[Boneman]

Originally Posted by ReactiveLlama

What would really annoy me is that if someone was to write and submit a rebuttal to the article it would be dismissed as the "ravings of one of those 'wackos'".

Why would you just assume that anything written in response would be considered "ravings of one of those 'wackos"?? Maybe you don't posses the literary skills needed to compose a well informed response, but others might. So exactly how long have you been involved with airsoft there mate?

Originally Posted by ReactiveLlama

I'm NOT a player, don't plan on playing. I'm a indoor plinker, more danger to my potted plants than anything.

Originally Posted by ReactiveLlama

....since when it comes to everything else airsoft related I'm a total noob.

Yeah I would be annoyed too is some kid who has no actual airsoft experience or hasen't even been out to a single game deceided to write a letter about something he himself has next to no information or experience on too.....


I know there are some that feel that ANY publicity brought onto airsoft (good or bad) is "unwanted attention". Those who want to stick your heads in the sand about airsoft and don't even want your voice heard as a community go right ahead. The public is informed and misinformed about airsoft, usually and unfortunately, by articles such as this one. So regardless of how you personally feel about it, the public will get their "airsoft education" from these articles; like it or not.

I for one would rather educate the public (not rant and rave) and have my voice heard as a responsible airsofter and not be painted with the same brush as these morons who abuse replica/airsoft guns. And I would rather start with the source, the article author and my local police detachments, including Constable Price.

This story happened in my local community and as founding member of a local airsoft club in that community I felt compelled to speak up and properly represent our local airsofters/club. For all you neurotics out there, I did not make any mention of ASC (I don't think they even really care guys).

There is obviously a right way and a wrong way of going about discussing airsoft with the public. Ranting and raving and bombarding your local MLAs will not get you anywhere fast nor will sitting here calling the author and the police "'idiots" and "morons". They don't have the luxury of spending all their free time surfing the web for airsoft guns, gear and viewing airsoft forum posts. It comes down to they just don't know about airsoft. Mr. Clarke, at my request, has printed a correction in reference to the C7 as an "M7". When I spoke with Constable Price (yes, spoke), he was truly un-aware of airsoft as a sport and mentioned he would have no real issues if it was done in a proper and safe manner such as a sanctioned club. He agrees that more education about airsoft is needed on both 'sides'. He appreciated my call and would like to further discuss the local airsoft scene.