The last few days have been an educational experience, to say the least. My ill-conceived inflammatory blog, as all of you now know, set off a firestorm that, I’m told, has never before been equaled. I’m not proud of that.Well, hell.
Let me say this at the outset. My words here are from the heart, and all mine. No one can censor me, and I answer to no one but myself. And I have no one to blame but myself. Outdoor Life, a magazine that I worked for full-time as Hunting Editor for almost 30 years, fired me yesterday. My TV show was cancelled yesterday. Many of my sponsors have issued statements on their website to sever all relationships. This may cause many of you to do backflips and dance in the streets, but, of course, I’m not laughing, nor am I looking for sympathy. I don’t want a pity party.
They say hindsight is golden. Looking back, I can’t believe I said the words “ban” and “terrorist” in the context that I did. I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote that. I can explain this as sheer ignorance and an irresponsible use of words. What I’ve learned over the last few days has enlightened and amazed me. As a guy who hunts 200 days a year, does seminars on hunting, wrote for six hunting magazines, had a hunting TV show, and wrote 20 books on hunting, how could I have been so ignorant and out of touch with reality in the world of hunting and shooting?
But I was. I really can’t explain it, maybe because I just summarily dismissed the firearms in question in my mind when I saw them in magazines and catalogs. I saw one “black” firearm in a hunting camp in all my 50 years of hunting, and I shot one last year off a boat when fishing in Alaska. To tell the truth, it was fun and I enjoyed it immensely, but I never considered one for use in hunting. I have to tell you that I have had a revelation. I’m learning that many of my pals own AR-15’s and similar firearms and indeed use them for hunting. I was totally unaware that they were being used for legitimate hunting purposes. That is the absolute truth.
My biggest regret is not the financial impact of all this. I’m almost 67 and retirement is an option. The dreadful impact here is that I inadvertently struck a spear into the hearts of the people I love most…America’s gun owners. And, even though this huge cadre of dedicated people have succeeded in stripping me of my career, I hold no grudges. I will continue to stand as firm on pro hunting as I’ve ever done. But what’s different now is that I’ll do all I can to educate others who are, or were, as ignorant as I was about “black” rifles and the controversy that surrounds them. My promise to you is that I’ll learn all I can about these firearms, and by the time this week is out, I’ll order one. The NUGE has invited me to hunt with him using AR-15’s, and I’m eager to go, and learn. I’ll do all I can to spread the word.
I understand that many of you will not accept this apology, believing that the damage has been done and there’s no way to repair it. You have that right. But let me say this. I mentioned this above, and I’ll repeat it. I’m willing to seize this opportunity to educate hunters and shooters who shared my ignorance. If you’re willing to allow me to do that, we can indeed, in my mind, form a stronger bond within our ranks. Maybe in a roundabout way we can bring something good out of this.
Jim Zumbo
You took a heck of a hit, Jim, but you called a lot of good people terrorists. You can work your way back, and I'd like to offer some advice.
1. Keep writing. Blogger is free. You're a good writer and I've agreed and disagreed with you over the years. Don't quit writing.
2. Keep hunting, but more importantly, go shooting. Find a public range and meet the people who read the stuff you write. You'll probably meet some who actively took umbrage at your dismissal of black rifles.
3. Join a local club and see what's happening in the shooting world. A couple of hours spent once a month working a local club will help you to stay grounded in the sport. Teach kids to shoot. Help at the local "sighting-in day".
4. Go to a couple of local matches and see what the guys are using. Get out to Camp Perry if you can and let us know what you see.
We change minds one at a time. Let us change yours.
3 comments:
arrgghh, you beat me to it -- my first response as well. "Legitimate purposes" my sweet Aunt Mary's patootie!
It's still about all about hunting for Jimmie Z. He doesn't understand the RKBA. He just doesn't get it.
Seeing him hunting with Nuge with an AR is photo op.
Seeing him running and gunning in a 3 gun competition and advocating for CCW in states like the PRK would be a whole different thing.
dw
" And, even though this huge cadre of dedicated people have succeeded in stripping me of my career, I hold no grudges."
This fool thinks everyone else "stripped him of his career"
You see, he didn't do anything, we did and bighearted as he is he doesn't "hold grudges."
What in the name of all that's holy is with these elitist twits that they simply cannot see it's they who are at fault when they actually do something wrong or stupid? It is always someone else who is doing it to them.
In Zumbo's mind it's all about him, and always will be. The poor, victimized baby.
He sure as God made little green apples does NOT get it. Moron.
Gerry N.
Divemedic picked up on the same thing that left me dumbfounded as I read Zumbo's latest apology. It's astounding, but he still seems totally clueless about the reason for this raging storm. How is that even remotely possible at this point??? "Legitimate hunting purposes" indeed. Unbelievable.
If he still wants to bring himself out of the drain he's circling, I'm still willing to listen (I suppose). Each time he gets near a keyboard, though, he shows just how loooong a journey he's got ahead. He doesn't need to go hunting with Nugent; that'll just reinforce the "legitimate hunting purposes" nonsense. What he needs is for Nugent to teach him a crash course in what the whole mess is actually all about.
Bryan
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