Comments on: Guns and Race in Iowa

By: SithSnoopy

SithSnoopy — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:32:23 +0000

Dude, I’m very happy that you had nothing but good experiences at the gun stores and the ranges. That is awesome.

I wish the news reported this… somehow reported how people of all colors/cultures/races/religions/political-views/sexual-orientations were getting along in such-and-such a place, regardless if they disagreed over culture/religion/political-views/sexual-orientations. I get tired of hearing the exact opposite… sigh.

You CAN love someone who has a religion different from yours that you don’t believe is correct. And you CAN love a gay person even if you don’t believe the lifestyle is correct. And you CAN love a Democrat even if you are a Republican. Etc. And vice-versa, lol.

And if you’re gay, you CAN love a straight person who doesn’t believe homosexuality is correct, even though your straight friend is obviously horrifically “unenlightened”.

Tolerance doesn’t mean (or shouldn’t mean) that you have to agree with each other… just that you can disagree peaceably.

Ooof, where’d that soapbox come from?

Anyway, Dude, I’m glad no-one was a jerk to you. I wouldn’t want to have to come out there and beat anybody over the head with a limp noodle.

Don’t laugh — my dogs live in fear of that limp noodle threat.

By: StrandedInIowa

StrandedInIowa — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:54:10 +0000

I too have found this site by way of SayUncle.

Welcome to Iowa. I have found Iowans to generally be quite open about race and care more about character of one’s heart. We are “generally” quite stupid about a many other things.

You can now enjoy the diatribe that spews forth from Sen. Harkin and the irrelevent blather from Sen. Grassley, and shake your head wondering how either one gets re-elected.

By: Mad Saint Jack

Mad Saint Jack — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:18:44 +0000

Did any of these friends ever voice concern over wearing the wrong “color” in the wrong “turf” while in Chicago?

On a side note D L Hughley went to Texas to shoot guns for his short lived CNN show.

Looks like he had a good time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvkZxkqxmJs&feature=channel_page

By: Ride Fast

Ride Fast — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Found this post by way of SayUncle.

Glad to hear of your positive experiences. It would be interesting (to me, anyway) to read your thoughts on where this misbegotten belief comes from.

Related – I recently participated as an instructor in a “Fun Shoot” the local NRA Members’ Council put on for new shooters. I was really surprised at all the comments from the new shooters about how “we” (gunnys) were all so nice.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:59:53 +0000

Heck yeah! Thank you for giving this great write-up. Being a basic, white, American mutt (LOL!), I have not seen (much less participated) in racism at the range or gun store. It’s great to hear about your completely positive experiences, given your perspective. It’s also great to hear that you and your fiancé go shooting together. My wife and I go all the time, and that time together is quite special. As you get closer and continue shooting together, you will hear stories of jealously from some whose significant others do not shoot with them. You are absolutely right about the gun crowd being quite an upstanding bunch. I’ve found a higher concentration of quality individuals in our sport than in any other walk in life. Keep up the good work and be safe!

By: DirtCrashr

DirtCrashr — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:02:43 +0000

Any person who thinks that a gun owner will simply open fire on people at the range, really and seriously has not even begun to think things through.
Congrats on finding a good shooting spot and help getting your finacee to take a chance with the AR – my wife complains mainly about the weight of some of my guns (like the Garand) and actually enjoyed holding my AR.
I wish our gun-laws in California were less class-driven and onerous, Iowa certainly has a lot to recommend it especially with Brownells being there!

By: Lynda

Lynda — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:50:38 +0000

Thanks for the “Guns and Race in Iowa” post. This was what “integration” was supposed to be all about–people of different races and ethnic backgrounds interacting and discovering that we are, indeed, pretty much alike in our needs and wants and that friendships can cross every “boundary” and “obstacle” our minds place in front of us. Education on race in America has been mostly about what was done by one race to another, rather than on what together we can do for each other and our country. Caucasians are not racist every day, in every aspect of life, or to every person any more than Blacks are fearful and suspicious in each of these respects.

A lot of misunderstanding has gone on regarding true feelings about race not because Caucasians are “cowards” but because of the desire not to offend and thus race does not get discussed at all. If a person is concerned about offending another, then oftentimes that person bends over backwards to show they are not racist and that can be awkward, too. Showing kindness, compassion, empathy (perhaps this above all), care and concern results in benefits for the giver as well as the recipient. The best rule still is: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It has stood me in good stead over my 67 years in everything I’ve seen, done and experienced.

By: Rio Arriba

Rio Arriba — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:27:33 +0000

I’m glad that your experience so far has been a positive and pleasant one. Have to say, though, I am not surprised. I would have been surprised if it had been different.