OT - Gunsamerica on UFC; NOT our best advocate

[Texican]

I'm all for seeing gun businesses thrive and grow. I'm certainly in favor of free market capitalism. This however, while potentially profitable for GunsAmerica.com, only adds to the characterizations and stereotypes we constantly defend against [violent neanderthals, etc.] Am I wrong on this?

GunsAmerica Sponsors UFC Champ Matt “The Terrorâ€

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Not the greatest idea I've ever heard ... that's for sure.

[FWiedner]

Not all gun owners wish they were invisible.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Not all gun owners wish they were invisible.

It's not the gun part that I don't like as much as I'm just not a fan of GunsAmerika. I wish perhaps that it was a better foot being put forward. I frankly find their website horrendous ... my IT bias. Note the subject title of the post "... NOT our best advocate". I suppose it could be worse and he could be sponsored by Jim Zumbo and have a picture of an EBR on his shorts with a big red circle with a cross through it.

I do kind of get a kick out of Serra's shorts saying "BUY GUNS, SELL GUNS, blah blah blah" in Canada of all places.

[SPROCKET]

This however, while potentially profitable for GunsAmerica.com, only adds to the characterizations and stereotypes we constantly defend against [violent neanderthals, etc.] Am I wrong on this?

I wouldn't say wrong, maybe just uninformed. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is simply new and doesn't have the cultural acceptance of boxing or wrestling. It's more the tasteless nature of the commercialization that bugs me.

[Killer Kanuck]

[quote="Rimfire McNutjob
I do kind of get a kick out of Serra's shorts saying "BUY GUNS, SELL GUNS, blah blah blah" in Canada of all places.[/quote]

Especially considering GunsAmerica is set up so Canadians can't bid. I'll still with GunBroker and AuctionArms, thank you very much.
And by the way, quite a few of us up here haven't let the beaurocratic hoops deprive us of our guns. Hell, there are even certain guns up here we can get easily that are heavily regulated Stateside. Not many, but there are a few. These should be available late May

[Slick]

So.... Does "Dale Earnhardt Junior" having a "Budweiser" promo on his car mean that he's advocating "drunk driving"?

Or are we the ones who perhaps are being too judgemental here?

Business needs advertizers / Advertizers need business.

Not trying to start any argument - because I participate in forums for enjoyment - not confrontation with those who I'd have for friends..

Just asking for a rational review and comments.

[WinM71]

I don't even know what UFC means - shows you how out of it I am, I guess.

[FWiedner]

Killer, what exactly are we looking at in your LARGE photo?

[Killer Kanuck]

Killer, what exactly are we looking at in your LARGE photo?

It's an 870 clone a Canadian company (CanAm) is having made and imported. The first bunch were full stocked or pistol grip stock with a 12.5" or 8.5" barrel. The one above are coming next month - 14" barrel with a box mag - coming stock with the heat shield and ghost ring sight. The first shorties were around $300, so I would imagine the box mag models would be around $400. Basically a cheap Valtro.

[sore shoulder]

I have read and thought and just cannot come up with a reason for disagreeing with the advertising method. Plus, as a soldier who is trained in the same style the UFC guys use, I like it.

[Griff]

While I'm not a fan of UFC, what GunsAmerica does with their profits is not up to me, nor does it reflect on me personally. I suppose it's no worse than the marketing mentality that feels, "Big Guns, Sell Guns"; or autos, lawnmowers, chainsaws or whatever.

[Texican]

This however, while potentially profitable for GunsAmerica.com, only adds to the characterizations and stereotypes we constantly defend against [violent neanderthals, etc.] Am I wrong on this?

I wouldn't say wrong, maybe just uninformed. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is simply new and doesn't have the cultural acceptance of boxing or wrestling. It's more the tasteless nature of the commercialization that bugs me.

