The Importance of Good Manners

[SIGSHR]

I have found gun owners to be a remarkably well behaved and courteous lot, in 37 years of shooting and collecting I have only once encountered rudeness and hostility from another shooter, that was a gun club not far from where I live, the result was that I ended up joining a club that was over an hour away, but where the people were better mannered. (The facilities were better too.) As i said in another thread, far too many people associate gun ownership with boorish and obnoxious behavior because their first exposure to firearms was at the hands of someone who was boorish and obnoxious-in this same vein, I note the number of people I have met who are teetoalers because they had to live with an alcoholic when they were younger-something like this happened in my famly a few generations back. I think the momentum is on our side right in the wake of 9-11, the Gulf Coast disasters, a
more or less conservative President and Congress, the mood across the nation is generally conservative. Gun owners acting civil and courteous both to each and to the non-shooting public will gain us far more adherents than a
lot of emotionally satisfying and self defeating name calling.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Couldn't agree more!

Sigshr--IMX, acting like ladies and gentlemen furthers whatever endeavor you are involved with, while acting boorish (though satisfying at the time, perhaps) sets you back in the mind of the public.

In the firearms-use area, we are dealing with a public some of whom are expecting us to act like boorish, dangerous, thoughtless, slobs. The vast majority of us aren't that, but that is what is expected.

Being treated in a gentlemanly/ladylike fashion by firearms users may come as a pleasant surprise to these people, and further our cause.

We can only hurt ourselves by acting the contrary.

 

[4V50 Gary]

The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association hosts a gunbuilders' workshop of about nine days. Most stay at the Scottish Inn at Bowling Green. Well, last year the Scottish Inn was sold to new owners who were apprehensive about renting to a "gun" group. They feared wild parties, booze, shots fired, extensive damage. However, as we were a relatively large group (most stay for 9 days), they relented on assurances from the organizers that we've never been any trouble.

So, instead of a bunch of young gun-toting rowdies, they get a few young 'uns but a lot of middle aged folks and many retired guys. No wild parties at night. There's hanging around outside but it's quiet discussion about our favourite topic: guns. After a day or so, the new owners were delighted that we were such a mellow group (we go out of town to the Smith farm to do our shooting).

Being civil and respectful helps. Heck, no one among us is in the drug or booze crowd.

 

[tsc]

Unfortunately I've had some less-than-favorable experiences with fellow gunowners, including the Cheif Range Officer at the only local range!

But I agree, most of the people in this community are awesome, with most unfavorable experiences being slip-ups, rather than something deliberate or consistant.

 

[rgoudy1975]

I like to say that the gun community is "the salt of the Earth."

 

[Rob P.]

I think a lot of this has to do with "attitude". Some have it, some don't and some switch back & forth depending on the situation.

Recently I went out to my local shooting range to see about fees and hours and stuff like that. I arrived with another group of LEO's (badges, name cards, etc) who all piled out of a minivan. We walked around after discovering the range was closed for the day. Fpund a gentleman who's initials are DM (initials are for ID protection). Turns out DM is a LEO for a local small town. The other group and DM discussed the range, options for qualification shootings, etc. I stayed out of the way & quiet.

After the LEO group left, I started talking to DM about the range and mentioned that I was a civilian and not LE. His whole "attitude" changed at that point. With the other group he was outspoken and forthright. Gave them more info than just answering the questions they asked. Once he knew I wasn't LE, his answers became monosyllable yes/no and he stopped volunteering info. He acted like he couldn't get me out of his space fast enough and I definitely got the impresson of bad manners and an "us vs them" attitude. Suprised the heck out of me.

It's this sort of "I'm better" attitude that I'm talking about. When talking to non-gun people, we'd BETTER NOT have that sort of thinking going on. And LEO shouldn't take the position that they are "better" either. Such a position creates hostility in the recipient.

You aren't a better citizen because you're a gun owner. You're a gun owner because you're a better citizen.

 

[justinhip]

Why is it that most gun shop owners/operators have attitudes? I am licensed, spend money and not a "tire kicker" so to speak, but still can't get decent service. Especially when I have a question about something. For instance, I am trying to find out some info on an H&R rifle (another post) I just had been given. I can't get the time of day. One shop, if he is in a conversation, forget getting any service until he is done. The only shop I have dealt with without an attitude is retiring. But, people I have met on the range have been mostly first class people.