Australian Airsoft Media

[mopic]

Some positive media coverage would be great, as somone who works at media whore inc. it would be a tough pitch.

[Daiviet]

Originally Posted by Drake

and anyone 18+ (or 16+ with a license) can buy/import them.

I kinda like that idea, especially if it were to happen in canada ( i know i know, we're not making any lobby groups, but if it were to happen).
16+ you go for a course learning about safety, where and where not to play, what not to do with airsoft guns etc. then obtain a license that you can play for being under 18.
OR
the person waits patiently until they're 18, and obtains an airsoft gun through normal means.

[Wilson]

We need to cooperate with some local media to arrange something like this in Canada. I'm sure this kind of coverage has been quite beneficial to the sport in Australia.

[Bowers]

Originally Posted by Wilson

We need to cooperate with some local media to arrange something like this in Canada. I'm sure this kind of coverage has been quite beneficial to the sport in Australia.

couldent it do the exact opposite and give the soccer moms ammo?

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by TCSF-Bowers

couldent it do the exact opposite and give the soccer moms ammo?

It might, by calling attention to our activity's legal issues. If we're unlucky, "cooperation" with the local media results in them turning around and burning us in the editing room. Even a well done and balanced news report on us can fuel a negative response, depending on the audience.

[Shrike]

It IS depending on the audience.

If we were to be presented in any media like:

Guns and ammo Magazine
Paintballer magazine
Combat Magazine

etc.

We would have a much more open audience than MOST of the population of Canada. What advocates of media don't get is in most major population centres in Canada GUNS ARE BAD!!!

Thats it really.

MOST people in Canada would say simply GUNS KILL. WE DON'T WANT THEM OR ANYTHING LIKE THEM AROUND OUR CHILDREN.

I know we think it's awesome and we can point out that it's excersize and fresh air and teamwork and fun, but what they see is OMG DRESSED AS A SOLDIER AND HAS A MACHINE GUN TOO!!!

MOST people do not see the benefit to anything "gun": related.

That is a fact, sad but true.

Try doing some informal polling of people at work, school (adults who are not involved in the sport) and see what kind of reactions you get.

When I discuss airsoft people are curious but there is ALWAYS a point in which they say "thats weird".

[ToTaL_oWnAgE]

I apologize for grammar and spelling right now.

I guess it largely depends on where you live to. For instance. If I was to walk around here in Red Deer, a small city (not sure of population) in central Alberta and ask "what do you think about owning guns", alot of people would say yeah it's great. Thats because guns here are very practical esspecially for farmers and hunting. Now go to downtown Toronto and ask that same question. I bet almost 99% of the people would say there should be no guns allowed in Canada. Where does this difference come from?

1. Here in western Canada we have a less dense population and lots of farm land. Over here guns are seen as tools, NOT WEAPONS. So we look at guns and see deer hunting, bird hunting, gopher hunting, pest control, and other various big game hunting in the mountains. If you were to ask how many people here own a gun probably close to %80 own a gun. I can tell you for sure that the neighbour on the left of my house owns a 30-06 and a 12 guage shotgun. My neighbour on the right also owns a 12 guage. and this is in the city.

2. Over in eastern Canada you have a vastly denser population mostly pretaining to major cities. Most people have never even held a real gun, more or less hunted with them. They see guns as WEAPONS. Read almost everyday about robberies where a firearm was used. They don't see the pratical part of guns as we do. So therefore they form the opinion as shrike said "GUNS KILL".

Now to tie this back into airsoft. They look at airsoft guns as "Replicated Weapons". They hear about kids running around on the streets with "realistic guns". Then they start fantasizing about robberies with them. Hense forth they go "airsoft is just training kids to be criminals". Completly oblivious to the mature airsofters found all across Canada.

[Danny Cyanide]

Plus, we're all a bunch of gun loving rednecks out here in the west!