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Saturday, August 09, 2008
Guns, girls and gold: an Olympic dream comes true
In my introduction to Gerry Nicholls' tongue-in-cheek column “Disarm the gun hobbyists!”I asked readers to “Imagine heavily armed Olympic athletes roaming Bay Street to hunt down innocent and helpless Torontonians in a sick game these monsters are calling ‘biathlon.’”
Well some of these “monsters” are actually women, and one of these shooters has already left her mark on the Beijing Olympics. Czech Katerina Emmons has won the first gold medal of the games in the women's 10 metre air rifle competition.
In a press release today, Chair of The International Coalition for Women in Shooting and Hunting (WiSH), Dr. Samara McPhedran said “Katerina’s success sets a great example for women everywhere. The Olympics are a positive reminder that shooting emphasizes skill and mental discipline.”
Dr. McPhedran also said that “Young women who take up shooting rapidly build confidence....”
Develop skills, improve mental discipline, build confidence – sport shooting doesn’t sound all bad. Let’s hope Toronto Mayor David Miller is paying attention.
UPDATE: Posted by Matthew Johnston
Posted by westernstandard on August 9, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink
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Comments
Don't you know that owning and using firearms are against the charter and basically un-canadian?
Posted by: Johan i Kanada | 2008-08-09 1:01:13 PM
Shooting sports do indeed sharpen your hand - eye coordination much the same as the driving range does in golf. It a very "zen" thing to do. I recommend it for relaxation and socializing.
And Johan, I hope you're kidding about the Charter of NON Rights. That thing is a joke at best.
Posted by: JC | 2008-08-09 1:23:44 PM
Don't you know that owning and using firearms are against the charter and basically un-canadian?
Posted by: Johan i Kanada | 9-Aug-08 1:01:13 PM
So does this make Toronto the least Canadian city?
What a shock.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-08-09 1:40:05 PM
"Well some of these “monsters” are actually women..."
"...actually women..."?? As though it is not to be expected that women are capable of all the same human emotions and actions that men are capable of -- bad as well as good?
Look, "Western Standard," whoever you are: Women are much more likely to kill their own children than men are. Where guns are readily available to level the playing field, they are just as likely to kill their partners as vice versa. They commit more elder abuse. Etc.
I guess when men kill, they are "monsters;" whereas when women kill, they are just suffering from mental health problems, the poor dears.
"When he kills, he's bad; when she kills, she's mad."
Posted by: Grant Brown | 2008-08-09 3:02:13 PM
Czech Katerina Emmons has won the first gold medal of the games in the women's 10 metre air rifle competition.
Posted by Western Standard on August 9, 2008
The muzzle velocity of most Olympic air rifles and all air pistols is below 500FPS which in Canada means they are not considered firearms. Zebulon Punk's handguns are not considered firearms either as they fire caps.
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-08-09 3:08:40 PM
Stig,
"The muzzle velocity of most Olympic air rifles and all air pistols is below 500FPS which in Canada means they are not considered firearms. Zebulon Punk's handguns are not considered firearms either as they fire caps."
Great! Then you should have no difficulty standing at Yonge and Dundas firing into the air.
I'll be watching Global TV for your bail hearing.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 3:24:14 PM
Grant Brown,
So all in all, you'd rather be the man?
Posted by: John V | 2008-08-09 3:28:46 PM
Great! Then you should have no difficulty standing at Yonge and Dundas firing into the air.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 9-Aug-08 3:24:14 PM
I don't own any air rifles or pistols. I do own a Colt 1991 and a SIG SAUER P-220. Now fuck off.
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-08-09 3:40:30 PM
For the record, I loathe firearms. I grew up around them and know how to use rifles and shotguns quite well. However, after seeing the daily death in Tronna, I have no use for them. Look at Toronto if you want to see what happens when a society without any sense of personal responsibility has too many guns.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-08-09 3:45:56 PM
Look at Toronto if you want to see what happens when a society without any sense of personal responsibility has too many guns.
Posted by: Zebulon Punk | 9-Aug-08 3:45:56 PM
Wrong. Look at what happens when knuckle dragging Jamaicans get guns. Get rid of the Jamaicans and the problem goes away,
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-08-09 3:53:17 PM
Stig,
"I don't own any air rifles or pistols. I do own a Colt 1991 and a SIG SAUER P-220. Now fuck off."
Is that a threat? I hope the RCMP are monitoring this. I fear for my safety.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 3:57:22 PM
H2: Your safety issues can be solved by wearing a helmet and chewing your food thoroughly.
Posted by: Opinion | 2008-08-09 4:09:26 PM
Stig- I have a mint condition Delta Elite. I also have a first generation Colt Cobra, just like the one Ruby shot Oswald with. Try to top that.
Posted by: dp | 2008-08-09 4:14:34 PM
Stig- I have a mint condition Delta Elite. I also have a first generation Colt Cobra, just like the one Ruby shot Oswald with. Try to top that.
