Recently, the committeer of the CPSA (Clay Pigeon Shooting Association) suggested the organisation should be politically correct and change its name since 'clay pigeons' are not shot.
The 'target' we shoot at is neither clay nor pigeon and if we are the butt of jokes it only comes from those outside shooting who do not understand this. Instead of worrying about being laughed at (which after all never hurt anybody) we should be educating those who laugh and making them understand why we do what we do. And I wonder how many of those who laugh joined with us in congratulating Richard Faulds and Ian Peel for winning gold and silver medals for shooting 'clay pigeons' at the Sydney Olympics?
Clay pigeon shooting is a multi-discipline modern National, International and Olympic sport at which the various British teams have successfully competed at the very highest level for many years. Our game shooting has been the best in the world for at least 200 years and Bisley has been a centre of excellence for target shooting for at least as long. Therefore the relocation of the CPSA to Bisley should be applauded as should the CPSA's desire to maintain its autonomy within the new National Shooting Centre. We should feel proud of all our shooting sports and we should promote them for what they are and not change them for mealy-mouthed political correctness or to satisfy the ignorance of others.
The anti-gun lobby despises the private possession of all guns no matter whether they are used on game, clays or targets. Shooting has already suffered at least four major attacks from Westminster: the pistol ban, the partial lead shot ban, Blair's Home Affairs Committee recommendations and the Home Office's unfounded hike in the cost of shotgun and firearms licences. Most of these attacks have been justified by the political clowns in Westminster and by the always politically correct clowns in the media telling us that this is what the great British public wants. This is just not true. When our man on the street is actually interviewed he always says he wants a better health service, better education and better law and order.
However a vociferous, outspoken, pseudo-intellectual and unpleasant minority always seems to dominate the media reports which tell us we must ban everything that they disagree with. And if 'rent-a-mob' don't want to hunt, shoot or fish, then don't, but please leave us alone. Why should an organisation (the Gun Control Network) with less than ten recognised members and an immense amount of money from undisclosed mystery sources be given equal standing on a government committee with open and accountable organisations with thousands of members such as the CPSA, the BASC and the NRA? Oh yes, Mr Prescott, our faces may be red and contorted in your eyes but then we have to face our opponents who hide behind balaclavas, pick axe handles and letter bombs.
This Government was elected on the slogan "Education, education, education" but their hypocrisy beggars belief. Rather than use all the newly accredited CPSA and BASC Shotgun Coaches to educate youngsters, the HAC (Home Affairs Committee) wants to ban anyone under fourteen using shotguns and anyone under eighteen from possessing one. The Government tells us they are going to put more policemen back on the beat to improve law and order. Rather than doing anything serious about the fact that 96% of all armed crime in this country is carried out with illegally held weapons, they want the police to re-inspect the security arrangements of law-abiding certificate holders and charge us at least twice as much for the privilege of doing so. Even senior police officers have admitted that the pistol ban has been totally ineffective in reducing armed crime.
What we really need to do, instead of wasting time and money changing the name of our organisation, is to get our message over to the Government by making sure that we and all our family, our fellow shots and all their families and the landowners, over whose land we shoot, and all their families attend the march in London, now postponed until early May. Just as important, all these fine people must register with the Countryside Alliance Registration Hotline (0906 788 1680), together with all the people who cannot march. You don't have to be a member but you do need to be counted. It is estimated that for every one person who marched last time there were at least two or three people that stayed behind to look after family, pets, livestock, businesses or property and these people must be counted too.
In conclusion, bug... political correctness, we need to fully support all the shooting organisations together with all the other countryside organisations who are fighting to preserve our right to enjoy our way of life and to prevent the politics of envy from a minority who wish to destroy it. If you are still worried about 'portraying the wrong image' don't because Blair has the answer - you won't be able to afford the image. A full lead ban will more than triple the cost of your cartridges, your certificate cost has already doubled, your new gun will cost more as your RFD will pass on the increased cost of his permit, there will be no youngsters coming in to form the future of the sport and finally you won't be able to have any lessons because I and my fellow coaches won't have enough pupils to fund our shooting schools. Perhaps this is the cost we have to pay for 'education, edcucation, education'.
These are my personal opinions
Bruce Ross-Smith.