Pink Pistols in the news

[tipoc]

This piece is from the April 14th front page of the San Jose Mercury News. It's rare to have a decent article on shooters in the news and this article is one.

The Pink Pistols is a mostly Gay group of shooters, (it's open to others who want to shoot as well) and was formed following the 1998 torture and killing of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming. People have been joining it more recently after the Orlando massacre.

There is also a pretty good video, so watch that as well.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/...gun-group-promotes-firearms-for-self-defense/

tipoc

 

[Targa]

I can honestly, whole heartedly say that I could give a expletive less about people and their personal lives.
As much as I like to see firearms enthusiasts I don't care one bit what walk of life their from. I guess I just don't get it, to each their own I say and I have'nt a clue why people have to throw their sexual or any other orientation out their like it is something that has to be acknowledged.

 

[bedbugbilly]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ +1 t Targa

 

[burrhead]

I'm going to put this in before this thread gets locked. I'm a Judge in a very rural area in west Texas, far from a bastion of liberalism, and I'm proud of the fact I performed the first same sex wedding in my county. I've officiated several since. Gay people pay taxes and want the same rights and protections afforded all of us. I support all gun owners because divided we fall.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Personally I don't care about the person's orientation. So long as they pay their taxes and working (or trying to work) instead of being a leech and active member of Der Frei Stuph Armee I'm OK with them.

 

[5whiskey]

+1 on I'm happy that its a group of shooters supporting 2A rights. I do have personal convictions, and I don't agree with "indoctrination" but on the other hand I have no problem with how others choose to live life as long as it doesn't affect me. Indoctrination in schools does affect me as I have school age children. I want them to accept and be welcoming of others, even if they're different, but I don't want them to be "sold" on a lifestyle unless its what we teach at home.

That being said, I have no problem with the pink pistols. I'm happy they're around and I consider them an ally. There are bigots and extremists out there who would do them harm simply because of their sexual orientation. They have a right to self defense.

 

[Buzzcook]

The whole point of advertising their status as gay users of firearms is to point out their equality before the law, their equal right to self defense.

Gays have been targets of violence for century. Pointing out that the targets can now shoot back is not a simple display of there private life styles.

Demanding equal protection is not a special right.

 

[James K]

I have no problem with what anyone does as long as it is legal and they don't want to force their ways on others. (And yes, that includes some of the self-styled "religious" folks.) As for guns, a law-abiding gun owner is my friend; his (or her) life style in other ways is of no concern. As with other situations, though, there are always folks on both sides who just can't "live and let live" and have to try to force their ideas on youngsters over the objections of a child's parents. That cannot be allowed.

Jim

 

[HistoryJunky]

Too many people are too divided about too many things. See this for what it is. It is good for all gun owners to have less people against them.

A lot of non-hetero folks are of the liberal, gun hating variety. Anybody we can bring into the pro-gun crowd is a positive. I could care less who someone brings home at night.

 

[ShootistPRS]

I have friends who are queer and I have performed marriages for them. I have a particularly strong friendship with a queer man who is a retired marine. We developed our friendship at the range and through a non-profit group that my wife and I started and ran for seven years. He was ready to help in anyway he could and always carried just like me. When I found out he was gay I said "So what?, I'm straight! but not a bigot." I have met a lot of his friends and most are just people like everyone else. I haven't shot with him since I left Seattle but we exchange birthday greetings and he feels like a brother to me.
(neither of us like what he calls "flaming fagots". Those men who act out in openly feminine ways. He has some very colorful names for them but for me I just find it a bit repulsive.
Most of the queer population doesn't attempt to persuade anyone to a "gay lifestyle". No one indoctrinated them they were born that way. I find them very accepting in spite of the closed mindedness that they get most of the time.

 

[burrhead]

^^^ This.

A gay friend of mine was an FMF Corpsman during our adventure in SE Asia 45 years ago and I bet spent more time at hot FOBs than most of the internet commandos. I donno, he doesn't talk about it.

 

[briandg]

what is important here is that a group of people have taken steps to protect themselves. by recruiting members of their own social circle, they have made a stronger group that will encourage participation.

If a women's group was formed to teach defensive shooting skills, it wouldn't be noticed. If a group was formed to help kids learn to shoot, it wouldn't be noticed.

So a group of non straight people joined together to learn defensive skills. Good for them. I really hate seeing good people get hurt if it can be avoided.

 

[DT Guy]

Real freedom requires allowing others freedom as easily as you demand your own; even when you disagree with what they're doing (assuming they're not hurting you.)

I don't care if folks believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster and are married to a Scott Terrier, as long as they don't bother me. If they're friendly, I'll probably be their friend.

Larry

 

[g.willikers]

The only true evil is the initiation of force.
All the rest can be easily ignored.
Discovering the natural right to self defense, and acquiring the ability to do so, is to be commended.

 

[briandg]

People who believe in a hollow earth, Atlantis or the flying spaghetti monster may be better off not handling dangerous objects like golf clubs, guns, or soccer balls.

 

[tipoc]

One of the things I try not to do is impute actions and motives to people who I don't know or have never spoken to based on a few words of conversation. (Well it does depend on the words in that conversation of course, there are a few choice words that compel me to reach a decision quickly.)

So here's an article on a group of shooters who with good reason decided to band together to publicly promote self defense among Gay people. Pink Pistols is a well known group nationally and has been growing. It speaks up in defense of the 2nd Amendment, encourages training, holds classes and shooting events, argues it's purpose and defends it's opinions clearly (good examples of that in this article) and welcomes people in no matter what their political, religious or other views. All in all not bad IMHO.

I think it would be a mistake for me to accuse them, or anyone else I don't know much about, of wanting to "recruit" children to a certain life style or sexual orientation, or accuse them of wanting to destroy Christianity, or America. All serious accusations. That's a broad brush to paint a whole lot of people with. If I started walking down that road I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like where I ended up and who'd I be with when I got there.

So when I see the Pink Pistols doing good work, and setting an example of how to do it, that's something I can defend.

tipoc

 

[briandg]

I confess to thinking that ownership of a pink pistol shows bad judgment. Up in heaven, Patton, Sherman, and Wyatt earp all ROFL whenever they see a pink firearm. Annie Oakley would have clouted Cody over the head if he asked her to use one.

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Discussing political issues and specifics of being gay are not relevant to TFL.

Let's avoid that. Many lifestyles are disagreeable to someone. We discuss the RKBA.

 

[FITASC]

If this particular group shows their fellow community members that guns are not just a white, redneck, homophobic's realm and more come to fight the anti-gun crowd, the better!

 

[briandg]

The community embraced women. Women have proven to be an invaluable asset. Women have ways of reaching out to non believers that no man could hope to do. A lady in Oregon has a martial arts studio and trains in many aspects of armed combat. She has her own school training with all three guns for combat. This woman is a force of nature, no exaggeration.

She works with women almost exclusively, so the students can learn without being"shy", so to speak. Thanks to her and her teaching techniques, hundreds, yes, literally hundreds of other women have taken the step, who would not otherwise have done so.

I'd do anything to support a guy who can reach out to gays and help them enter into this discipline.

Women and kids have plenty of people working with them.