Jim Zumbo speaks.

tednugent.com ^ | 02-22-2007 | Jim Zumbo

[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

[stevio]

I reject any link to alcohol if it's not already his opinion. It would be like me or any other number of people here that would say that just because they were "liquored up".

[Chronic]

Yeah i feel bad about it all too.
I take the lessons from the smoking industry.
They just wanted accomodation and some areas to have not smoking.
Once they got a little bit of accomodation they wanted to erradicate it entirely.
The lesson, to me is to never yield or give an inch. Make them take it from us.
Regardless of how tempting or wavering the thoughts. Must stand firm on and about the 2nd Amendment.
I feel for you JimZumbo
Take Care...

[ExSoldier]

It is very sad to see. Personally, I would accept his apology. His statements were on a blog and perhaps he really didn't think clearly think through what he wrote. Even good people say stupid things on occasion.

I'm of a mind to agree. Everybody sometimes suffers from the foot in mouth syndrome. His original comments seemed to stem from the appropriateness of the AR family as potential hunting rifles, but he did also call them terrorist weapons. That's what blew his foot off on full auto. Actually the 223 is rarely allowed for deer sized game. But it is quite often used on varmints. My Mini-14 came with a five rd hunting mag but then it's really old and didn't have the plastic on board.

I think he's on the right track, especially with Ted Nugent to guide him. But what he really needs to do, IMHO is to completely separate the whole HUNTING issue from the Second Amendment as the Amendment's whole "purpose." Hunting would be covered as a sub-item to the 2nd and not the primary purpose.

[from occupied ga]

But, he quickly added, "I understand the Second Amendment" and, regarding owning guns for hunting or collections, Giuliani believes "there is a right to do that." [Which demonstrates that he DOES NOT understand the Second Amendment at all. -spiff]

Or he understands it all too well, and wan't to re-interpret it to way that more suits his tyrannical ways.

[Redcloak]

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.

No, he doesn't get it; however, my tagline not withstanding, we do have to address the issue of guns-as-sporting-goods. "Sporting purposes", no matter how irrelevant to the 2nd Amendment's original intent, is part of today's political paradigm. We need to change that paradigm. Educating the ignorant, as happened to Zumbo, is part of that. Black guns do have uses other than the militia duty mentioned in the 2nd Amendment. They are all used for sport shooting of one kind or another. Zumbo says that he sees that now. But we still have to get Zumbo and those like him to take that next step: To see that sport shooting is merely a pleasant fringe benefit of owning arms as a member of the unorganized militia or for self-defense, not the primary benefit.

[tpaine]

Pistolshot wrote:

"-- for those of you with the 'nukes should be legal', the definition of the militia is what was carried by the infantry and naval personnel.

This doesn't mean tanks, AA missles, or the like.....it means what you can carry and feed.

Please stop feeding the anti-gun trolls with the banter they look for to use against us.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Anti-gun trolls ~are~ using the 'militia clause' of the 2nd as the basis for prohibitions on any arms they view as evil.
Read this thread to see many self described FR 'conservatives' who agree with the zumbo/ATF position on our right to own "assault weapons" [including tanks] :


ATF Commerce in Firearms PDF Report (The War on the 2nd Amendment in the ATF's Own Words)
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1781712/posts

[Atlas Sneezed]

Jim Zumbo's REAL Apology
(hypothetical, but Jim, this is $50k worth of consultant wisdom.)

If my dog digs up my neighbor's flowerbeds, I apologize. But if expect my neighbor to accept my apology, I have to do two more things: I have to take action to fix the underlying problem (maybe a broken fence), and I have to correct the damage I caused (putting in new flowers).

Everyone knows I regret writing with such hostility toward military style rifles. I apologized for that. Twice. But I my apologies failed because they didn't address my underlying problem, or correct the damage I caused.

Yes, I said "my problem." I learned that I have a problem. A black hole of ignorance that needed correction. So I took the advice of a friend, and spoke to Aaron Zelman, founder and President of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. Which seemed like an odd combination until Aaron shared some history with me.

You see, even being an acclaimed firearms "expert" for decades didn't make me an expert in history, the Constitution, and the reason why our patriotic founders gave us a Second Amendment (to affirm our God-given right as free people to secure our freedom against all possible threats, including our own government.)

And sadly, I don't think I was alone, because there are millions of hunters out there who don't vote, or vote for candidates who would destroy the one right that secures liberty for us and for all generations through the ages.

It's not about hunting. Sure back in colonial times, nearly everybody hunted. They had to. But the Bill of Rights didn't protect the right to keep and bear arms for hunting. No, it protected it because it was "necessary to the security of a free State." Freedom. Not recreation, bonding, even putting food on the table. Freedom.

So it really doesn't matter whether an AK-47 knock-off has a "sporting purpose," or is appropriate for hunting. That is the wrong question (which is why my apologizing for getting the wrong answer was so meaningless to those who understand gun rights.) The real question is whether a particular "arm" is useful for defending freedom.

That's what I learned the Supreme Court ruled back in the "Miller case" in the 1930s. (You know, it's funny but sad that the only "Miller case" most hunters know about has a dozen golden cans inside - but I'm going to help change that.) The Miller ruling said that guns could not be banned or heavily taxed if they had some military usefulness.

