Coming out from the shadow? NZ airsofters going public.

[Teiwaz]

Originally Posted by ILLusion

It did leave a taste in the viewer's mouth that there are some military gun nuts out there who love to dress up every weekend in soldier gear and run around shooting each other.

I'm shocked and appalled!

...Wait... What do people who play airsoft do again?

Edit:
Is this the CBC report?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paIwW_ZcMqU

'Cuz I think that guy might not actually be with the CBC.

[Bob the Angry Potato]

Originally Posted by Teiwaz

I'm shocked and appalled!

...Wait... What do people who play airsoft do again?

Nomatter how harmless it is in our eyes (hell, obviously we know how dangerous a plastic ball is), just the mere concept of it is enough to bother your average middle-aged woman.
Either way, if I wanted anyone from CBC to cover it, I'd like George Stromboloupolous to. No idea why, but he just seems like the kind of guy that wouldn't muck up a report. Besides, not too many soccer-moms watch The Hour anyways, and not too many 'gangsta-kiddies' or other sorts of detestable youth like that. Note- this is my opinion, and I don't even know that much about the guy to say that it should (perhaps he's a cold, heartless bigot who twists the facts around for pure entertainment value, if that's true then by all means, say so. I won't contest it).
I should probably don a flame-retardant suit now, but either way, if anything with the media should be done, it should be done right and with the right people.

[Freedom Fighter]

Originally Posted by Teiwaz

I'm shocked and appalled!

...Wait... What do people who play airsoft do again?

Edit:
Is this the CBC report?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paIwW_ZcMqU

'Cuz I think that guy might not actually be with the CBC.

Well go do a media piece then and we'll all see how your brilliant plan works out. Apparently all of us are just too stupid to understand. Stop posting and go out and do it already.

The guys whom have been around for years obviously have no clue while you do after being here for a few months. It's pointless trying to reason with you.

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by Teiwaz

I'm shocked and appalled!

...Wait... What do people who play airsoft do again?

Edit:
Is this the CBC report?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paIwW_ZcMqU

'Cuz I think that guy might not actually be with the CBC.

Of course WE know airsoft players dress up as soldiers and run around shooting each other. It's what WE expect and think it's okay, but put yourself in someone else's shoes - someone who doesn't expect people in a "normal" and "civilized" society to be participating in such activities, and they'll try and do a media piece to equally fight back the positive spin you're attempting to suggest we put out.

[Teiwaz]

Originally Posted by Freedom Fighter

The guys whom have been around for years obviously have no clue while you do after being here for a few months. It's pointless trying to reason with you.

Aha! The "look at the sign up date on my profile" gambit. Well played sir, well played, it beats "open discussion and reasoned argument backed with examples" every time.

You've left me with no choice but to use the big guns of Airsoft forum argument: YOU DON'T SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! Get him, lads!

[Metternich]

I fail to see what concrete and achievable goal we would be seeking by attempting to produce more media coverage of our hobby. We have airsoft guns, and we have games scheduled on a roughly weekly basis, what more do we want?
People aren't sheep either. Assuming we were to get media coverage biased in our favor, that does not necessarily mean that people won't draw their own conclusions about airsoft. A media compaign is kind of like gambling with the future of airsoft. In this case we will be pushing the public to make a decision about our hobby, and therefore entrusting people with NO invested interest in our hobby to make a decision about airsoft. Simply put the future of airsoft would be at the mercy of people that don't play or care about airsoft. The future of airsoft then becomes one big coin flip over which we have no control. Heads nobody cares and we all go about our day to day lives. Tails enough people are offended to create enough political pressure to ban the hobby.

[Voodoo]

remember, paint ball was once illegal too (only the old guys will remember this far back) Once it got more popular it became IMPOSSIBLE to keep it quiet and now its completely unquestions.
Weather you like it or not it NEEDS to go public. The general population has to be informed and educated so they stop going mental.

but hey what do i know, ive only been playing for 3 years and i know there are ALLOT of people who have played longer.

[Freedom Fighter]

Originally Posted by Teiwaz

Aha! The "look at the sign up date on my profile" gambit. Well played sir, well played, it beats "open discussion and reasoned argument backed with examples" every time.

