Posted on 02/22/2007 10:29:46 AM PST by bad company
The last few days have been an educational experience, to say the least. My ill-conceived inflammatory blog, as all of you now know, set off a firestorm that, I’m told, has never before been equaled. I’m not proud of that.
Let me say this at the outset. My words here are from the heart, and all mine. No one can censor me, and I answer to no one but myself. And I have no one to blame but myself. Outdoor Life, a magazine that I worked for full-time as Hunting Editor for almost 30 years, fired me yesterday. My TV show was cancelled yesterday. Many of my sponsors have issued statements on their website to sever all relationships. This may cause many of you to do backflips and dance in the streets, but, of course, I’m not laughing, nor am I looking for sympathy. I don’t want a pity party.
They say hindsight is golden. Looking back, I can’t believe I said the words “ban” and “terrorist” in the context that I did. I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote that. I can explain this as sheer ignorance and an irresponsible use of words. What I’ve learned over the last few days has enlightened and amazed me. As a guy who hunts 200 days a year, does seminars on hunting, wrote for six hunting magazines, had a hunting TV show, and wrote 20 books on hunting, how could I have been so ignorant and out of touch with reality in the world of hunting and shooting?
But I was. I really can’t explain it, maybe because I just summarily dismissed the firearms in question in my mind when I saw them in magazines and catalogs. I saw one “black” firearm in a hunting camp in all my 50 years of hunting, and I shot one last year off a boat when fishing in Alaska. To tell the truth, it was fun and I enjoyed it immensely, but I never considered one for use in hunting. I have to tell you that I have had a revelation. I’m learning that many of my pals own AR-15’s and similar firearms and indeed use them for hunting. I was totally unaware that they were being used for legitimate hunting purposes. That is the absolute truth.
My biggest regret is not the financial impact of all this. I’m almost 67 and retirement is an option. The dreadful impact here is that I inadvertently struck a spear into the hearts of the people I love most…America’s gun owners. And, even though this huge cadre of dedicated people have succeeded in stripping me of my career, I hold no grudges. I will continue to stand as firm on pro hunting as I’ve ever done. But what’s different now is that I’ll do all I can to educate others who are, or were, as ignorant as I was about “black” rifles and the controversy that surrounds them. My promise to you is that I’ll learn all I can about these firearms, and by the time this week is out, I’ll order one. The NUGE has invited me to hunt with him using AR-15’s, and I’m eager to go, and learn. I’ll do all I can to spread the word.
I understand that many of you will not accept this apology, believing that the damage has been done and there’s no way to repair it. You have that right. But let me say this. I mentioned this above, and I’ll repeat it. I’m willing to seize this opportunity to educate hunters and shooters who shared my ignorance. If you’re willing to allow me to do that, we can indeed, in my mind, form a stronger bond within our ranks. Maybe in a roundabout way we can bring something good out of this.
Jim Zumbo
Penthouse to outhouse in three days. Just damn.
too bad, zumbo. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.
"I’m learning that many of my pals own AR-15’s and similar firearms and indeed use them for hunting. I was totally unaware that they were being used for legitimate hunting purposes. That is the absolute truth."
He still doesn't get it.
The Second Amendment isn't about legitimate hunting purposes.
It's about the right to keep and bear arms.
for your ping list
His stupidity, arrogance, hubris, and ignorance is going to cost us all.
Being a gun writer, even mostly about hunting, missing the growing popularity of AR based rifles is sort of like writing an article "Hey! There's a new polymer pistol from Austria!" in 2006.
Exactly what did he say?
Does anyone have a link to the story that started all this?
Nobody is to blame but zumbo himself. He still managed to slip a couple of instances of self-pity into his apology. Nobody is "turning backflips", we're just shocked at seeing one of our self-appointed "gurus" stab us gun owners in the back.
He wrote (while pimping a new Remington .17 cartridge) that AR's (and "black guns" in general) were "terrorist" guns and had no place in hunting, even calling for state legislatures and fish and game departments to ban them from hunting.
He deserves all the scorn he's getting.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1786994/posts
The origional blog has been taken down.
Who says a PC can't kill?
"Exactly what did he say?"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1786994/posts
Well, I'm no hunter and even I think that is a ridiculous and foolish assertion. Open mouth insert barrel... (career wise).
BTTT
Ain't going' there, Homie! :)
Dead on, partner. That is the exact point that needs to be broadcasted.
And he adds this to the so-called apology too. He just helped make our fight that much harder and "he" holds no grudges.
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