anti-paintball letter in local newspaper

[Trunnion]

The following is a letter to the editor of one of my local newspapers. I request that you read it and tell me what you think.


"Reading the February 19th issue of The Independent, I came across a most chilling photo. By the time I'd finished the accompanying article, I was positively frozen to my seat.

The article was about paintball. The photo was of 18 young men - some of them just boys - dressed like members of a militia, and holding their weapons. "Menacing" and "bloodthirsty" were just a few of the adjectives that came to mind. "Impressionable" was another, given the ages of several of the participants.

In the article, the author, who took part in a couple of rounds of this wholesome activity, expressed her surprise at just how "addicting" she found the game - this despite having been a target and having come away with some stinging bruises. Yes, I can imagine that an activity requiring speed, agility, cunning, a sharp eye, and good aim could be addicting. But how about finding one that doesn't make targets out of other human beings? Or out of any living creature, for that matter.

Doesn't anyone see that this just perpetuates the culture of violence that has grown up around us? Yes, these games are like the war games the author says she never played much as a child (does she now feel deprived that she didn't?). When I was growing up in the '50s and '60s, boys playing war games were still making targets out of Japs and Germans. Now I guess it'd be the Taliban or Al Qaeda - and soon the Iraquis, at the rate things are going. Is this a good leisure-time activity that we're conditioning?

Nearly two weeks have passed since I read the paintball story, yet the sight of that photo (which keeps peeking out from my too-tall stack of things to do) still gives me a weapons-grade case of the creeps. That's why I've decided to write this letter, dated though it may be, and send it in. I'd like to get a dialogue started about providing some less-hostile way for folks to pass their time. I know that when Chatham was considering a paintball facility (which I guess will come to pass, if it hasn't already), there were one or two letters in opposition. Would someone please weigh in on this?"


I personally think this woman needs to get a grip and see that paintball is not among the roots of violence in society and that things start far sooner and at a much deeper level than that. i'm interested in other comments. i've withheld the newspaper's name, address, and the name of the person who wrote this letter to prevent anyone from making any remarks that are in poor taste.

[splat11756]

yeah she is way wrong. someone like that that hasnt played for long can't appreciate the art of paintball yet. she doesn't know what it involves (team work, etc:) Besides it keeps punks off the streets. Those who are playing paintball might as well be causeing mischeif on the streets due to pure boardom. Paintball and Violence? no sorry, dont think they wok well together

[Vegeta]

I am about to go somewhere where you all will ahte me for saying, btu we all know it deep down inside.

Paintball is realated to violence. For some people more than others. I find that it ralates to violencein womens minds much more tham men's most of the time, part of hte reason is taht its becuase of the way they think, and the other is that they grew up playing with barbie dools, play houses, and tea cups. Most boys grew up with GI Joes and M-90's. I know I did. I'm not saying there is a direct connectiong here, but I'm not saying there isn't. Paintball is, to me, a very advanced game of tag. Think about it. Instead of running and touching people with your hands going "Tag your it!" your propelling small circular balls filled with marking paint at them. This is just a better way to reach out and touch someone. And instead of them being "it", they are 'out' of the game.. which adds to the motion of not getting hit. To some people, its a war game. A simulation of acts of violence. But ask yourself this: Is war considered a wrong act of violence? Think about it. If your a soldier in a war, and you come home, you family will be gald your home and praise you as a hero or somehting of that nature. You aren't shamed upon for commiting war on other people, are you? See, people say War and say, murder, are both violent. But someone who takes part in a war is not shamed upon for doing so, In some/most cases, they are a hero (to the motherlad). Someone who takes part in commiting murder IS shamed upon, and is shunned respectivley. This applies to paintball and some other sports. Do people say football is violent? Maybe a few, but its not taht bad.. and its an American pasttime. But in football.... you are PHISICALLY hitting people. With your body. To me, this is more violent than 'shooting' someone.

What I need to adress is OTHER people. We here at Ao might not see paintball as violent killing games... we all mostly see it as a fun, interactive, way to get outside and have fun, while also learning physics, mechanics, and keeping in shape. But it is shooting at people. And those who don't see the inner realm of paintball see shooting. And those who see shooting relate shooting to firearms, and firearms to killing people. I'm sorry people but thats the way it is. One of the REWAL problems is that some new players think along the 'killing' path, not the 'sport' path. These kids go out and shoot things and think along the lines of 'wee this is what its liek to be in a war!' not 'this isa good game, this is fun' They dont care that they are getting excersise and thinking and using hteir heads! they think about klilling stuff, not eliminating players. We need to change that image. And we need to show that the youth who play paintball are responisible and smart, and knwo the diffrence between 'killing' and 'eliminating'. Even showing that about thsoe who are 18 and 19 years old, becuase to some people, that 'generation' is immature and punk-a-- all the time. Well I hate to break it to them but it takes ALOT of resposibility an know how to maintain a complex peice of equipment, and also make big purchases, like a 100$ gun. Thats something kids just dont 'do' on a whim....

