Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/08

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Subject: Re: Leica list, not gun list
From: Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 1997 16:59:42 -0800

At 11:51 AM 3/8/97 +0000, you wrote:
>
>May I have your attention please. 
>
>...you may argue endlessly the merits of various devices for 
>making people more porous, animals less ambulatory, 
>buildings go boom, and other assorted implements of mass destruction. 
>
>Thank you very much.
>
>Peter Jon White
>
>
I agree that this is a LEICA list and should be kept just that! But I have
to answer what appears to be a really ignorant statement.

There are as many (I'm sure more) people who love, cherish, talk about,
use, etc. firearms in exactly the same way we love, cherish, talk about,
and use Leicas. You cannot have a "My passion is better than yours"
attitude. If you do, you just do not understand what it is all about!

Your immediate disparagement of the firearm by blurting out "making people
more porous, animals less ambulatory, 
buildings go boom, and other assorted implements of mass destruction" tells
me that YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. It's about passion.
It's about understanding. It's about giving and receiving (sharing). It
makes absolutely no difference what the implement is. Camera, Automobile,
Firearm, Fine Pen, Clock, whatever!

Your single minded idea that the use of firearms causes damage is no
different than the notion "all camera are used in paparazzi(sp) attacks,
all automobile owners drive recklessly and kill other people, all Fine Pen
owners write death threats." Absolutely preposterous. For your information,
the automobile is the single most deadly apparatus that we, humans, own and
use. And what about drugs? Firearms are WAY DOWN ON THE LIST of "stuff that
is used to cause death and destruction."

I happen to have a deep passion for Cameras (Leica and Linhof), Automobiles
(BMW), Pens (Montblanc), Firearms (Winchester, Browning, S&W, and Colt.) I
own 18 firearms. I'm 59 now, my first shot was fired at 18 months. I am a
vegetarian and do not shoot animals or people. Threaten my family and I'll
make an exception. Ever hear of target shooting? One of the largest
"passions" in America. I own tons of Leica-R and Linhof 4x5 equipment. I
own five BMW's. And I own a gaggle of Montblanc pens. I must be really
really mean!

And you must really lead a dull life!

Get some passion. Get some understanding. Trip the shutter. Squeeze the
trigger. Open your eyes. Open your mind. Open your heart.

Jim