Shocking newsletter

[Neverhood]

I gotta agree with Lisa on this one, blame the one who screwed up, not the group that could potentially have another screw up. There are always going to be people who make airsoft, or any other 'group' look bad, but that doesn't mean we should all get punished for it.

[thePiRaTE!!]

I am new to airsoft as a sport, but it seems to me, that avoiding the media is just delaying what is perceived by many here as an inevitable backlash to the sport. I don't think that a negative public reaction is a given. You too are a member of the public, and at one point knew nothing of airsoft, yet you now have grown to appreciate it by understanding its positives.

With that perspective, I would suggest that people in a position of responsibility - owners of fields, proprietors of clubs, retailers, etc ought to make a story that media would like to report about, regarding the intrinsic values of organised airsoft as a creative and safe means of channelling energy into something fun and responsible.

This scene really does police itself very well, and has a deeply seated sense of responsibility which it instills into new players. Its far from subversive and would seem to benefit from a true public understanding. Below is a repost from a while back, but my favourite airsoft video. It shows what an open attitude not only by the media, but also by the airsofters can achieve:

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=Bc-6R7jdyaM

Replica guns make no friends by default in the general public because they are associated with real violence. It is in the best interest of organised airsoft to steal the glare being shined on airsoft guns as a negative by the media, and to show there is a real upside to them before enough people have seen enough bad incidents to conclude otherwise and pass laws.

[rileysault]

People are stupid, that's all there is too it. No matter how dumb you think someone is there will always be someone who will come along and prove that they are far superior in the stupid department. On a side note when me and my friends were young we used to fill super soakers up with bleach/water and spray people. Wow, now that i think about it we were assholes. But i guess that is the point, who hasn't done stupid shit like that. I'm sure all of you have been egging before or done something you weren't proud of. Really i would rather be shot with an airsoft gun then be egged, or soaked in bleach, or many of the other stupid things children do.

[ShadowQc]

That's the way to make AirSoft banned. I hate that. People should learn that the Airsofts are not toy guns, but replicas that shoots pelletsm used for fun military simulation.

Originally Posted by Greylocks

Yep, a .22 behind the ear, aiming upwards. Cost is less than 5 cents.

Edit; he's 18, I hope he enjoys having a criminal record for assault. This will ensure a wonderfully fulfilling job future.

Better idea: an RPG, administered orally or as a supository.

[Dozer_01]

Boys will be boys...

[Jar|-|ead]

well yeah...they will be...lol...

[GunMaster]

This is nothing new and unfortunately happens on a regular basis, but nothing can be done about it except to prosecute the individuals involved, which I am glad to see is happening.

Attention under 18 airsofters...this is why airsoft is 18+....you get arrested and thrown in jail for branishing these guns in public. Airsfot guns must be treated as real firearms at all times....they are just too real looking to mess around with in public. Just because its an airsoft gun that shoots plastic bb's doesn't mean its gonna be percieved as that by others, unfortunatly.

I don't think this is gonna do any harm to our sport though....I mean paintball guns have been around for a while and kids go around shooting those at other people in public all the time. There are just some stupid people out there that don't know how to act responsibly.

Its all hype, lets just be thankfull that he didn't have an aeg and go full auto on people. If that guy does play airsoft with any club, he should be banned.

[Gato]

Originally Posted by thePiRaTE!!

With that perspective, I would suggest that people in a position of responsibility - owners of fields, proprietors of clubs, retailers, etc ought to make a story that media would like to report about, regarding the intrinsic values of organised airsoft as a creative and safe means of channelling energy into something fun and responsible.

This scene really does police itself very well, and has a deeply seated sense of responsibility which it instills into new players. Its far from subversive and would seem to benefit from a true public understanding. Below is a repost from a while back, but my favourite airsoft video. It shows what an open attitude not only by the media, but also by the airsofters can achieve:

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=Bc-6R7jdyaM

The problem is that to keep this sport we have to stay low ( we=Everyone interested owning airsoft or not) but to the public it would most likely appear we are up to no good and at the same time if we come out about Airsoft people will want to remove potential tools for problems ( the big bad G word) instead of the problem( the idiots who do stupid stuff) and i don't think these guns should be harder to get because it is then unfair to people like myself who are responsible and mature enough to handle this kind of thing but sadly it may have to be done anyway. I've had BB/Pellet guns for 3/4 years now and i only have them out of the house to take to the range or up north to private land that a relative owns ( in a proper case when transported) but i just know there are idiots out there who would do something stupid either out of ignorance/stupidity or because they have serious problems with their heads

And GREAT video by the way

Originally Posted by GunMaster

I don't think this is gonna do any harm to our sport though....I mean paintball guns have been around for a while and kids go around shooting those at other people in public all the time. There are just some stupid people out there that don't know how to act responsibly.