I guess I have proved my point. I will leave it at that.

[zvanut]

veggie,

you crossed a very fine line in paintball but i think you are both wrong and right.

how can paintball be violent if.....

safety precautions are taken
~masks speed limits etc. all keep it safe

otherwise i highly doubt fencing (sp) would be as widely accepted.

think about violence...

for the most part violence is just random (sometime) agressive physical acts against someone(s).

boxing could be violence,

but many precautions are taken as in paintball.

karate has kicks and punches, that is violence right???
but precautions are taken and people only go to a certain level. it can be used to do wrong, but in a controlled manner it is SPORT not VIOLENCE.

Paintball is also controlled by rules and regulations making it sport.

its when the dumb butts go out and ruin it for us, and ruin the image in the eyes of the general public.

paintball needs places where the general public, not paintball players (although some players need it) learn the game and see its GREAT safety record.

so i think you put up a good point, but mine is better :)

[Cha0tic]

she talked about making targets out of humans, and living things for that matter. what happens when people box? the are each others target. they get hurt, bruised, and bleed. it is violence, but it is in no way teaching our society how to live. the same things goes for all full contact sports.

[Trunnion]

i wasn't trying to say that the game should never be seen as immitating violence. the army uses it as a training aid at times, so obviously it has some violent connections. but the way i see it, the game itself does not instill violence in the people who play it, which i think was the primary point of this person's letter. if paintball moves someone to violent acts, then they have deeply rooted psychological problems. that is the part that offends me somewhat, that this woman seems to think that paintball is a cause of violence in society, which it most certainly is not. i agree with vegeta in that football is far more violent, and certainly can be more hazardous to the participants than the bruises often received in paintball. yet the super bowl is widely watched and almost universally accepted by our culture. when the two are compared, it seems to me that the accusations against paintball in this letter are way off base

*EDIT* in response to snooky's post, i would like to make it clear that i respect that she is speaking her opinion. i just feel it is uninformed. i intend to write a letter to the editor in response in which i attempt to talk about the good things that come from paintball.

[Snooky]

its hard for people to acept paintball as a safe sport when the media try's to blame events on video games and things such as paintball. everyone is intitled to thier opinion and she has the right to speak her mind. I completely disagree with her because she can't see the positive things in paintball but i don't hate her for her opinion.

[zvanut]

its hard for people to acept paintball as a safe sport when the media try's to blame events on video games and things such as paintball

but today (or yesterday) a judge did not do anything in the Columnbine case where someone was sueing about video games and movies iirc. like 5 or 6 companies were said to have influenced it but the judge ruled it out.


everyone is intitled to thier opinion and she has the right to speak her mind.

and that is just what is going on here, she made false "accusations" and we are using out right to an opinion to explain why she is wrong/right.

no flame intended just giving my point of view

[Muzikman]

This is the reason that I am a large supporter of none camo events and non-woods play. Sure, I love woods play, but is it good for the image of the sport? It took me many years to realize this. If the games gets away from camo gear and embraces the more colorful jersey then people might start looking at it differently. Most people look at a group of people wearing camo and think gun toting militia wackos. I don't think that would be the first thought that crosses someone's mind when they see a group dressed in bright colored pants and jerseys.


But ask yourself this: Is war considered a wrong act of violence? Think about it. If your a soldier in a war, and you come home, you family will be gald your home and praise you as a hero or somehting of that nature. You aren't shamed upon for commiting war on other people, are you? See, people say War and say, murder, are both violent. But someone who takes part in a war is not shamed upon for doing so, In some/most cases, they are a hero (to the motherlad).

I take it that you have no relatives that where in Vietnam huh?

