That was tongue-in-cheek in case you're wondering. These are touchy times, and the issue is radioactive. Still, I never got into this game because I thought I'd end up popular.
Actually, I really don't mean to pile on and I'm staring to incline towards taking the foot off his throat--at least mine. First, Claire wrote a piece that I agreed with.
I feel sorry for the guy. That doesn't mean anything I say or do will change things, but like I said in two separate comments at Say Uncle's:
Me, I don’t forgive unless forgiveness is sincerely asked for, backed up by a profound apology and concrete actions to undo the damage and make restitution. On this score, I’m much more likely to welcome Mr. Zumbo back into the fold. I haven’t seen anything from Petzal except his acting as a rallying point for the Fuddites who are now getting national media attention.and
I’m much more able to forgive poor dumb Zumbo–I’m honestly starting to think the guy was more ignorant than arrogant, he appears thoroughly chastised, and he’s begging for a chance to redeem himself. I’m not that heartless that I can turn from that without a degree of sympathy.
Until I see similar contrition and atonement from Petzal, I see no reason to consider him anything but a cornered collaborator using bluff bravado and revisionist deception (which Unix-Jedi has brilliantly exposed) to save his skin.
Zumbo is toast. I see no point in continuing to beat his hanging corpse like a piñata. If he does want another chance and people give it to him, I won't rail against them or him--unless he proves himself undeserving.
Petzal is another matter. He was an enabler of tyranny in our hour of need. His response has been one of arrogance and equivocation, daring the hounds that have him at bay to charge in, and that's probably due in no small part to knowing what the pack will do to him if he shows weakness.
You're right, Mr. Petzal--some of us do have long memories. Some of us were fighting this with all resources at hand when you abused your privileged forum and did your utmost to convince your sporter audience that we were disposable--while the federal ban was being debated in the media, and just short months before its passage.
How could partisans not have long memories when it comes to collaborators?
I'm an old softy as well and more than ready to forgive Zumbo were he to offer an apology and not a slide show of the flags he's hoisted for veterans and lost kittens.
ReplyDeleteI'll be glad to forgive him if he truly repents and performs sincere acts of contrition. Self-flagellation might help, too.
ReplyDeleteBut it's going to take time. Him just saying he's going to do this, that, and the other isn't good enough. He's going to have to prove himself.
I passed it along, Mike, thanks.
ReplyDeletePlease--can we dispense with "Mr."? The only ones I make call me that are my wife and kids.
This petition asks that Jim Zumbo be given a second chance by Outdoor Life Magazine and the other entities who've recently fired him.
ReplyDeleteToo soon for that. Deeds must follow words. S.W.A.T. Magazine is working on it. So let's see what Zumbo has to say after a tactical carbine class. Then let's see him start telling the fuddite hunting fraternity to get with the program, and quit pissing on our guns.
Pezal.......
ReplyDeleteIf there were no AWB1, there would be no AWB2.
I've met way too many Zumbos in my travels to forgive this one. They are all the same: "them damn things scare me so lets ban em"
ReplyDeleteIt's not just hunters, it's just about every class of shooter from benchrest, to trap, to Cowboy action. Just about every specialized shooter has an opinion on what guns they think need culling and are unsuitable for "sporting purposes"
Zumbo is the guy that got caught saying exactly what he meant without considering the consequences. Forty plus years in the business and a large following probably added to his arrogance and
holier than thou attitude.
Yeah, I'll forgive Zumbo when he gets on stage at an NRA convention with an AR15, lifts it high above his head and screams "from my cold dead hands"
I seem to have more respect for Zumbo than those that would forgive him. I refuse to believe he is so stupid that after 42 years in the business he was still ignorant.
ReplyDeleteI still believe he thought he could get away with throwing me under the bus and gain popularity in his crowd for it, plus be acceptable enough to the gun grabbers that he would be their last target.
Unless he can prove to me that he really is stupid, I am not prepared to believe he was just ignorant and now sees the light.
The only light he sees is his career going up in flames. He is trying to piss it out. Ok, but I ain't heppin', as we say 'roun' heah.
I'm another one for whom the fun of kicking Zumbo while he's down has worn off--I simply don't think he matters any more.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this article by some pantywaist who defends Zumbo (but can't spell his name), and who blames "the radical politics of the NRA" for the outrage directed at Zumbo.
I don't care anything about kicking him. I just intend to take him at his word. The ones he meant, not the ones he thought would immunize him.
ReplyDeleteThink Zumbo was far more sincere in his apology on Nugent's forum. And, hopefully he'll carry out the promises he made.
ReplyDeletePetzal, as alluded to by others, is a definate scumbag. And in need of a severe thrashing....
http://guntalk.com/site.php?pageID=110&newsID=12
ReplyDelete