Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/10/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I too grew up hunting. We ate everything we killed or gave it to those who would enjoy. I never shot a mammal; just couldn't bring myself to do that, though most my peers moved on to deer hunting. I learned quite a bit from the experience, though no doubt the same lessons can be learned many ways. Love of nature, respect for life in so many ways, the responsibility of having power, patience, the beautiful intricacies of our earth, how to stare down a hog, and so on. It's what was done where I grew up and I was fortunate to have role models who showed such respect. If I'd grown up among cross country skiers, photographers, quarry workers or chefs I believe the same lessons would have been possible: it was just a cultural thing. One dream I may get to fulfill is to go for a day and photograph two setters/pointers working together in the pine forests to find quail together. It's amazing how they work; separately and as a team. Kind of Currier and Ives: http://www.philaprintshop.com/images/cur4717.jpg Bob Sent from my iPad > On Oct 18, 2013, at 8:51 PM, Sonny Carter <sonc.hegr at gmail.com> wrote: > > Jay, > Times have changed and so have I, but I've owned a Walther P38 (WWII) > and a Walther PPKS (James Bond's pistol). I rarely fired either of them, > almost always at our family farm. > > I did not own them for protection; I truly was fascinated by the mechanics. > > I traded one for the other, then sold the PPK when I needed to pay some > bills. > > I now own three firearms; a shotgun, a 22 rifle and a 22 pistol. I've not > seen any of them for several years, and the last time we used them was at > the range, (I think I posted those pix) > > ?I'm pretty ambivalent about the issue when it comes to small arms like I > own. I really don't understand, and get aggressive when the machine is > very automatic ?and has a clip with a multitude of bullets. I don't know > why anyone needs that, (surely not hunters). > > > On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 10:09 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at > gmail.com>wrote: > >> Larry, >> I disagree with you completely. My view is simple - any "civilized" >> human being who feels the need to own a gun (or any weapon of minor >> mass destruction) to show his/her macho credentials, and get his self >> respect into order, is not civilized but a barbarian. Fine >> instruments, indeed, what a cop out! A Leica is a far simpler way of >> reaching the same goal...(-: Taught to shoot at ten years, and you >> consider it "normal" - even if you are just busy exterminating animals >> instead of human beings - this is just unbelievable to the vast >> majority of humans on Earth. Those "military types" are far more >> trained and responsible, as well as safer for everyone than than the >> general public with cupboards full of guns, mostly unlicensed. >> >> Tina's photo is brilliant, and to a person like me who is not used to >> guns at all, except in the hands of the police/armed forces, is spine >> chilling in the extreme. >> >> I know you will come back at me with some slanging comments on India, >> as you normally do, but what India is does not change the reality of >> what the USA is. Remember that. >> >> Cheers >> Jayanand >> >>> On Sat, Oct 19, 2013 at 1:24 AM, <lrzeitlin at aol.com> wrote: >>> Don't over react to guns. They are common in rural America. There are far >>> more guns in the US than there are Leicas, Nikon, Canons, and all other >> fine >>> cameras combined. The gun culture is alive and well not only in the south >>> but in the North West, the mid-Atlantic states and in New England. The >> next >>> time you take a drive on a cross country highway stop in at a Cabella's >> or a >>> Bass Pro sporting goods store. You will see enough guns on display to >> arm a >>> regiment and enough ammunition to stock a medium sized rebellion. Schools >>> are even closed during deer hunting season in much of Pennsylvania. A >>> successful hunt is the key to a well fed holiday season. New York City >> even >>> hosted the Bannerman warehouse until it moved up the Hudson to Pollopel >>> Island. Bannerman and family were merchants who bought up most of the >>> military surplus from the Civil War, the Spanish-American war and WW I. >> Most >>> of the world's rebellions until the outbreak of WW 2 used Bannerman >> supplied >>> weapons. My father even had a Sears Roebuck sized catalog of Bannerman's >>> arms available for resale. >>> >>> When I was a boy the country was much less urban than it is now. In rural >>> communities gun ownership was accepted as a fact of life. Most families >>> owned at least two guns, a shotgun for hunting and a 22 cal. rifle for >> the >>> kids to plink around with. Most high schools had rifle teams, usually >>> subsidized by the Army. Indeed an armed population was considered the >> key to >>> national defense. What enemy would attack a country with a well armed >>> citizenry? The NRA, rather than being dedicated to supporting the Second >>> Amendment, was an advocate of teaching marksmanship in schools. >>> >>> I currently own three guns, a shotgun, a rifle, and a handgun. My >> favorite >>> is a Browning semi-automatic 22 rifle, also John Browning's favorite >> gun. It >>> is beautiful, a true work of art. I bought it on sight 40 years ago. I >>> lusted after that gun more than I ever lusted after a Leica camera. It >> has >>> appreciated in price more than twenty times the price I paid. >>> < >> http://www.basspro.com/Browning-SemiAuto-Grade-I-22-LR-Rifle/product/102 >>> 17873/> >>> >>> I was taught to shoot as a ten year old at a YMCA camp by a German doctor >>> who had served as in infantryman under the Kaiser during WW I. At one >> time I >>> was even capable of shooting a bullet through the center of a cigarette, >> end >>> on, at 50 ft. I shake too much now and my vision isn't what it used to >> be. >>> >>> The prevalence of arms has a low correlation with gun murder rates. >> Vermont >>> and New Hampshire are the U.S. states with the highest per capita gun >>> ownership, minimum regulatory requirements, and also the lowest rates of >> gun >>> homicides. What really disturbs me is traveling through Europe and the >>> Middle East and seeing all those young military types in airports and >>> wandering the streets with fully armed large magazine assault rifles >> slung >>> over their backs. How responsible are they? You guys who are appalled at >>> seeing weapons, think about that. >>> >>> Now about Tina's picture of a "Tea Party" family reunion. This may be a >>> minority opinion but I think it is a poorly composed, unsharp, snapshot >> of a >>> family at a dinner table with one person handing a gun to another. Just a >>> bad picture. Peter is right is stating that prudent gun handling >> practices >>> are being violated. The is no indication that it is a "Tea Party" >> meeting at >>> all. Even Tina's original title on her web site does not identify it as >>> such. This picture is far below Tina's usual standard and I suspect was >>> titled and posted only to evoke comment. And you can see. It did. >>> >>> Larry Z >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > -- > Regards, > > Sonny > http://sonc.com/look/ > Natchitoches, Louisiana > 1714 > Oldest Permanent Settlement in the Louisiana Purchase > > USA > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information