"Once you go black, you never go back..."
Posted on 03/29/2007 9:34:23 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
“I’m an idiot. I’m ignorant. My words obviously have come back to destroy my career.”
Thus was the observation of outdoor legend Jim Zumbo, who told Gun Week in an exclusive interview that he harbors no ill feelings toward the legions of angry gunowners whose backlash has possibly cost him his livelihood, and perhaps his reputation.
“I did it to myself,” he said. “I have nobody to blame.”
But in a candid conversation from his home in Wyoming, Zumbo said that the most important lesson he learned—and that he hopes will translate into action in defense of the Second Amendment in this country—is that “When the gun community acts and decides to take on an issue, this is proof positive they can make it work. I am proud of them.”
Stunning words from a man whose 42-year career came to a crashing halt within days of his ill-advised remarks against AR-15 rifles on an Outdoor Life Internet blog. Zumbo said his assignment was to write three of those columns each week, and on Feb. 16 when he came back from a long, grueling coyote hunt and had a spirited discussion about semi-auto rifles with the guide, he sat down and wondered, “What can I write for these guys? What the hell is controversial?”
He found out the hard way.
“They got me,” he said. “I used the word ‘ban’ which I should never have used, and I used the word ‘terrorist’ which I should never have used.”
He has publicly apologized on Ted Nugent’s Internet forum, and he offered the same apology to Gun Week and its readers. The experience has humbled him.
But the disaster to his career has not made Zumbo want to run and hide, though many of his critics say he should. Instead, Zumbo is going to use this experience to become what he hopes will be the worst nightmare that gun-grabbing politicians and gun control activists could imagine.
“I want to join the fight, do whatever it takes,” he said in earnest. “Let’s educate the other dumb people like me who didn’t know about AR-15s. I will lead that charge.
“I’m stupid,” he added, admitting that he has never had what some people might call a “fascination” with firearms. “From my ignorance, let’s enlighten everyone else.”
Zumbo said he could have retired a year ago, and he could do likewise today, but in his heart, he feels a responsibility to square himself, and use his energies to unite the hunting and shooting fraternities, which do not always see eye-to-eye, even in this controversy.
“I want to come out of this and make our gun and hunting community a better place, a more understanding place,” he said. “Within our community, some hunters don’t understand shooters, and some shooters don’t understand hunters…I have got to fix this.”
Does Zumbo understand that even if AR-15s weren't used for hunting they should still be legal, and that the 2A isn't about hunting? Hope so.
Not all shooters are hunters, but all hunters are shooters. Therefore all are shooters.
And yes, I'm including bowhunters, as archery is a shooting sport. Don't think for a minute that a total gun ban wouldn't eventually extend to bows.
It's been a few weeks Zumbo. Have you done anything yet besides hang out with Nugent? Only thing I've seen you do is send money to gun rights groups. Yet your words have been read into the congressional record with narry a peep from you that I am aware of.
If you want to lead the charge don't just stand there and send money, do something.
Zumbo should know that no less than Bill Clinton credited NRA with making the difference over Algore. And the gun owning community also put the whammy on S&W for a decade. How'd he miss that ?
My guess is that he was one of those writers who knew what he liked and liked what he knew.
Very odd, most "gun folk" I know read extensively even about firearms they will never own or shoot.
Given the chance I believe Zumbo will do right. We need allies and he has rejoined the fold. It took a while but Zumbo has made a pledge so now lets see if he honors it.
Jim Zumbo is more dangerous than Sarah Brady until he translates his words into real actions.
Remember, our greatest enemies are within our midst.
I think his contrition is admirable.
I won't call him Dumbo again until he messes up again. Then it's Dumbo, forever. ;)
He needs to clearly state that he understands the 2nd amendment has nothing to do with hunting game. Until then, I'm not sure that he does.
You could be right. S&W got its head right after a decade in the wilderness.
I hope he becomes a fierce opponent of the gun grabbers. He has the journalistic ability to do so.
He also has a following of people that are inclined to listen to him.
He could end up being a hero..and what is a hero sometimes but a flawed person??
True, but they still own firearms and shoot them, even if they don't go out of their way to do so. They're shooters, but they're just not "into it" like others.
Sadly, In my experience, most "gun folk" are somewhat parochial and limited in their view of firearms. Hunters know hunting - clay pigeon types know their thing - pistol guys likewise.
The danger to this is that ambivalence towards other shooting disciplines makes easier pickings for the incremental gun control crowd.
Zumbo, the written word is like pulling the trigger. You cannot recall a bullet or the words.
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