The Delta Elite is a very nice weapon. I can't say they same thing about the Cobra. Did you get a fedora and pin striped suit when you bought it?
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-08-09 4:28:38 PM
Opinion
"H2: Your safety issues can be solved by wearing a helmet and chewing your food thoroughly."
Are you vouching for a gun-wielding psychopath?
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 4:31:18 PM
Stig,
"Wrong. Look at what happens when knuckle dragging Jamaicans get guns. Get rid of the Jamaicans and the problem goes away, "
What a racist statement! I hope the various Human Rights Commissions don't read this. Are you merely advocating genocide (make the Jamaicans and the problems go away) or are you stereotyping Jamaicans (knuckle dragging) and thereby subjecting them to hatred?
I wouldn't want to be you.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 4:35:03 PM
H2: Yes, hide behind the anti-free speech goons. Run in fear and call the gov't. You're everything that's wrong with this country. If you fear Stig, take appropriate defensive action. Be a man and count on yourself.
Posted by: Opinion | 2008-08-09 4:39:01 PM
Stig-It's not about function, it's about tradition. There were some really cool guns in my family, but I didn't get any of them. There was a 57 calibre Snyder rifle, a Lee Enfield sniper's rifle with a 28" barrel and a sand shield, a 45 Webley from WW1. These guns are part of our history, not part of the TO crime stats. no Jamaican gangster would ever dream of popping someone with anything but a 9mm DA auto. It just wouldn't be cool.
When these people in TO start talking about confiscating guns because they have no place in "their" Canada, I come very close to blowing a gasket. Then I calm down and remember they'll never achieve what they're setting out to do. The country will break apart before we bend over and hand in our weapons. Armed citizens are the only difference between a truly free society, and a police state.
Posted by: dp | 2008-08-09 4:47:30 PM
Opinion
"H2: Yes, hide behind the anti-free speech goons. Run in fear and call the gov't. You're everything that's wrong with this country. If you fear Stig, take appropriate defensive action. Be a man and count on yourself."
It seems I'm doing a piss-poor job of hiding. In fact, it appears more likely that I'm egging Stig on, daring him to shoot me.
You, certainly, are a terrible judge of character not to mention morals.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 4:51:13 PM
The best way to end Toronto's gun problem is to legalize and decriminalize gun possession. After all, guns are basically harmless. Whether one wants to own a gun is a personal matter. It is an unfair abuse of authority to deprive someone of something so harmless.
That way the cops can spend their time more productively, like rounding up druggies for possession.
Now do you see the fallacies behind legalization?
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-08-09 5:02:41 PM
Stig-It's not about function, it's about tradition. There were some really cool guns in my family, but I didn't get any of them. There was a 57 calibre Snyder rifle, a Lee Enfield sniper's rifle with a 28" barrel and a sand shield, a 45 Webley from WW1.
Posted by: dp | 9-Aug-08 4:47:30 PM
You have a lot of history there, keep em safe.
no Jamaican gangster would ever dream of popping someone with anything but a 9mm DA auto. It just wouldn't be cool.
Posted by: dp | 9-Aug-08 4:47:30 PM
Reminds me of when they banned 50's in California.The goody goody lefties thought that people would be using them to rob liquor stores.
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-08-09 5:44:34 PM
Stig,
Shoot me! I dare you. Or are you a coward?
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 5:47:38 PM
Stop it, ZP, you're cracking me up. The only sensible arguement you've ever made was done in jest.
Posted by: Sarcasm | 2008-08-09 6:43:34 PM
Please no shooting each other on the Shotgun blog.
Thank you.
Management
Posted by: Matthew Johnston | 2008-08-09 7:17:32 PM
MJ,
I am unarmed. Please read more carefully.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-08-09 7:50:50 PM
Wow, this blog degenerated into name calling, bragging about guns and the strangest of all things...people who think fewer guns make society safer. As long as criminals can get guns...we are unsafe without one ourselves. When the government has, or even knows where all the guns are...we are truly in danger. Fear you government, loathe criminals, and know your firearm.
Sorry to interrupt...you may return to name calling and an imaginary gun free utopia...whichever suits you. :)
Posted by: JC | 2008-08-09 9:23:53 PM
Come on JC, a boy and his gun. I was trying to show how much this is a part of Canadian culture. How long did it take for a couple of guys to start playing show me yours, I'll show you mine? It proves the point that guns should not be demonized because some gangsters in TO are shooting each other.
If you did some research into gang history, you'd find they've been killing each other with whatever weapon they can get ahold of for centuries.
This certainly isn't the only thread that contains name calling.
Posted by: dp | 2008-08-09 10:21:57 PM
dp, Ok, I'm hitting about 6 out of 7, dead center
at 25 yds with my .45 semi auto. Did better than I did with with my 3030 freestanding actually. Weird eh?
Oh yeah! Asshole! :)
Had to throw that in I guess.
Have a good one.
Posted by: JC | 2008-08-10 5:40:51 AM
Drop your guns! and raise your hands in the air!
Posted by: april wine | 2008-08-11 3:07:21 PM
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