I don't consider myself uninformed. I know of MMA and have studied other martial arts including Krav Maga which has been around since the 1930's. I referred only to the characterizations, not the sport. I realize the participants are trained professionals that must stay in control to prevent permanently injuring their opponent. However, perception is reality. The sponsored fighter's nickname is "The Terror", which when printed on his shirt and flanked with "Buy Guns, Sell Guns" may form mental associations that do not help our cause. It's not about 'anonymity' or 'staying invisible' either. It about when we as a community of shooters do receive attention it would preferably be in a venue that doesn't seek to promote itself with the sensationalization of violence. I reference a partial list of UFC fighter nicknames:

Arlovski, Andrei "The Pitbull"
Barnett, Josh "The Baby Faced Assassin"
Baroni, Phil "New York Bad butt"
Beneteau, David "Dangerous"
Brennan, Chris "The Westside Strangler"
Burnett, Mike "The East Side Assassin"
Charles, Joe "The Ghetto Man"
Clark, Laverne "Fists of Fury"
Cook, Bob "Crazy"
Ferrozzo, Scott "The Pitbull"
Frazier, Zane "Nasty"
Frye, Don "The Predator"
Fryklund, Tony "The Freak"
Hackney, Keith "The Giant Killer"
Johnston, Brian "The Fury"
Light, Zach "The Lisbon Outlaw"
Macias, Anthony "Mad Dog"
Maturi, Francesco "Fang"
Moncayo, Rudyard "The Pitbull"
Moreira, Joe "The Gorilla"
Moskowitz, Harry "Dirty"
Nilsson, Jack "The Ripper"
Pulver, Jens "Little Evil"
Radach, Benji "The Razor"
Randleman, Kevin "The Monster"
Remedios, Leigh "The British Brawler"
Serra, Matt "The Terror"
Severn, Dan "The Beast"
Telligman, Tra "Trauma"
Vaulin, Yuri "The Mauler"

[sore shoulder]

Well, the fact is, I'm a male warrior, and I like those names, and I'm tired of hiding my nature in order not to offend the sensibilities of people who would have been scalped or eaten while my ancestors were crossing the continent in covered wagons to settle this great country. It's a slow death to my heritage and culture, and if it's going to die, might as well die proud, not with tail tucked. If some cry baby with wet panties doesn't like it, I'm done caring.

[Texican]

And they will use that against you in the court of public opinion. I'm not saying it's fair, but 'fair' only exists for children.

If you make yourself a target prepare to be shot at; I simply suggest the use of strategy.

[sore shoulder]

And they will use that against you in the court of public opinion. I'm not saying it's fair, but 'fair' only exists for children.

If you make yourself a target prepare to be shot at; I simply suggest the use of strategy.

I guess that only matters if your afraid of it. My ancestors braved far worse in the name of Liberty. I am a Wallace on my mothers side.

The enemy is emboldened when we hide. I refuse to leave that example for my children.

Any consequence I have to bear will be far less painfull than the guilt and shame born by those who stood by and said or did nothing in the name of compromise and strategy.

My strategy is call a spade a spade. It worked for our Founding Fathers, see my sig. Hiding our warrior spirit leads to weakness and failure, that is a historical fact.

This is all really laughable anyway, the type of people who watch those fights are not going to be incensed by a gunbroker advertisement.

[Texican]

I won't argue pedigree, or belabor you with mine. Suffice to say, all the (re)gains we have made in the 2A community over the last couple of decades have been through the use of strategy and by learning to play the game better than those who wrote the rules. Can you possibly imagine the SCOTUS taking on the DC case 15 years ago? Why talk of going down fighting when we are advancing? Steal the opponents' arguments and you deny them the ability to fight*. That does not deny our true character, it reinforces it.

From The Book of Five Rings, 1645:

"When you have attained the way of strategy there will not be one thing that you cannot understand". - Miyamoto Musashi

"It is said the warrior’s is the twofold way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both ways". - Miyamoto Musashi

From the Art of War, 500BC

"Thus those skilled in war subdue the enemy's army without battle .... They conquer by strategy." Sun Tzu

*From the Lexicon of Texican, 2008
"When someone asks me, "Aren't you one of those Pro-gun types?!" I answer, "No. I'm Pro-Rights, aren't you?"" (with thanks to Alan Korwin)