Target Shooters Father does not like military rifles

N

Noel

New member
Saw this
http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/0206shooter.shtml

Middleton Tompkins, meanwhile, is known as something of a maverick in the firearms community because he's willing to criticize the National Rifle Association.

Tompkins strongly defends Americans' right to own and use firearms. But he feels the NRA and the firearms industry "have done a disservice to shooters and maybe to the country."

"When the hunters and target shooters who'd controlled Middleton Tompkins, meanwhile, is known as something of a maverick in the firearms community because he's willing to criticize the National Rifle Association.

Tompkins strongly defends Americans' right to own and use firearms. But he feels the NRA and the firearms industry "have done a disservice to shooters and maybe to the country."

"When the hunters and target shooters who'd controlled (the NRA) for years got run out by some people who were obsessed with the Second Amendment thing, we got into trouble."

Tompkins is especially concerned over the import of millions of cheap military rifles.

"Those rifles are good for only two things: killing people and breaking rocks," he said. "Bringing those cheap rifles in hurt us badly. The NRA should have fought it and they didn't."

As a result, he said, "reasonable people who participate in the shooting sports and in hunting get lumped in with some fanatics."

Gallagher-Tompkins agreed.

"I think most people who own firearms are like us, and no danger to anyone."


HMMM?
 
Guess he hasn't heard about them dangerous sniper rifles people are crawling around with...

A gun is a gun is a gun... it's use can be good or evil

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Peace through superior firepower...
Keith

If the 2nd is antiquated, what will happen to the rest.
"the right to keep and bear arms."
 
So in one sentence he says we're fanatics and in another sentence he says we are just like him. I'm confused :confused:.

I'm sure he would be happy if everyone could afford those mega-buck 1000 yard special built "sniper" rifles that his family uses. Sheesh, I bet he hates handguns too.

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"Ray guns don't vaporize Zorbonians, Zorbonians vaporize Zorbonians" The Far Side
 
What a bunch of elitist boneheads. If I could afford one, I'd love to have one of their hi-falutin' rifles. Guess I'll have to console myself with one of those cheap military imports and go bust some rocks...

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"...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36
"An armed society is a polite society."
Robert Heinlein
 
It's that "mines better than yours" attitude that got us in some of the trouble the "gun culture" is in now. If you badmouth one or ban one you condem them all. We need to work for the good of all, not just "my special group."
 
This bonehead could be a poster boy for all of the anti groups. This just goes to show that we gun owners are not all of the same mindset. He reminds me of a POW who is brainwashed into denouncing his own country.
As far as I'm concerned, he (Middleton Tompkins) is nothing more than a gun-owning equivalent of an Uncle Tom.
DAL

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Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school.
GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA
 
Uh, wasn't his wife on the cover of American Rifleman. Didn't she win at Camp Perry a year ago. I seem to remember a picture of her with an M14.

And I thought shotgun guys were the only ones with this attitude.


Geoff Ross
 
M14?!!! Isn't that one of those evil military assault weapons? What possible use would an ordinary target shooter have for one of these rapid-fire denizens of death?!?

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"...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36
"An armed society is a polite society."
Robert Heinlein
 
Aw, that's ok; Ah don't like them 'spensive dang targit rifles with them big ol' ugly scopes on 'em. Who needs to shoot anything five hunnert' yards away, anyhow!

My God, what a moron! How do we go about getting someone THROWN OUT of the NRA?....without a refund, of course! :) - Dakotan
 
Anyone who dismisses my concerns as "the second amendment thing" can BITE ME. (to borrow a phrase) :mad:

It's not "that second amendment thing" you ungrateful twit, it is the Second Amendment to the Constitution of These United States. Say it with respect. It's the only reason you're allowed to play games with expensive rifles. No offense to serious target shooters but for a shooter to dismiss the Second Amendment is like a preacher putting down people who insist on free speech and religious freedom. I know you all know all this already but maybe it'll make me feel better.
 
I'll have to agree with Gwinny here. I read the article awhile ago and it made me feel strange.
Part of me liked it alot the other part of me wanted to shake these people around and tell them to get some sence!
Its as if the whole Constitution is a mear after thought these days not just the second amendment.
After all it was written so long ago when times were different... It means nothing in this day and age. The people who wrote it, supported it and died for it were stating truth's that are no longer neccisary because society now is to perfect to need their wisdom.
Yes times were different then. Yes we have some different problems now, and no maybe the authors to the Constitution never thought of sniper rifles, automatic guns, or the like when they wrote it.
There were only thinking of protecting us from an overbearing government!!!!
Take our automatic weapons, our large capacity clips, our RKBA and we have no strong defence against our government.
If the Constitution is irrelevent to todays people what is the bible still doing around?

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Freedom by its self is just a word. To have freedom we must protect our rights to be free.
 
Tank Girl,

I have found an additional come back to anti spew!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>If the Constitution is irrelevent to todays people what is the bible still doing around? [/quote]


Thank you!

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John/az

"The middle of the road between the extremes of good and evil, is evil. When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!
 
