[Russ]

What Zumbo said was stupid and wrong but it amazes me how vicious we on the right become when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second. We attack like a pack of jackels and that person is, from that point on, dead to us. Zumbo isn't the only one this has happened to, just the latest.

[flashbunny]

The brady bunch used his comments as fodder almost the next day.

There was no apology until his meal ticket was in trouble.

When he apologized, it was less than half hearted. It was barely quarter hearted.

Too bad for zumbo.

[WorkingClassFilth]

...it amazes me how vicious we on the right become when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second.

Shut up! Go to hell! You are a traitor and your tongue should be cut out!

Aren't you glad that the 1st Amendment is understood here on FR and people are zealous in it's defense? Maybe the clarity of 2A defenders is justified...

[Thumper1960]

For someone who had such a long association with firearms and who has had the ability to write clearly and with passion to associate 'scarey looking firearms' with select fire automatic weapons used by terrorists and infer the term terrorist when writing of American hunters, I expect no failings.

Period.

In the world we live in, today, I demand of others the same attention to principle I adhere to. He may have been tired when he wrote what he did. That is no excuse. That his fatigue would allow his subconscious to put into words what he had in his head reveals much of the man. There was/is a grain of himself in the blog despite his furious backpedaling.

If he's truly appalled at what he wrote, he can make amends. His trip back into the fold will be long and arduous. As well it should be. If he's unwilling to make the trip, that will be telling, as well.

[Poison Pill]

"it amazes me how vicious we on the right become when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second."

We've seen what being "reasonable" gets you.

When the anti-smoking thing started up the smokers we're told "hey, all we want is a small part of the plane where you can't smoke". Oh gee, everybody thought that was reasonable. And it was. 15-20 years later entire cities have banned smoking and some states are looking to follow.

In a perfect world Zumbo's punishment would have been less than what he got. But the crap he spewed is what the banner live for and will use without mercy. And once the banners get going, reason goes right out the Fing window.

[tarheelswamprat]

What Zumbo said was stupid and wrong but it amazes me how vicious we on the right become when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second. We attack like a pack of jackels and that person is, from that point on, dead to us. Zumbo isn't the only one this has happened to, just the latest.

With respect, Russ, that is absolute nonsense.

Zumbo didn't just "step off the reservation for even one split second" and then try to get back on. He arrogantly proclaimed that HE was in charge of the reservation and told a huge segment of the law-abiding gun owners of America that they were the ones who didn't know where they were nor what they were talking about. His so-called apology did not in any way address this issue. Worse than that, he stupidly gave enormous "aid and comfort" to the mortal enemies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

[OldSmaj]

...when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second.

He didn't just "step off the reservation".

He committed a treasonous act, exacerbated by the the fact that he is was a well-known and respected firearms and hunting expert.

Emphasis on firearms.

He was a spokesperson for many manufacturers intimately associated with 2d Amendment issues.

His words will provide fodder for the Brady Bunch for a long time, his "apology" notwithstanding.

He deserved what he got.

[Shooter 2.5]

For a split second? I beg to differ. This division has been going on since the early clinton days. The fuds have been voting dem party while thinking no one would dare take their guns. That's been changed since the dems just took the congress and the senate. Now the anti's are going after .22's and shotguns along with semiautomatics.

If he had apologized with a true meaning it might have meant something. He still thinks as long as a gun is used for hunting somehow it will be safe from confiscation. He's wrong. The anti's are going for ALL OF THEM and this individual is helping.

The strange thing is firearms will be needed for self defense long after the last hunting reserve is paved over.

[TXnMA]

This is Free Republic. It's called, "conservative activism".

Try it sometime...

[driftdiver]

"What Zumbo said was stupid and wrong but it amazes me how vicious we on the right become when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second."

If he hadn't used the word terrorist it might be different. I for one am very offended when anyone compares me to a terrorist. Doesn't matter if they are doing it because I'm Christian or because I own an "assault" weapon.

[ME-262]

"What Zumbo said was stupid and wrong but it amazes me how vicious we on the right become..."

Last time I checked STUPID and WRONG were not qualities we on the right looked for in our leaders. As a business owner STUPID and WRONG is not even something I look for in my least critical employee. If we were to gladly put up with leadership types and talking heads who were prone to be STUPID and WRONG how would we be able to tell ourselves from the democrats?

Although I never knew this Zumbo, I'm glad we live in a free market society where nobody has the right to piss on his customers with impunity.
Quite frankly I believe that not only does Mr. Zumbo not understand the original intent of our second amendment but he also arrogantly fails to grasp what hunting originally was. A desperate attempt to feed one's self and family by capturing and/or killing unowned wildlife in the most expeditious way possible.
If a hungry Daniel Boone, or Kit Carson had been given an "assault rifle" I guarantee you they'd have pitched their flintlock in a heartbeat and hunted with the best firepower they could bring to bear on those tasty animals. Leave it to some latter-day windbag to pompously declare that hunting is only hunting when done per his preferred tradition.

[therut]

NOT ALL GUNOWNERS ARE ON THE RIGHT. Something people need to understand. Do not let the media propaganda educate you. Many gun owners are Democrats. Many. 80% of gun owners do not hunt.

[supercat]

What Zumbo said was stupid and wrong but it amazes me how vicious we on the right become when someone steps off the reservation for even one split second. We attack like a pack of jackels and that person is, from that point on, dead to us. Zumbo isn't the only one this has happened to, just the latest.

I do believe there is value in forgiveness, but forgiveness to have real value it must be earned. Zumbo's apology was much better than the normal "apology" given after such faux pas, but a mere apology is not sufficient for such a grave misstep as Zumbo's. I would suggest that a good start on the road to reconciliation would be for Mr. Zumbo to publicly repudiate HCI et al. for putting out such propaganda and then using the fact that he fell for it as evidence of its truthfulness. The simple fact of the matter is that the AWB (and nearly all "gun control" is predicated on a pack of lies, and someone needs to call HCI to task on that. Zumbo right now would actually be in a good position to do precisely that.