The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

buzz_knox · May 16, 2007, 09:27 PM

Both sides have a point. If Zumbo had posted his blog and not much had happened, I don't think Zumbo would have given Pat's and Denny's offers a second thought. There was no percentage in it for him, and wouldn't have been something he was interested in. As he said in one of his many apologies, he wrote what he wrote and he meant it. Why get involved with terrorist rifles?

Instead, Zumbo got hammered and was in a position where he had every reason to accept the offer to be trained with a rifle that he previously had no interest in owning and didn't really see the point in, one he thought every hunter should disavow in order to protect the sport.

Like many, I don't trust Zumbo's epiphany. Really, there's not much reason to, as he's only just now starting to earn gunowners' trust. His apologies are inconsistent with each other (has he ever explained why Remington's CEO says Zumbo was warned about this blog topic before he posted it?), and track the loss of his sponsors. He's also apparently rebutted the use of his blog one time, and not Maryland where it's still on the record as evidence for banning assault weapons. But the weird thing about even false epiphanies is that when you start spouting the "right" lines, you start believing it.

As it is, this situation could have gone multiple ways. Zumbo could have gotten off scotfree and continued doing damage. He could have become the Brady Bunch's pet and either hurt our cause (leading hunters against us) or helped us (spouting his "pro-hunting only" BS while his cohorts worked to ban sniper rifles like scoped hunting rifles, thus exposing himself and them as liars to the hunters). Or, he could be converted (even forcefully) to our side and start fighting with the vigor of a convert for us.

As it is, we are now in the last situation, he's a convert and is fighting for us in one way or another. There are a lot of people to thank, ranging from the people who pushed him out to the people like Pat, Denny, and Rich who are bringing him back.

So, how about we stop worrying about what Zumbo wrote, and focus on what he writes?

May 16, 2007, 09:27 PM	#72
buzz_knox Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 1999 Location: Knoxville, in the Free State of Tennesse Posts: 4,190	Both sides have a point. If Zumbo had posted his blog and not much had happened, I don't think Zumbo would have given Pat's and Denny's offers a second thought. There was no percentage in it for him, and wouldn't have been something he was interested in. As he said in one of his many apologies, he wrote what he wrote and he meant it. Why get involved with terrorist rifles? Instead, Zumbo got hammered and was in a position where he had every reason to accept the offer to be trained with a rifle that he previously had no interest in owning and didn't really see the point in, one he thought every hunter should disavow in order to protect the sport. Like many, I don't trust Zumbo's epiphany. Really, there's not much reason to, as he's only just now starting to earn gunowners' trust. His apologies are inconsistent with each other (has he ever explained why Remington's CEO says Zumbo was warned about this blog topic before he posted it?), and track the loss of his sponsors. He's also apparently rebutted the use of his blog one time, and not Maryland where it's still on the record as evidence for banning assault weapons. But the weird thing about even false epiphanies is that when you start spouting the "right" lines, you start believing it. As it is, this situation could have gone multiple ways. Zumbo could have gotten off scotfree and continued doing damage. He could have become the Brady Bunch's pet and either hurt our cause (leading hunters against us) or helped us (spouting his "pro-hunting only" BS while his cohorts worked to ban sniper rifles like scoped hunting rifles, thus exposing himself and them as liars to the hunters). Or, he could be converted (even forcefully) to our side and start fighting with the vigor of a convert for us. As it is, we are now in the last situation, he's a convert and is fighting for us in one way or another. There are a lot of people to thank, ranging from the people who pushed him out to the people like Pat, Denny, and Rich who are bringing him back. So, how about we stop worrying about what Zumbo wrote, and focus on what he writes? Last edited by buzz_knox; May 16, 2007 at 09:47 PM. Reason: Left out someone important.