[awg9tech]

I hear it every weekend, usually from the younger players….”I shot that guy”, “I killed that guy”,” When did she get killed, “check out that guys gun”. If someone not familiar with the sport over heard a conversation like that, it would probably sound pretty violent. If you want to get away from the violent connotations, how about using “marker”, “eliminated” other words to that effect. I know, I hate being politically correct, but if the sport is to progress, I think we must be mindful of how the game “looks”.
I think of the sport as a big game of chess. And I describe it that way when introducing it to a potentially new player. A parent doesn’t want his or her little boy taking a gun and killing someone. Using a marker and eliminating someone sounds a little better

[Trunnion]

if soldiers from vietnam feel ashamed for fighting in vietnam, then it's because of the way they were treated upon their return. no soldier should ever feel ashamed because they followed orders. i don't think we should have been in vietnam, but those that fought should not in anyway feel ashamed for doing what they were told. what kind of soldiers would they have been if they didn't? however, that's not what this is about. if you would care to continue conversation in this vein, i'd be happy to do so by email

[Muzikman]

Well, I think you misunderstood my post, but we won't get into that.

If you will not give us the paper that you saw this article in, would you please give us the paper that the article she is writing about is in. Just Feb. 19, "The Independent" is not quite good enough...there seems to be quite a few news papers called "The Independent" :)

[Trunnion]

the two articles are from the same paper, merely different dates. i was asked not to provide the address or the name of the author of the letter. i was looking for reactions to this article to see how other people react to such an article

[Muzikman]

I find it kind of odd that someone who would publish an editorial in a paper and use their real name would then not want the paper and name to be released to the public. Just sounds kinda of strange to me.

[media]

The person who wrote that letter is sadly like many americans these days. They have absolutely no sense of perspective and believe their view of the world is the only good one.

They feel if some activity (legal activity - not activities that infringe on others rights) offends/bothers them in some way, that the activity is of no value to anyone and shouldn't be taking place. I'm sure we could manage to find enough americans that take offense to various activities and come up with a list that includes every activity that takes place from the time you wake up till you go to sleep.

I'd like to see how this woman's "dialogue" for providing a less hostile way to pass time turns out. I'm sure she can "dream up" some new activity to replace paintball. People generally participate in the most enjoyable activity available to them. Where I live, there are all kinds of activities I could get into - ice skating, hockey, bastketball, tennis, golf, rc car racing, fishing, and paintball. If I choose to play paintball, race rc cars, or go fishing, it's because that's the activity I feel the most like participating in at the time. When someone thinks they need to "dream" up activities for other people, it comes off as condecending and it's downright ignorant for someone to think they know what's best for other people.

You could write this woman a letter saying you think her activities are pointless and are harmful to the american way. Then give her a list of other activities that are less "hostile" to other people's enjoyment (that you "dreamed" up) she could be doing, such as minding her own business or moving to another country.

[giblit]

i heard a rumor at my next tourametn (pine ridge paintball) is going to video taped and have the results put on the news, i think that would be tite when my team wins it and they see us caring our brand new impulses that we won, will be good for the sport:cool: :cool: :)

[Mild 7]

I haven't posted anything in a while so I just want to drop a few lines of my opinion regarding this issue.

This lady's article just shows that she's on the opposing side of the sport, which there is a handful out there. Just like everything else in this country, some are for it, some are against it, and some choose to stay silent about it.

I think it all comes down to "political correctness", which is not something I am good at, or care much about, at least in terms of the sports I choose. Why does everything have to be political correct these days? Does everything we do, including what we do during our off times have to be agreeable by everyone?

This woman's concern isn't really about men or boys with camos and the paintball guns. She's obviously offended by the nature of the game itself. You can take away the camo, but the concept of the game is to eliminate the other team by using a gun that shoots paint. Let's say we shoot laser instead, would that change the matter much? No. Because we're still using a gun and the nature of the game remains the same and there will still be people that's going to whine about it.

However, I'm not worried. Despite of the negative images media portrays our sport, paintball is here to stay. Violence may be bad, but it sells. Look at all the violent movies out there that are making tons of money. Is it stopping anyone from watching them? There's also many people out there speaking against porn, do we see any less porn than before? I don't think it's going to be that simple for our sport to be taken away by a few concern moms & pops words. They might have had their chance a decade ago. Paintball is not only an international sport now, but also an international business, backed by million dollars corporations. And there are people like you and me who will continue to support what we love. We will prevail.






:)

[FatMan]

Frow Webster's online:

Violence (Page: 1611)

Vi"o*lence (?), n. [F., fr. L. violentia. See Violent.]

1. The quality or state of being violent; highly excited action, whether physical or moral; vehemence; impetuosity; force.

2. Injury done to that which is entitled to respect, reverence, or observance; profanation; infringement; unjust force; outrage; assault.

3. Ravishment; rape; constupration. To do violence on, to attack; to murder. Syn. -- Vehemence; outrage; fierceness; eagerness; violation; infraction; infringement; transgression;
oppression.