You've left me with no choice but to use the big guns of Airsoft forum argument: YOU DON'T SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! Get him, lads!

Another stroke of billiance.

If you have been heavily involved in this sport then you may feel differently about the media. I noticed your sign-up date way before I gave any mention (hint) to it because I do realise that airsoft and it's players exist outside of this forum.

You do however seem to lack a general understanding of the sport and/or how non-players seem to view it ... meaning the general public.

[Skruface]

Originally Posted by Voodoo

remember, paint ball was once illegal too (only the old guys will remember this far back)

I'm that old. I was a sponsored player back when a good chunk of this board was still in diapers or grade school (1990-1992). Paintball was never banned or illegal in this country - it was on the verge of being banned until the industry itself agreed to ban red paint, ban camouflage in tournaments, accompanied by a shift to anodizing guns in bright colors so they didn't look dangerous.

We could save airsoft in a similar manner - ban camo, make all the guns blaze orange, and make them look like space guns.

[Freedom Fighter]

Originally Posted by Skruface

We could save airsoft in a similar manner - ban camo, make all the guns blaze orange, and make them look like space guns.

If that day ever comes I'm out of the sport permanently.

[Amgoosen]

Originally Posted by Teiwaz

Aha! The "look at the sign up date on my profile" gambit. Well played sir, well played, it beats "open discussion and reasoned argument backed with examples" every time.

You've left me with no choice but to use the big guns of Airsoft forum argument: YOU DON'T SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! Get him, lads!

You just lost all credibility in this argument, begone.

[Teiwaz]

Originally Posted by Freedom Fighter

Another stroke of billiance.

If you have been heavily involved in this sport then you may feel differently about the media. I noticed your sign-up date way before I gave any mention (hint) to it because I do realise that airsoft and it's players exist outside of this forum.

You do however seem to lack a general understanding of the sport and/or how non-players seem to view it ... meaning the general public.

Aha. So I lack both an insider's and an outsider's perspective. I suppose it's time I admit that I am actually from the Andromeda galaxy, here as a scout to procure your superior Earth little plastic-pellet shooting technology. On my world, our toy guns shoot small bits of pink sponge, which gets in the way of our virtual tough guy internet personas.

Here's what I see, from my neither-involved-nor-uninvolved perspective, which must be pretty unique. I see people getting all pissed off about when the media portrays them as dangerous paramilitary nuts. I see people getting pissed off when the media portrays them as completely harmless, slightly eccentric hobbyists. But I also see people steadfastly refusing to give any input on how the media portrays them, and then getting all in a snit about hypothetical situations involving soccer moms which they've effectively waived any possible influence over.

We don't have to seek out the media for attention. But they're there whether we like it or not. So either we can play ball and show them what airsoft's really like, or we can GUARANTEE that they see us as insular, secretive and dangerous.

[Arnisador]

Out of sight, out of mind...are you familiar with that phrase?

You want examples of how the media portrays anything that is scary looking?

example 1) Last night on W5...nice episode on the ETF in Toronto. They are profiling people who are here to serve and protect, and kill if necessary (reference, the hostage taker incident last year where a gunman was shot on national tv). Yet even then, because it sounds more dramatic to the viewers, the reporter expounds on the use of "sniper rifles" as opposed to just "rifle" or even "bolt-action rifle". Minor pet peeve...certainly.

example 2) during a drug bust here in Regina, in the past week, they reveal that lots of cash was recovered, 8 kg of cocaine (or something similar) and an arsenal of weapons. Which was a shotgun, a .22, and an undisclosed caliber hunting rifle. Apparently 3 guns is now an arsenal.

example 3) during a big tradeshow two weeks ago, an out of province farmer was found dead...they assume he was crushed by some farm equipment, but have no leads. Headlines the next morning in bold print FARMER SLAIN POLICE HAVE NO LEADS. Great sensationalism.

example 4) three weeks ago, an elderly woman at our local shopping mall slipped and was run over by a vehicle driven by another senior citizen. Headlines read Woman Run Down by Veteran. More sensationalism.

