Judgement
"So let us be judgmental, for Heaven's sake! That equipment up between your ears, which was provided you by God, is there to make judgments. There are such things as good and evil. Think about them. There are such things as right and wrong. Think about them. If you do not make judgments about such matters, you are a moral blob, fit only for jobs which are better handled by robots." -- Jeff CooperThank you Kathy. Thank you to the others who responded as well. I'm still going to dwell on this a bit.
If I could figure out a way to format a simple Yea or Nay poll with each IWG, that problem would be solved I think. I need a bit of time to carefully consider all the other aspects.
Labels: Jeff Cooper, Quotes
posted by Xavier at 5:45 AM
18 Comments:
Maybe a little more Education and a little less Humiliation, perhaps?
I'm sorry stuff like that goes on...I had no idea, but can't be surprised by it.
Peace.
Your blog is in the top 10% of all information I take in every day. Biased? maybe. Honest? Always. Interesting? Every damn word. Judgemental? What the Frecking hell... this is YOUR blog.
Threats against your personal safety and attempts to find your location? What are they CRAZY?
/best of luck and a ton of respect whatevery you decide is best for you. We've all been enriched by that which you chose to share.
So play back.
Every moron that emails you has an email address.
They have no right to privacy.
Publish their names, email, and any any information you have on them.
Fun times for all.
Pay no attention to the nay-sayers.
This is your blog. Do whatever you want with it. I'd hate to see it go, but it's your decision
Hooey. IWG is great. Highly entertaining! It's your own dang blog, tell them to pound sand!
Honestly, there have been a couple IWG's I could have quibbled with but I didn't, because a) it's not my blog, and b) I recognize the larger point to IWG, which is to promote safer gun handling at large.
And the laws do get broken. If you carry a pistol in an IWB holster, you sweep part of your body every time you draw and reholster. If you carry a longarm slung african style, it's gonna get pointed at somebody's foot. If you're short and sling it American style, someone may end up looking down the muzzle.
If you take a shooting skills class that progresses beyond square range bullseye shooting, you will probably get swept with a dozen muzzles by the time it's all over.
I believe a lifetime of fanatical adherence to The Laws will ensure an appropriate level of contriteness and reverence if a law needs to be broken.
But that's still no reason to point a gun at your own damn head.
Hate mail from a specific type of troglodyte, or your garden variety moron with no job to go to? IWG is fabulous, and could only be improved if they actually pulled the trigger, therby making the world a better place. Keep your blog. I read it everyday and use it as a resource to keep my focus.
It sounds like some little idiot got his mug on your site.
Too bad for him.
Can we see his little rants?
Oh ... and thank you for blogging ... I do try to check this site every m-f.
Xavier, I have enjoyed reading your blog since I stumbled across it some months ago. It would be a shame for you to quit over what some moron has emailed. My wife and I review IWG every week and either laugh or look at the pics with shock and disbelief that anyone could be that uneducated. I am sure the hate-mailer is someone whose meager masculinity was insulted. Keep up the good writing
It's simple. As we train, so shall we do, and die. Pointing a gun at something you do not wish to destroy is a bad idea no matter the circumstances.
I've heard recounts, and actually once experienced pulling a trigger when you don't actually intend to. Almost unconsciously performing an action without realizing that it's happening until it's too late. The only protection from these instances (which DO happen), is that you adhere to the rules.
I can agree that when you've trained sufficiently, you may be able to trust yourself enough to bend or break one of the rules, but it should feel wrong.
Besides, regardless of the state of the firearm, ammunition, or camera, pointing a gun at your head, or someone else's head is instant qualification for idiot.
Don't listen to the idiots when so many intelligent people listen to you already.
Xavier,
I just wanted to lend you my support. I love your blog and read it daily. Before reading your blog I rarely went shooting with people I didnt know. My rule was if I didnt positively know you were raised with weapons the same way I was I just didnt shoot with you. This included many of my friends. Reading your blog has changed my way of thinking. Its given me the words to help and encourage new shooters. To effectively communicate what they need to know to be safe and responsible shooters.
As far as your IWGs section goes. Well, they are idiots as should be treated as such. You know as well as I do that you can never take back a shot. Those that choose to disrespect the potential of a firearm do so at great risk to themselves and others. Ive read some of the comments left on your blog and to those that say a picture can be staged, I have this to say. If you arent completely vigilant with the safety of your firearm you erode the safe gun handling skills youve been taught. Having been raised with firearms and carrying daily now for some time I know just how easy it is to become complacent. Negligent discharges are just that negligent. They are never accidental.
I hope you will continue to help spread the word to the next generation of shooters and the ones after that. I can only imagine how disturbing it must be to find vicious and threatening letters in your inbox. I know in the end you will do what you think you must. But I for one vote for keeping you here.
EricN
Nobody ever sends me hate mail. Dang.
Don't let anyone else determine the value of what you have to say. If you're getting hate mail, it means you've gotten through to somebody. Keep at it. Judging by the comments, we'll keep reading.
Xavier, I just recently started reading your blog and thoroughly enjoy it. I can't imagine you dropping it or changing it to suit some twerps who don't like what you write. If they don't like it, they don't have to read it!
Perhaps it would have more impact if other bloggers also picked up or mirrored your IWG. Besides, you're not the one violating the four rules. If you put a gun to your head and take pictures of it, what the hell do you expect? They wanted attention, they're getting it.