Violence (Page: 1611)

Vi"o*lence, v. t. To assault; to injure; also, to bring by violence; to compel. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

---------------------------------

So the questions is: does this describe our sport? Based on USAGE I would tend to think the operative definition here is "to assault, to injure". Checked the defn of assault:

1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows, weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge of an attacking force; onset; as, to make assault
upon a man, a house, or a town.

Hmmm, circular logic.:rolleyes: So, *I* tend to use a working definition of violence as "using physical force with the intent of imposing one's will upon another." I don't think paintball fits THIS definition. I mean, yes hitting you with a paintball is physical force of some kind, and yes I'm imposing my will (get off my field!) but the truth is, we have all agreed to a little system whereby if I tag you with a little smudge of paint, you agree that you are out. That just isn't violence.

Of course, a photograph of a bunch of guys wearing cammo and holding guns LOOKS a lot like people about to do violence - but that doesn't mean they will - it doesn't even mean they are encouraged to.

Look, our sport has a negative image because we shoot at each other. Plain and simple. Some people will NEVER understand that we are not doing violence to each other - we are not injuring each other, we are not physically attacking each other, we are not imposing our will on one another - we are playing a game, a physical, mental game that involves running. hiding and attempting to tag our opponents. We can't help those people. We CAN do something about the vast majority of folks who have open minds.

These are the people we need to reach. It is so easy for them to be swayed one way or the other. It is up to US to start putting paintball's best foot forward.

Over the years I've grown very interested in material about the pros and cons of paintball. I've read many good articles. I have never seen a good repository of this information - maybe because much of it is copyrighted. I think we, the AO crowd, should start an effort to provide a place for people to learn the facts AND the opinions of paintball - a place to send those who are questioning - a place to direct those who oppose the sport.

What do you think?

Play safe and have fun,

FatMan

[Gup44]

This lady obviously doesn't know American History, and has no idea what our country does every day to stay free.

Our Freedoms are paid for in blood. Life itself, by it's very nature is violent. The world is violent. THere is no way to escape it. Most people suffer some sort of violence every day (especially those of us up here in MN in the winter!!). Violence itself isn't evil. There are alot of times where it is justified and right. There are evil people that do violence in evil ways.

Every time a cow or chicken or fish is killed to be eaten, it suffers violence. But that violence is not evil. It's called living. It is how it works. People have it in their head these days that violence is evil.. it's not true.

Now, with all of that being said, I don't beleive paintball is violent. I think it is fun and recreational. It can be very agressive and intense, but it's not violent. Paintball is not war, nor is it a metaphor for war. It is FUN... it is physical. It promotes a "team" mentality and fair play.

All that sounds really nice, philisophically. But in reality, we have a very liberal media who likes to sensationalize and take things out of context and proportion. The will take a GAME like a scenario game and call it a war simulation. Maybe it is for some playing.

I would have to agree with Muzikman, for the sake of paintball and it's image to our socialist media (who by the way shapes alot of weak minded people's opinions), paintball needs to steer away from cammo and war terms. We need to promote paintball as a sport, and a pastime. Like it or not, if you want paintball to be accepted by the mainstream, you have to be careful about the terms you use to describe it. For us, who play, a kill=an elimination. For most of the people out there who live in a protected, imaginary, utopian society, you have to distinguish between the two. You can't say, I "Shot" that guy, you have to say "eliminated" or "marked".

Our course, you don't <i>have</i> to do anything. If you feel that you know what your doing is not wrong (which it's not) and you are comfortable using whatever terms you want and don't care about paintball's "image". Then use whatever terms you want.

Just my 2 cents worth...

[soilent green]

just another jurk that wants every thing their way and makes accusatory remarks without truly understanding some thing I have never been to a game where the "bad guys" run around dressed like a musslum

[Webmaster]

some very good points. enough that i dont need to chime it...

I would like to use a string of words to discribe that person - but we have rules here - although I suppose "whiny" and "liberal" are two of them.

[Hysperion]

originally posted by Vegeta: "and also make big purchases, like a 100$ gun"
don't we all wish :)

[Ariestsheft]

Originally posted by Trunnion

When I was growing up in the '50s and '60s, boys playing war games were still making targets out of Japs and Germans.



Is it just me or has she got her morals backwards? Saying she doesnt beleave in violence yet using such inflamatory terms as "Japs". She needs to rethink her value system before she writes something like this.

[Vegeta]

I crossed the line becuase it needs to be crossed. Someone needs to rectify it.