example 5) last year, a 13 year old boy was shot in the eye by a driveby paintball shooting, and he lost the use of the eye. One of my teammates who works at a local paintball field was asked if the local news could interview him about the paintball hobby. They said they were just inquiring about the popularity of the sport and the safety precautions used. During the interview, the reporter asked how easy it is for a person to get a paintball gun. Buddy answers the shop ensures they are dealing with parents etc if the kid is underaged, but outside of the shop, any kid could get their hands on a gun if they wanted to, they just had to go to walmart, Canadian tire, etc. During the airing of the segment, the report went like this "Paintball guns are a hazaard, anyone can get them. This paintball owner said so ... shoot to clip of buddy saying "...any kid could get their hands on a gun if they wanted to"

End of segment. Selective editing at its best.


Point is...media needs to sell copy, or get advertisers. Tame stories aren't good for business. Sensationalism IS. And what better than to pick a bunch of people in camo and gear running around, to show how in this day and age, with all the shootings in downtown Toronto, the "shooting each other" mentality is alive and well.

Sure to you and me it doesn't make sense. Neither did any of the above noted "news" reports that were made public. It still happens.


Go look for the other thread I put up about "why are we in Afghanistan". Some good examples there of what the media does or doesn't do. Sure it would be nice to talk about all the good things that our military can do, or how lots of airsofters are quite nice people who learn and value teamwork and camaraderie in their hobby. That kind of fuzzy warm story doesn't sell copy...so it doesn't hit the news.

You want REAL proof of media bias on things that go "bang"?

Take a look for the last time you read an article or saw a segment on competative shooting sports, or hunters, that portrays a gun owner as a decent human being, who is no different than most other people.

If such articles exist, they are vastly overshadowed by the crazy whack-job gun owner (refer to Dawson College, or Spiritwood SK where Mounties were killed)

[Imperial Guard]

Grrr....with all the mockery and sarcasm going on, I think I've again failed to initiate a rational and intelligent discussion. Still, I have the following comments to make:

1.
"Wish People who think of these "new" old ideas would read more and learn what has already been done, and why they should just play the game and enjoy it instead of trying to get political"
- You ASSUMED that I didn't do any research on it. The fact is, I was in the discussion during the last incident (XP, AK, and SpecA incident), and I was one of the first few to see the aftermath of the raids. Please read my signature about assumptions.

2.
Somebody mentioned the general alienation of noobs on the field
- I absolutely think that seasoned veteran players have the responsibility to bring noobs into the group and show them the right path to airsoft (sounds like some Jedi shit). It's usually a good way to sniff out potential trouble-making airsofters too.

3.
Somebody made a comment about instead of sitting around "rocking the boat", why not just go and do it.
- I do believe in rallying enough support or reaching a general agreement before doing something like contacting the media. It's common sense that you don't act on behave of a community before you have its concent, isn't it?

4.
Media bias
- Of course. Any report or story can be biased one way or the other. I dont deny that a story can turn out negatively. However, the one particular part I like about the NZ newsclip is the part showing what the airsofters do in real life. I naively believe that if we can show that we are just everyday folks working the regular 9-5 or 8-4 in the offices, stores, fields, shops, etc...we can make a connection to the public. And if we have professionals among us, ie, Med student, Res docs, engineers, teachers..etc, that's even better IMO.

5.
We have games running and plenty of airsofters, what more do you want?
- For one, I'd like to see a much more liberal airsoft market like that in the US or Asia. A liberal market normally means lower prices for AEG's and GBB's. Don't you like to have ur CA or TM at a lower price? I know I do.

Neways, my conclusion is: the public is generally afraid of what they don't understand. Keeping it quiet is good for the long-term or not? Only time can tell. Does someone have a copy of the CBC clip? I wasn't in BC a few years ago.

PS: Hi Anisador. How's it going? I have a lot of respect for you as you are one of my airsoft mentors, but sorry, I have to take a different stance on this one.

[thephenom]

Originally Posted by Skruface

We could save airsoft in a similar manner - ban camo, make all the guns blaze orange, and make them look like space guns.

lol. Airsoft 2142. lol