than good behavior of team members. Was their conversation in bad taste, was profane language used or just loud and happy?

 

[Trebor]

Hey, you bit your tounge, right? I think that was the wise choice. You are probably a little over-sensitive to how gun owners are perceived, but you can't act as a monitor for everyone elses behavior.

Just let it go. It wasn't at a range where they were shooting while drunk or anything. Nothing was unsafe.

Now, if you were their coach or something, you could impress upon them that they represent the school with their actions, etc, etc, but from an outsider I don't think it's your place to do so and I don't think it would have been well received.

Nothing wrong with thinking about it and seeing what other people think though.