Tam extracts some hilarity from the comments over on cracked.com. Kids these days. They think because they play with guns in video games they are experts. If that’s the case, next time I’m flying I’m going to have to tell the pilot “Hey, you should let me land the plane. I’ve done it hundreds of times in the simulator. What could possibly go wrong?”
Maybe we need to start a program to take counterstrike kiddies out to play with real guns. I’ve only gotten to do that once.
Take counterstrike kiddies out to play with real guns? I’m imagining it now… At the range with some pimple faced kid jumping around like a rabbit on a sugar overdose with a scout rifle… And I’m not so sure I could resist the urge to smack them upside the head at the first mention of a ‘deagle’.
On the other hand, I’m all for education. And where better to start than with the ones that tend to spread some of the most ridiculous misinformation… :-)
honestly? the majority of the newbies i’ve taken out have been FPS gamers, and they all do pretty well at the range…including their muzzle control. most of them HAVE been older (18+), which might make a difference.
um, to clarify that 18+ = older comment…i mean they’re older than 18, rather than some pimply-faced 16-year-old.
Not just kids. All too often individuals and gun clubs reach out to kids, offering free lessons, turkey shoots, and education but fail to make the same offer to adults. Sure, an adult has more resources to go pay for an NRA Basic pistol, rifle, shotgun class.
A little out-reach goes a long ways toward bringing an anti-gun nut over to the pro-gun nut side. Teach them that yes it is legal for them to own a gun, the paperwork is quick and easy, there is a convenient place to practice, they can be safe and have fun.
To defend the counterstrike players, which I do happen to be one. The game is an enjoyable outlet which happens to be free and played by a wide variety of audiences including law enforcement and military personnel, which I happen to be both also. Stereotyping them is no better than when anti-gun groups stereotype us (the readers of this blog) for being crazed baby killers fixated with weapons of mass destruction, which I hope we all realize we are not… We should be advocating teaching these players about real firearms and to include them in a culture that they would likely thrive in and support. Face it these 16 year olds won’t be 16 for ever and would you rather them get their information from us or from brady…
My son played a first person shooter game based on Nazis vs. Red Army – with the result that he developed an interest in Mosin Nagant 91/30 rifles just when these were selling for $90 each.
I bought a 81/30, then a Chinese version of a 44, then another Russian 44, and we have enjoyed shooting them. The fireballs are particularly spectacular out of the shorter barrels.
He now knows how “real” his game was, and how “real” it is to shoot milsurp rifles that may have been used in WWII.