Y’all know about these awards, right? Today, on what was billed Gun Appreciation Day by its organizers1, at least five people were injured in accidents involving the very things they were trying to appreciate. Three of them were injured in Raleigh, NC, when one particular idiot “was unfastening the case of his 12-gauge shotgun on a table near the show entrance when it accidentally discharged. The man planned to sell the shotgun at the show.”
What the hell are you doing carrying a loaded shotgun into a gun show? Shouldn’t you have ensured there were no shells in the thing before you take it out to show it off?
I nominate all these injured people plus the owners of the guns they were shot with for Honorable Mentions when the Darwin Awards are next handed out.
1 Larry Ward — who is leading the appreciation-day effort Saturday and is president of the Republican consulting firm Political Media Inc. — said earlier this month that the event is being supported with an online, mailing and media campaign over the next two weeks that is expected to reach 50 million people.
The coalition behind the gun appreciation day includes the Second Amendment Foundation, Special Operations Speaks, Revolution PAC and the Conservative Action Fund.
Yes, and this comes after someone had just recently in the media been extolling the virtues about how gun safety was so well adhered to at gun shows.
My spouse told me about that, he thought that was particularly rich.
But I think you have to figure this…
I’ve lived my whole life in Northeastern Pennsylvania where I’ve known lots of people, have had many friends, over the years, who own guns. They are hunters. (Women too.) And are not crazy & shooting people accidentally or on purpose! Or probably not even thinking about it! Certainly not hoping and dreaming of Apocalypse!
I think a lot of regular people, who might ordinarily go to a local gun show, found the idea of this “Gun Appreciation Day” to be, at best silly, or kind of inappropriate, or maybe even downright offensive.
This other lot all excited about “Gun Appreciation Day”, making it a point to go to gun shows…
Well, I think you had a case of an overwhelming majority of a particular type of gun enthusiasts at these “Appreciation Day” events.
Therefore the turn-outs at these particular gun shows were probably not necessarily the best examples of responsible gun ownership.
Of course, all that said, this is probably an example of “the exception that proves the rule” or however that goes, in terms of the need to regulate.
But also, one wonders if the whole Gun Appreciation Day thing really put a spotlight on these events, and incidents which would’ve been scattered on different days, and likely not gained a lot of attention, did attract attention, because of this bozo idea of having a day for it.
Of course, that said, it likely means they got their just desserts for coming up with this turkey of an idea.
Look at the organizers. This was another “stick it to the liberals” idea like the “Eat at Chick-Fil-A” day a while back.
I take your point that the attendees at these events might not be the average sportsmen and women who go out once a year during deer season or go out with a shotgun when pheasant’s available. These attendees were probably the “I’ll carry my weapon anywhere I want” crowd.
“the “I’ll carry my weapon anywhere I want” crowd”
Yes, and apparently people that carry dirty equipment they forget is loaded, even though they’re planning to sell it! Very bizarre.
This is not an example of someone who properly uses care with firearms. Sounds downright cavalier compared to my (late) father’s general attitude about caring for and securing firearms.