Shooting sports are fun

Dear Editor: Re: “Television Glorifying Guns” letter, July 19. According to the author of the letter in question, the people who were learning to handle firearms responsibly were not allowed to laugh. Shooting sports, believe it or not, are fun.

The sport requires safety, accuracy, breathing skills, and the ability to put a shot on target.

The required training focuses on safety primarily, knowledge of a variety of firearms, and lastly, the passing of a written and practical test.

This allows the participant, after being thoroughly vetted by the RCMP, to acquire a Possession and Acquisition License. The holders of this license have their personal information passed through the RCMP CPIC computer system each and every day.

To possess a restricted firearm, such as a handgun, the participant must pass another test and belong to a registered fish and game club.

The author cites the firearm of choice to be an AK15. If she had consulted her ex-military husband or had done some research, she would have discovered that there is no such firearm.

Was it an AK47 of Russian origin or the popular AR15? By the way, “AR” does not stand for “assault rifle” The firearm was developed by ArmaLite in 1956 and it was their model AR15.

It is semi-automatic and is popular because you can customize it your own way. In Canada, it is limited to a five-shot magazine and can never be fully automatic. These bits of information are generally neglected to be made known by the media because “blaming the gun” is the standard approach to a story.

I could go on, but many people have their minds made up without having facts.

On being offended by Global Okanagan, I personally dislike the auto sales ads where the pickup trucks are screaming through the back country tearing up the environment.

And guess what? The occupants are smiling and laughing. Rusty Lockwood

Westbank