Zvanut, you said fencing is accepted. Ye, it is.. and is a great sport in my book. People accept it not so much becuase the safter precuations taken, but how many people KILL PEOPLE WITH SWORDS NOWDAYS? See where I'm going? People kill people with guns. Paintball uses "markers", which shoot projectiles, and people always refer to them as guns. People don't kill poeple with swords, they kill them with guns. And paintball is almost directly related with shooting/guns. I'm sorry people, but its true. If you want to sell your "marker" do you go up to someone and say "Hey wanna buy my marker?" WTF is that? Prim-o-mark? No. THey say "Hey wanna buy my gun?"

Boxing is accepted mainly becuase it is OLD, unlike paintball. Take it this way, if Baseball was six years old, Paintball would be one year old. A six year old is a lot more MATURE than a one year old That is hte key. Our sport has to MATURE. It has to grow and become bigger, wider, more active. It needs to gain some -media- weight. And POSITIVE WEIGHT, not Negative. To put this to real life terms, theres the good weight and bad weight. Good weight is when you are 5'8", and have a 34 inch waist, and weight 160. BAD weight is when you are 5'4", and have a 45 inch waist, step on the scale and weight 300. We can gain good media and public weight, or bad. Good and bad weight is what separates Baggy pants from Baggy a--. No one wants a Baggy a--. We can either get good media and public attention or bad.

IF we stress to the public that paintball is not about killing, not about guns, and not about war... and strees that it IS about fun, respect, responsibility, and such.. people WILL open their eyes. If only some of those people could just sit and watch ONE day of paintball. Better yet play it. Now YOU need to ask yourself, "If someone who has never seen a day of play before, what would they see?"

They SHOULD see:
-Friendships
-Responisiblity
-Good Sportsmanship
-Fun activities
-Teamwork

They SHOULDN'T see:
-Foul mouths
-Disrespect for other people's equipment
-Someone throwing their marker on the ground
-Un-sportsman like conduct
-Rude behavior

The media FEEDS off of things that aren't supposed to be. They nit-pick over EVERYTHING.. they dig up scandals on anyone they want... Becuase thsoe things happen. Well.. if we don't give hte media anything TO dig up or uncover or report, then what CAN they say except the good things about paintball.

For me, paintball has taght me Respect, Team work, Responsibility, amoung other things. I respect my fellow team mates and I have responsibility for my actions and my possesions. I learned teamwork from playing with others and USING MY HEAD. I also learn a ton about mechanical physics, from being here and in deep blue.

Well I'll leave it there for now... now go and contradict me.

[InfinatyBPS]

Originally posted by awg9tech
I hear it every weekend, usually from the younger players….”I shot that guy”, “I killed that guy”,” When did she get killed, “check out that guys gun”. If someone not familiar with the sport over heard a conversation like that, it would probably sound pretty violent. If you want to get away from the violent connotations, how about using “marker”, “eliminated” other words to that effect. I know, I hate being politically correct, but if the sport is to progress, I think we must be mindful of how the game “looks”.
I think of the sport as a big game of chess. And I describe it that way when introducing it to a potentially new player. A parent doesn’t want his or her little boy taking a gun and killing someone. Using a marker and eliminating someone sounds a little better

I am not a newb I have been playing for a while now and know pretty much, every aspect of the game. But I still call my cocker or raptor a "gun" just because it is easier to say, but if I am trying to make a point about how safe and non-violent paintball is I used "marked", "tagged" and other words like that. But when I'm just talking with my team and stuff I say I shot that guy or check out that guy's gun or my gun isn't working just because, I dont feel like saying my marker isn't working, or I elliminated that person. Most other people just say it because they are lazy like me.

[oldsoldier]

I mostly agree with what everyone here has said...both good and bad. Here is an idea; perhaps we, as players can get the media directly involved. Write your local newspaper and have then attend a day at the field. Have them write an article on our "extreme" sport. Ask to see the final copy before it goes to print. Offer your knowledge free of charge. Get it into your local paper, maybe iwth a pic or 2. This way, we can reach our local populace in a popular light. Hopefully, from there, it can only grow.
Oh yeah, if you do get it published, put it here for us all to read!

[Trunnion]

a staff writer from this paper has already attended and played paintball at a field about a half hour away. she loved it. it was in response to this article that this letter was written. i can probably arrange to have a reporter from another paper attend a day as well, and i plan on trying this. i will mostly likely write a response to the editor as well

[raehl]

Someone who is local should write a letter to the editor inviting this woman out to play.

- Chris