1996: THE YEAR OF VICTORY

“All for one and one for all!”

"Where there is unity, there is victory!"

“United we stand, divided we fall!”

“In unity is strength!”

It seems the merits of unity and mutual cooperation are hammered into us from the cradle, and justifiably so. Unity can be a glorious thing, provided it serves all parties, if not equally, then at least well.

From my perspective the unity angrily demanded by those Australian shooters lobbying for the introduction of US-style gun rights here at home, appears to serve none but the very small minority they represent.

  

In fact were it not for the noisy and often angry pursuit of the comprehensive rescission of Howard’s post-Port Arthur gun laws, the shooting sports might not be subject to the consistently negative publicity and persistent controversy that dogs shooters today.

It strikes me that the events of 1996 have been skewed somewhat in the collective consciousness of the shooting fraternity, who today see it only as the year in which, despite unprecedented unity, we lost a battle with the Howard government.

I recall the mood and events of those days very differently. So much so that I see 1996 as having been an enormous win for shooters, given what was at stake.

Those of us involved in the campaign 20-years ago may recall that the loss of our precious semi-automatic and pump-action firearms was a compromise forced, not only upon the Howard government, but the Opposition and minor parties too, whose real intent had been to ban all firearms in a hitherto unprecedented demonstration of unity of their own.

Thanks largely to the unifying influence and effective lobbying efforts of the likes of John Tingle and the Australian Shooters Party, as Shooters, Fishers & Farmers was then known, the events of 1996 represented a resounding victory for Australian shooters.

Not a total victory perhaps, but a victory nonetheless, for which every shooter today owes the SFFP and others who drew a line in the sand, a debt of gratitude.

How and why such a victory is remembered in infamy as a resounding defeat is a question I have often asked myself. 

I have no sure answer, unless it lies in the motivating nature of anger born of extreme injustice and perceived powerlessness, and a desire by some to harness the power of resentment. 

For those whose agenda far exceeds the repeal of Howard’s gun reforms and in fact includes a desire to see the introduction of a system reminiscent of US 2nd Amendment gun rights, there is much benefit to be realised from nurturing feelings of systematic oppression.

Any stratagem intended to capitalise on such unwarranted feelings, will, by necessity, require that those who appreciate the truth of the matter, are discredited and silenced just as systematically, if the illusion of oppression is to be sustained.

But how does the absolute and unreserved unity demanded by today’s uncompromising firearms advocates, serve all Australian shooters as did the Australian Shooters Party of 1996?

The answer is simple. It doesn’t, tho' it loudly professes it does.

The vast majority of Australian shooters have put 1996 behind them. In fact for an even greater majority under the age of 30, the mantra “we want our semi-autos back” is a complete non-sequitur, given they have never handled a semi-auto or pump-action, let-alone lost anything to “want back”.

Likewise, comparatively few consider the current system is particularly onerous or oppressive, until told their attitudes are wanting and traitorous for not considering them so.

What they do feel oppressed by is the poor standing shooters enjoy in the community, due in no small part to ill-considered and often arrogant campaigns that serve only to stoke the fires of fear and suspicion.

It is this fear and suspicion among the public that does us injury, not perceived disunity. 

Ill-conceived campaigns afford the extremist gun control element endless opportunities to portray all shooters as cowboys, conspiracy theorists and people obsessed with exposing government’s true covert sinister and tyrannical nature.

There is no doubt the media has an agenda in portraying even the most moderate advocates as nut-jobs – sensationalism sells – but all too often little embellishment is actually necessary.

  

A very few yet extremely vocal advocates given voice beyond merit by dint of various independent social media platforms, consistently demonstrate their contempt for the mood of the population and the very peaceful and safe country and times in which we live, seemingly intent on providing mainstream journalists with opportunities to pose the question: 

“Are these really the sorts of people who should own guns?”

It is to this incredibly small percentage of the shooting fraternity to whom the rest are told they owe support. I for one do not believe this is a reasonable request, nor for that matter, one that will ever come to pass.

All too often what their demands for unity amount to is the expectation that all shooters will adopt their clumsy, short-sighted, largely unconvincing and invariably angry approach to advocacy and representation.

Far from normalising firearms ownership in the public consciousness, they serve only to ensure it remains a highly contentious and nervous issue, ripe for the type of media and political manipulation that impacts all shooters negatively.

  

Unity in a democracy requires that the objectives of the majority are identified and acted upon, and that the minority does not act to the detriment of the majority’s priorities and objectives.

If the minority believes their priorities and objectives will better serve the majority, it is incumbent upon them to make a persuasive case for that position and to propose strategies for the realisation of their objectives. 

Demanding that all shooters nobly unite for a hopeless  angry assault on some distant and poorly defined objective, is not a plan.  

It’s a suicide pact!

Anyway, I’ll get outaya way now...
©gmallard2016 all rights reserved

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