MadMorbius

Folks,

It has come to my attention that the Assignment Editor for CityTV in Toronto has contacted members of the Airsoft Community looking for information regarding our use of "Replica Handguns".

I would like to ask that any individual from this community who is approached by any media source regarding this topic be extremely careful in your communications regarding the sport and the availability of AEG or GBB's.

Based on the questions being asked, it is extremely likley that any information volunteered will be used in the context of the current discussions to ban replica hand guns in various regions of Ontario. I should further note that City TV has a history of anti-gun support, and that fact should not be ignored when their assignment editor asks where he can get his hands on one our pistols.

Any information provided is likely to be presented in such a way as to have negative connotations given the current gun problems in Toronto and the visibilty that guns have in the media at this point in time. There is very little positive perception with regard to handgun use in any form, particularly when the target audience resides in an area which has been recently victimized through the criminal use of firearms and replica firearms. Our position is that of a minority which may come under unwanted scrutiny as a result of seemingly harmless statements made to a media Assignment Editor.

Note that a seemingly harmless offer to expose your collection of 12 GBB's and AEG's to the media on request may seem like a good idea to strengthen the perception of airsoft as a legitimate gun sport, but would very likely result in an outright ban on Airsoft guns by name within a short time of the story being aired.

I ask that you keep the community closed to the media, at least in the scope of the current discussions regarding replica firearms. If and when the time is right, perhaps our sport can be safely exposed for the game that it is; that time is not now, however, and I ask that you do whatever is possible within the law to protect our sport from undue and unwanted persecution.

Thanks,

Morb