Do you realize what this means? It means that even machine guns and flamethrowers, even grenades should not be restricted. Of course, they are, but now I'm going to help fight that. But the point is that these things having nothing to do with hunting either (and I don't suggest using a flame thrower on your next duck-hunting trip.)

So now I get it. But I don't think enough other hunters do. And some hunters might even think I was a nut for associating with the machine-gun guys (who happen to be among the most prosperous, successful, law-abiding segment of our society). But I'd rather be unpopular than wrong (I was wrong for far too many years while I was popular to care any more.)

So I have "fixed the fence." I have cured my ignorance.

Now, I need to correct the damage. It turns out that there are anti-gun (anti-hunting, anti-liberty, anti-rights) organizations out there who are using MY WORDS to try to take away YOUR RIGHTS! When I learned that, I was heartbroken, feeling like a traitor to the nation I love. I could not walk away from that damage, so I will do all I can to fight for your gun rights.

So, I will be offering at no charge to write articles and columns for any gun magazine who will print my words on what hunters need to learn about our right to keep and bear arms. I will speak out at schools and clubs on why the second amendment matters far more than tagging a big buck.

I will work with the leaders for gun rights (JPFO, GOA, NRA, and many state organizations) on their political efforts to restore our gun rights.

And I will educate myself as a citizen about the other Constitutional rights we enjoy, so that I can be vigilant on all fronts.

So this is not the end, this is the beginning of a new chapter for me.

And I guess when it comes down to it, what I have just written isn't even an apology, because I have simply told you what I have done, how I have changed, and what I am going to do. You can forgive me if you wish, but I don't need your forgiveness.

What I need is your help. Help with a hunt far more important than any I have ever attempted. A hunt to restore and protect our liberties.

--Jim Zumbo

[holymoly]

He has done more damage to the RKBA than the Brady Campaign has done in the last 5 years.

I have nothing to say to this person.

To be perfectly blunt, I wouldn't pi$$ on him, if he were standing next to me in flames.

[fish hawk]

Jack Daniels is too good for this guy!

[Inyo-Mono]

I have not been hunting in years, I now just punch paper with Old West style firearms Cowboy Action style. My "newest" firearm is an old double barrel shotgun made in 1912 yet I know that:

[philman_36]

Yeah, I read his no apology, apology earlier. Running to Nugent for succor...what a dweeb!
Soundly thrashed, and that right quick.
(there is a lesson to be learned here for the gun grabbers and politicians, but they'll probably fail to learn it)

[brazzaville]

Good afternoon.
"It's about the right to keep and bear arms."

It goes beyond the RKBA. The 2nd Amendment is about self determination and the ability to protect it from all threats. It goes beyond the BOR and Constitution.

Michael Frazier

[04-Bravo]

I followed the Zumbo story over the internet this past weekend, and I don't feel sorry for him at all. I believe he meant every word of his original "terrorist rifle" blog, and his follow-up attempt at an apology was an even bigger insult.

I own a 1903 Springfield and two M-1 Garands, and I appreciate traditional rifles made of wood and steel. But I also own and frequently shoot an AR-15. Zumbo labeled them "terrorist rifles" and said AR-15's should be banned from public land. Within hours, Zumbo's comments had been linked to a Brady Campaign website, as proof that even hunters don't like "assault rifles."

I will never forgive Zumbo or accept an apology. I hope he loses all of his sponsors, and never again is able to get a job within the firearms industry.

His promise to shoot AR-15's with Ted Nugent is nothing more than a self-serving publicity stunt.

[jmc813]

I'm not a hunter, and I never heard of this guy until his VERY ill-informed article the other day, but reading this makes me somewhat sad.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I dont like black guns....I have no intention of ever owning one....if I wanted a full auto submachine gun I would look for a Thompson......"

Great Caesar's Ghost!!! Haven't you "Elmer Fudd" types learned YET that the firearms in question are NOT, NOT, NOT, "full auto submachine guns". The ONLY difference between these guns and a lot of good old wooden-stock semi-auto hunting rifles is COSMETIC!!!!! Functionally, they are IDENTICAL.

And yes, I'M YELLING--because this kind of clueless is simply unforgivable.

[holymoly]

I dont like black guns....I have no intention of ever owning one....if I wanted a full auto submachine gun I would look for a Thompson......

I'm sure someone has already pointed this out, but the firearms in being discussed are not full-auto.

The "civilian" AR-15, WASR-10 (AK-47 look-alike), etc. are semi-auto only, just like your Garand and M1 Carbine.

[Dead Corpse]

Once you've got Black Rifle disease:

You are hooked for life.

I like my wheel guns, lever actions, and breech loaders just as much as the next guy. Some times, you just need a little Rock and Roll...

[Dead Corpse]

Personal preference. Some people stick to what they know. Others, want the latest and greatest.

I'm a "right tool for the job" kinda guy.

[Texas Songwriter]

Zumbo recedes like a Ghost in the Darkness.

[kerryusama04]

I was totally unaware that they were being used for legitimate hunting purposes.

How someone can be in the industry for so long and have this thought is amazing.