Paintballers have stand off with Police SWAT in Coconut Creek, FL.

Florida Shooters Network ^ | 1/5/03 | Ryan

[Automagfreek]

Alright, let me say a few things here. I have been playing paintball for about 6 years, and I can honestly say, my life has improved greatly since starting. I've never been this physically fit, I've never felt better about myself, and I've never had more fun. Paintball is a great sport, because it incorporates the following: team work, decision making, self confidence, sportsmanship, leadership, friendship, and the list goes on. I've met people from other continents due to paintball. I've made lots of new friends, and have benefited greatly from all the things paintball has to offer. Paintballers are very cautious, we all enforce safety rules to the T. We all wear full face and head protection, and the lenses are made of polycarbonate, a bullet-proof plastic. Padding can be worn to increase safetey, but I personally wear almost none, because paintball hits generally don't hurt for more than a few seconds. The games are observed by referees, who enforce the safetey rules, such as making sure people don't lift their goggles until they are in a safe area. Take a guess as to how many serious injuries have resulted because of paintball? Guess how many deaths? None. You are safer playing paintball than playing almost any other sport. Insurance company stats have proven that more injuries take place on a bowling alley than on a paintball field. Don't believe me? Come out to an organized field, and see first hand.

To all you people who think paintball is evil, you obviously have never tried it. If 12 year old girls can play at the field I head-ref at, then trust me, you can too. I guaranty that if you try it once, you will be hooked. The sheer adrenaline rush puts any other sport to shame, and you will have more fun playing paintball than doing almost anything else. In the 6 years I've been playing, I've NEVER had nor seen, any major injury. The most I've seen is a welt, whoopidy doo, goes away in a couple days. Also, paintballers don't call our "guns" guns, we call them "markers". Guns mame, kill, and destroy, makers don't. Markers put a paintball (which isn't even made out of paint, it's made out of vegetable oil) on your opponent, and eliminate him for the duration of the game, no killing involved. Where else can you "shoot" your best friend, then laugh about it with him 10 minutes later in the staging area? Honestly, don't be so quick to judge something that you've never even tried. Frankly, it's just not fair. Paintballers in general are good, friendly people. Granted, there are those "renegade" punks who shoot up STOP signs, making us responsible players look like hooligans. By the way, where I play, we have SWAT and Sherrifs regularly. It helps their training too.

Paintball also violates no known laws, because frankly, what are we doing that's illegal? Having fun? I know some of you will say that, "oh, your shooting at another human being!". First off, we are "tagging" or "marking" our opponents with non-leathal "markers". We are enjoying a great game in a safe and responsible setting, while being fully protected. I'll stop ranting, but seriously, before you pass judgment on us paintballers, give it a try first, then come back and talk to me.

[Smithy]

Don't send that jerrymdss s*** over here to Canada.