I think I heard that line about cheap military rifles before - from Winchester.

John/az2: Don't worry. Most of the anti-gun gangsters want to ban the Bible also. "Thou shalt not kill" interferes with their plans for concentration camps and gas chambers for their opposition.

Jim
 
Just a thought, but you might want to drop this fellow a diplomatic note. And, I do suggest a fair and decent letter, not a blast. The man is 62, I believe, and while we may not change his position, we might be able to at least get him to begin rethinking the issue. I've sent my letter today.

I'll leave it up to your creative imaginations to determine how to reach him. And, I believe it would be considerate if no one publishes his address on the 'net.

IMHO. Regards from AZ
 
Let's keep in mind the source of this. You saw it in a newspaper, you didn't hear it from his mouth.
None of us have ever heard of twisted facts or statements from the media now have we?

I was interviewed at random by a suburban newspaper outside of a gunshow in Illinois in 1990, when the first "assault weapon" ruckus arose. I was quoted in the paper, but didn't even realize it when I first read it, things were so twisted. I made a comment like "I own several guns, but not an AK, but I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to". That turned into "I am a collector and have no use for an AK".

Although I was angered by the comments at first, I have decided to reserve judgement until I read or hear similar comments in a different source.
The Tompkins family has done a lot for the shooting community. By reading this one article, you might think the whole family has turned evil overnight. I doubt it. I'm not saying it's not possible. But it is possible with the stroke of a pen.
 
Barry, welcome to TFL. And, you may have hit it on the head, we'll see.

I received the following in my email late last evening:

********************************************

"This was posted by Michelle on the highpower board on shooters.com. so before folks go off the handle, please read...

'Hi everyone. I'm starting to get tired of always having to defend people I care about, but here we go again...

That article was originally supposed to be showing the good side of shooting. It just got a little confused. Half of the things they "quoted" us on, we never said!!! Mid did not say most of the things they wrote that he said. The newspaper took what he said and twisted it until it said what they wanted it to. I know a lot of people agree with it, but he did not say it! I'm kind of surprised that you all were so quick to believe it all. Also, I know that no one has mentioned this, but I have to clear it up, too. They quoted my mom as saying that the Secret Service shooters cannot shoot. A lot of our closest friends are in the Secret Service. They are some of the greatest guys we know, and they shoot just as good! I have no idea where he came up with that one. I know that a lot of you will not believe any of this and maybe you don't want to. I just want to let you all know that Mid does not deserve everything that he's getting from this. He did not say that, so leave him alone. He's done a lot to promote shooting. I agree that we need to stick together to protect shooting. Is this what you call sticking together? If it is, I want nothing to do with it. The only reason we
shoot is because we enjoy doing it and we have a lot of friends in the sport. There's no reason to keep shooting unless you can do it with people you enjoy being around. I am glad that our friends are not so quick to jump on everything before they find out what really happened.

Michelle Gallagher'"

********************************************

Michelle is of Middleton ('Mid') Tompkin's daughters, and is one of the fine shooters lauded in the article.

In my letter to Mid, I mentioned TFL. If Michelle or any other member of her family visit TFL, I hope they will expand a bit further on this.

On the one hand, I'll take her at her word, and give them the benefit of the doubt at this time. On the other hand, I didn't have much respect left for newspaper and other media reporters, and if her assertions are true, then I gather that some of them are roughly on par with pond scum. What a disgusting development.

Since we have two threads running on this, I'm going to post the same update on the other thread as well.

Regards from AZ
 
Jeff,
Thanks for your support of my support! I've been posting a similar message in every forum I could find (I was not aware of the second thread here) that had been attacking them. Although things seemed to be under control at Shooters without my jumping in, I had found little support elsewhere so far.

I'm not sure what that says about things. I'm not one of those that blames the media for everything, but you would think our "brethren" would question the media first, and a family who lives and breathes shooting second.
 
I guess I should have known better. If they were misquoted then I owe them an apology.

Problem is, there are people with the attitude my guns are good, yours are bad...
Unfortunately I shoot with them a lot (Sporting Clays) and get in more than my share of "discussions". Sometimes I think they do it to make me loose concentration and miss.


Geoff Ross
 
That's alright,
If they were misquoted, a lot of people owe them an apology. If they weren't, I owe everybody one.
This is one time I hope I'm right, and not for my sake. But I think the odds are in my favor.
 
you all know this. Don't believe what you read in papers. Newspapers are never fair. They write the story they want to see. They use you, you do not use them.
It is always a great shock, when having interviewed with a reporter, to realize that you have been attributed something that you never said. No misquote, no being taken out of context, just finding yourself the target of outright fabrication.
The best policy is to only co-operate with organizations that are on your side, ones that you want to help out. If you become involved with a news organization that is hostile to you or your cause, it can cause you tremendous personal grief.
I don't know if that is what happened here, but take a look at what your buddies, truly outraged, could be doing to you personal reputation if you let yourself become the stooge in such an operation.
"Daddy meant well, but somehow it all went wrong!"
 
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