COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (March 17, 2019)
To say the least, these are challenging times in the shooting sports industry following another unthinkable tragedy, this time in Christchurch, New Zealand. Every one of these high-profile, senseless killings engulfs the world in a renewed and impassioned gun debate. The inevitable result: shaming, blame-shifting and social stigma.
Sportswriter Alan Abrahamson’s latest column in 3 Wire Sports titled “At the Olympics: No More Guns[1]” does all of that for one of the oldest Olympic sports, while adding in a blatant slap in the face. It’s an alarmist’s reaction to a sport millions of people across the globe participate in.
His column calls for the removal of shooting as an Olympic sport. This response is in defense of USA Shooting’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes as well as our hopefuls and those safely participating in this sport on a daily basis. All of them are unwillingly stigmatized because the sports equipment they use is so negatively associated with tragedy.
First and foremost, USA Shooting wishes to express its deepest sorrow and sympathy for both the victims and those families affected by this latest tragedy. There is absolutely no place for this type of violence in this world. It's unfortunate when someone’s criminal and cruel intents with firearms immediately creates a link to the shooting sports, to sportsmen, and to enthusiasts in general.
USA Shooting Team’s athletes, and those competing around the world in this sport, represent the shooting sports with class and distinction in every way and take great pride in showcasing the sport to a wider audience. This is their passion, and something they’ve been doing their entire lives. They also realize that as ambassadors for their sport, there’s a need to educate people and to create
