For my readers from Bracknell Forest Council
The ranter lost my vote very soon after I started reading this rubbish in blue below!
“complete insanity, teaching children to shoot”
“Kennel lane school in bracknell Berkshire, use a centre to take the kids to every now and then, to teach the kids outside activities. What a wonderful idea i hear you say. Now in this day and age wich we live in, with the violence on the streets, kids , gangs weapons, and young children mugging old folk. Also GUNS on the streets.Now wich head teacher in their right fucking mind, would actually condone, their children in their care,( well not their children, our children ) and take them to a centre for outdoor pursuits, the Oakwood centre, and put in their hands a if*****g rifle and teach them to shoot. …..
And on it went for ever, this ranting and raving about a subject that may indeed be controversial but not one that warranted the venom that this person posted on Facebook. It was not as if the school was about to arm these kids with automatic weapons and unleash a new Michael Ryan or Thomas Hamilton on the world. No, they were going to do what a lot of schools and cadet forces have done for generations, let them LEARN to shoot [in this case Air Weapons] safely and responsibly. Shooting is a sport and a discipline as is of course archery and darts. I spent many years as a competitive rifle and pistol shooter, representing my County and winning several championships over the years. I also acted as the organiser for the development and encouragement of pistol shooting in Sussex and over this period saw many many young people from all backgrounds and walks of life and educational backgrounds join in to learn to shoot. Not a single one of them caused their sponsor or club they attended any problems at all. Some of them had learning difficulties or behavioural problems all of which seemed to evaporate once they found themselves with the target weapon in their hands and under the watchful guidance of a coach. As far as I know none have become terrorists or mass murderers.
So with the extreme reaction that the Facebook rant in mind I asked the worried individual to think about his position and to debate with me if he wished. SILENCE.
I think its a good thing to get kids of ALL abilities to try something new and risky (even to us) and then see how many blossom into international sportsmen and women. Shooting, Archery and even darts, we all need fresh blood to join in. Past Governments over reacted to the tragedy of Dunblane and wiped off the face of British Sport many thousands of eager competitive target shooters, the businesses that supported them and a place on the international sporting scene.
Evidence to date shows that the ban on handguns in the UK had no effect on gun crime at all. In fact the ownership off illegally held weapons and gun crime in general has rocketed since the ban!
My case is closed.
NRA/NSRA use this link for more information on the Sport
2 comments:
Just been catching up on your Blog Richard, no comments really because,as usual, I agree with everything you say.
I will say this though, the last thing you need is more coffee! Your ranting skills are honed to perfection, a Samorai warrior would envy its blade,so you don't need to carry a sawn-off shotgun as well!
Regarsd, Frank
Ah now another Ranter.
I do not take his [or her] point of view very seriously until he [or her] learns to spell correctly.
I have come to the general conclusion that most ranters have a very limited knowledge of what they rant about; they may read the headline in a daily tabloid and then make an interpretation into what they take it to mean and then go off on one. They may know nothing at all about the subject but having read a post elsewhere then without any research or other corroboration take up the cudgel on behalf of the cause.
No young man pay them no heed is my watchword........rant over.
Yours MAD
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