These Folks Sure Don’t Represent Me

Don’t you absolutely hate it when someone chooses to speak on your behalf and their message is…well, to state it nicely…a bunch of crap.   Seriously, when this person or group spouts off claiming they have your best interests in mind only to later learn they have an underlying (and selfish) reason to be your mouthpiece that is not at all in your best interests.   It makes you upset.

Well, imagine my confusion and surprise yesterday when I read in my local newspaper that the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul (along with many other metro area suburbs) have joined a coalition of mayors from other major cities around the country to form a coalition of mayors against illegal guns.   Sounds like something a bunch of big city, liberal mayors might do.   But that’s not my concern.   Nope.   It was the introduction of a group called the American Hunters and Shooters Association.   Yup, that’s right.   A so-called group of just “ordinary hunters and gun owners” who supposedly agree with “common-sense” gun legislation.   Huh?   You’ve got to be kidding me.   This group touts themselves as an up-start 18–month old organization positioned as an “alternative” to the National Rifle Association.

Something smells fishy here.   The news report was on the radio as well as in the newspaper and the media made things sound like finally a common ground had been reached between the safety interests of big city mayors (trying to curb gun violence) as well as safeguarding the sporting interests of hunters and shooters.

Let me tell you something.   It’s all a ruse…nothing at all what it seems to be.   The American Hunters and Shooters Association is the enemy, in my opinion.   Let me emphasize that again.   By name the American Hunters and Shooters Association might seem like a worthwhile group with a legitimate purpose…but I’m not buying it.   And I don’t think you should buy it either.   Check them out.

Fellow blogger and gun rights advocate John Lott first exposed the group nearly two years ago in a couple of posts that can be read here and here.   What Lott discovered at that time was a poorly concealed attempt to hide the registration details of the organization.   In fact, he notes the web address was originally owned by Robert Ricker.   A quick Google search of Ricker discovers he was a former employee of the NRA who has apparently turned sides since their relationship dissolved.   Not surprisingly, the entire web site and the list of leadership reads like a Who’s Who of gun control advocates…but who takes the time to discover those trivial bits of information?

What you need to take away from this blog post is the American Hunters and Shooters Association is a big bad wolf wearing lambs clothing.   I boldfaced it because understanding this fact is critical.   The gun control faction is getting very sneaky by attempting to look like one of us.   And folks, they’re not just doing it in my part of the country…they’re doing it all over and carrying out their methods in a very deceitful manner by purporting to be the voice of reason for the common sportsman who has come to their senses realizing the NRA has long been “selling us out.”

Hogwash!   This tactic should anger you as a sportsman as much as it does me.   Yet, I sense that too many fellow sportsmen are complacent and simply allow these PR stunts to fly under the radar while not getting properly challenged.   Perhaps what bothers me most is when the gun control message can’t be pushed forward on it’s own merits and yet it needs to have an underhanded mechanism such as this to bolster the public’s misconception of the truth.   Shame on any politician or public official who uses their name associated with such utter deception to accomplish their own self-interests.

Today, I’m here to tell you that the American Hunters and Shooters Association in no way, shape or form represents me as an ordinary American Sportsman, despite what their organizational name might imply.   Furthermore, I would urge everyone to take a closer look and consider exposing this group for the facade it really is by proudly claiming to be one of us sportsmen.

2007 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission