Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle
They will get their story.. it is what they are paid to do.
and push come to shove it is better to have some control over that story than none.
|
Control over their story is a complete illusion Brian. You have no control over what they will do with your words, none. The only time I advocate any kind of public front is what we do when people meet us when we play and how we conduct ourselves on public fields. As Morb says 'the time is not right' and I will stress that even further and say the time is absolutely WRONG. As someone pointed out earlier, I would not want to be the one misquoted and demonized thus demonizing airsoft and putting everyone's sport here at risk.
We're just coming off a contencious election where firearm policy was front and center, you've got city mayors with as much if not more influence than an MPP, misquoting legislation, using incorrect terminology and calling for bans on things that have been banned for over 70 years. Emotions are high and politicians are looking for a scapegoat - put your head up over that berm right now and it will get shot off no matter how you word it or present yourself.
They are not interested in our story. They are not interested in supporting our right to use these imitation firearms to play our sport. Our sport scares the shit out of them. Tactical operations is not an accepted sport - and the left-wing barely accepts that target shooting is a sport, let alone the simulation of a kill team entry into close quarters eliminating a terrorist opfor. No matter the fact that what we are doing is completely legal, the optics of it will work against us on TV at this time.
If this was the Globe and Mail doing a paper article with no pictures and it was an airsoft piece, that might be different. The only reason City-TV wants pictures of airsoft guns is because its sensational.
Look at those evil and dangerous looking things. Showing them your publically joinable club killhouse and they will go absolutely apeshit.
I'd let airsoft get more momentum in the US first. It has begun. I get Shotgun News each month, a real steel publication, and they are featuring Airsoft as the next up and coming sport - so penetration is beginning to happen. But the US has a strong gun culture and gun lobby to support that transition. Canada's anti-gun lobby is much stronger than in the US and would use this as yet more evidence of an out-of-control fringe group in society that needs to have these toys taken from them.
We don't need Airsoft mixed up in the replica and illegal handgun debate in Toronto. If we tie our pony to that wagon, public opinion will be against us and we will most certainly lose.
Another day, another time, I am not going to war on enemy chosen ground. And certainly not with a news organization with a record of pro-liberal, anti-gun sensationalism.