Yeah but they also don't look like a class of items under constant media attention with people left, right and centre screaming to ban them .

[CARL]

I would say this, in the real firearms community they have struggled with the media to tell their side of it and have had great difficulty the media is more or less liberal left minded and owned. There generally for banning of everything that even resembles a firearm. Before every airsoft gun is sold one must be at least given a either a book of rules in regards to airsoft guns and laws or made to read, or at least listen to a few pages of do's and dont's with airsoft guns, like a questioner for example. Either way the retailers have to be smart about it, and should look to the FACC, or Canada Shooting Sports Association CSSA/CILA for some advice.

I wouldn't be surprised in the future if it becomes mandatory for airsofters to have there (Firearms Liscence) FAC in the future. Also i recommend that all airsofters should get that anyways its a very good idea. It will promote and arm us with info and legal advice to know our rights in case bad things come down. Also by getting your FAC it would further support the firearms community and hopefully in the future the whole sytem can be shut down by droping the gun registry, which would greatly help relieve any posibilty of our sport being shut down. Trying to convince the media is a bad idea especially without any experience, things will be taken out of context and minipulated to how they want the story to be percieved by the masses, it could be devasting to the sport and back fire. Public realations is a bitch and has to be done by professionals and done in a controlled enviroment. Even the name AEG is bad Automatic electric GUNS, that last word is exactly which will kill the sport i know it sounds stupid but the media and liberal left will jump all over that. I hope my thoughts and opions helps you guys in the right direction.

[nizfiz]

It's all very disturbing but I think the general public will be more upset by the fact that a teen did this. It will become another one of these juvenile delinquent stories, not so much an 'airsoft is evil story'. That's just the way I see it. Even if people don't know the word airsoft, plastic BB guns have been around for a while and generally people will hear that and think "toy" not "replica gun". If it does become something in the media it will just be treated like another one of those local paintball incidents where teens shoot kids at halloween it won't have much of an effect on airsoft.

Originally Posted by CARL

I would say this, in the real firearms community they have struggled with the media to tell their side of it and have had great difficulty the media is more or less liberal left minded and owned. There generally for banning of everything that even resembles a firearm. Before every airsoft gun is sold one must be at least given a either a book of rules in regards to airsoft guns and laws or made to read, or at least listen to a few pages of do's and dont's with airsoft guns, like a questioner for example. Either way the retailers have to be smart about it, and should look to the FACC, or Canada Shooting Sports Association CSSA/CILA for some advice.

I wouldn't be surprised in the future if it becomes mandatory for airsofters to have there (Firearms Liscence) FAC in the future. Also i recommend that all airsofters should get that anyways its a very good idea. It will promote and arm us with info and legal advice to know our rights in case bad things come down. Also by getting your FAC it would further support the firearms community and hopefully in the future the whole sytem can be shut down by droping the gun registry, which would greatly help relieve any posibilty of our sport being shut down. Trying to convince the media is a bad idea especially without any experience, things will be taken out of context and minipulated to how they want the story to be percieved by the masses, it could be devasting to the sport and back fire. Public realations is a bitch and has to be done by professionals and done in a controlled enviroment. Even the name AEG is bad Automatic electric GUNS, that last word is exactly which will kill the sport i know it sounds stupid but the media and liberal left will jump all over that. I hope my thoughts and opions helps you guys in the right direction.

I agree with the whole media/public perception thing entirely. I think the term "BB gun" should be used more often. It may have the word gun in it but it sounds far more innocent.

[CARL]

Thats a good point, i hope thats the way it goes.

[Ghost_boo]

wow... that guys is a bad influence to our community....!!
its me or we are almost a replica of the US but with fake gun... BOWLING AT CHILLIWACK....? lol (I'm not trying to make a joke...!)

[Gato]

Originally Posted by Ghost_boo

wow... that guys is a bad influence to our community....!!
its me or we are almost a replica of the US but with fake gun... BOWLING AT CHILLIWACK....? lol (I'm not trying to make a joke...!)

May not have been meant as a joke but I for one found it extremely funny.
I think i just found a new quote for my Signature ... if it's okay with you?

[Combine]

ThePirate had a good point about getting the community to make a news story to show that we [the airsoft community] are responsible. However, its true that there is a possibility that the story gets manipulated and transformed into something bad, which could destroy airsoft.

Im also sick and tired of people responding to stories like this one with "oh my god lets murder this person" type of messages. Its no better than "haha im going to shoot some newbs at my old school with my airsoft huhuhu cool"

Although this news story might be small, it still worries me because I am under age to play airsoft and im afraid that by the time I can play, airsoft will be gone forever.....