It's like those anti-war idiots posting their contact information on their website for all their liberal friends, but when Michelle Malkin posts it along with their own published activities, they get upset because they're getting more mail than they asked for - and they STILL leave their contact info published. Go figure.
How many actors have been killed with unloaded guns, or those loaded only with blanks? Unloaded guns kill more people than people realize. But don't blame it on the guns, that's like blaming bad spelling on your pencil.
Besides, if guns kill so many people, where are mine hiding all the bodies?
Keep it up. I LOVE seeing IWGs! I guess the truth hurts. If you're going to do something stupid or illegal, you probably shouldn't document it with photos or video.
I can understand your practical concerns (people trying to determine where you live) figuring into your deciding whether to continue posting IWG.
However, a gun is a very dangerous and culturally embattled object which also happens to be a tool with which no sane person should live without.
Every idiot with a gun simply makes it that much more difficult for us who are not idiots to retain a legally recognized right to a firearm for preservation of security and freedom.
I say keep posting IWG unless you feel that doing so is a detriment to the well-being of yourself or your family (or both) that is not worth it to you.
If idiots are embarrassed about having the idiocy of their actions publicized all over the internet, then maybe the person who rethinks what he is doing should not be you but the person who provides you with the opportunity to advocate gun safety.
Keep blogging.
Keep nailing the Idiots With Guns.
Sincerely,
Aim_Small_Miss_Small
Oh, brother. You're actually getting hate mail and death threats for criticizing stupidity with guns? WTF is wrong with these people? Personally, I think that anybody who's willing to show off a picture of himself pointing a gun at his own head or somebody else's deserves a little mockery...
Ya know, there are very good reasons why we follow the four basic rules of gun safety. Here's one of them right here: "So I almost got killed today."
http://antiotter.livejournal.com/144625.html
The link takes you to the personal web diary of an Army sergeant who survived a tour in Iraq, came home...and nearly got blown away while sitting at his personal computer, playing "World of Warcraft," because his idiot next-door neighbor, who apparently was practicing quick draws in his bathroom mirror with a loaded .44 Magnum, put a round right through the wall and into the author's bedroom, missing the author by inches. One wonders if the quick-draw neighbor was himself a past guest-star on "Idiots with Guns"...or one of the fools who's currently complaining about your focus on safety.
Personally, Xavier, I hope you keep blogging. I've been lurking here for several months (I found you through the "Books, Bikes and Boomsticks" webpage) and I've learned a lot about the proper care and feeding of used guns from you.
Keep up the good work.
--Wes S., Independence, MO
Xavier,
I found your site from another. I enjoy reading it and look forward to the new material you publish.
Do what your heart tells you to do. I would consider it a loss if you do stop, but family comes first.
Mr. Cooper is dead on with his quote, I also remeber another quote (not sure where it originated): "If they're shootin at you, you must be doin SOMETHING right!"
You have helped me broaden my thinking and taught me about guns. Other people may not like it, but I get a hearty chuckle out of IWG, just because of how idiotic the pictures look!
I pray you find the right direction and all that life has for you right now turns out as you wish.
Thank you.
Steve
Hate mail.
Cowards hiding behind anonymous email accounts. I can understand your concerns, but as someone who has enjoyed reading your blog and particularly the IWGs I hope you keep at it.
Hang in there!
XAVIER,the gun haters are liberals in any other word...elitists.
and in their world of it's:"my word is absolute,yours isnt worthy" they portrait themselves as the fount of information which is so evidently missing from their brain pans...
Your blog is amoungst one of the very few,I read daily.
It shows wit,intelligence and a bit more then little of being SELF RELIANT,owning firearms and being responsible for ones own actions.
Liberals prefer unarmed victims and THEN they can be the source of your ultimate protection...in that I say not only no....but HELL NO,I'll not be cowering in a corner while a cop who's busy serving up speeding violations doesnt have the time to save others.
They dont like to hear you tell them to:"leave your politics off of My firearms,dont like it??
Dont own em...But try to take mine...I'll vote and then do the next steps".
Dont stop,Xavier with your excellent Blog...a little sanity is a threat to the world now going wimpastic and liberally minded with sophomoric overtones of "be gentle,we know better then you and history is a lie told by white guys".
Last thing I remember about LA was the gun grabbing morons trying to say it was for YOUR safety taking the firearms owned by legally enabled persons under our constitution...screw that,I'll cover my own six thanks.
you want to protect someone?,find a better victim..it isnt me
Xavier,
I had no idea that you would be getting hate-mail for your blogging. I suppose it means you are reaching a big enough audience that there are some nuts in the crowd. Several points;
1) While I don't agree with everything you write, I read you because I enjoy it. No one forces me to read you, I could ignore you if I choose. I choose to read your blog.
2) I suppose that in some sense you are a public person, like a politician. Maybe one reason so many politicians are anti is that they get threats. The wrong reaction, but maybe.
3) Perhaps the support you are getting in these comments will help to equip you with an asbestos suit and thicken your skin.
4) It is a crime to threaten bodily harm, does anyone know the proper authorities to contact regarding cyber threats? Keep the emails to provide to law enforcement.
5) Please continue to blog. Of course I don't want you to feel threatened, so stay safe. If that means stopping, well then our loss.
Good Luck and Good Shooting.
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