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 TTAG final

By Coyote Black

I am a 23 year old guy and I identify as “liberal” as there is really no better term for where my political mindset would fall. I don’t trust any governing body to be quite honest. I am also heavily tattooed including most of my face. I work full time as a body piercer and wear skinny jeans with motorcycle jackets. I’m not super tall, I’m not very athletic and I usually write for one of the most popular body modification websites out there. I am quite possibly, at first glance, the last person you may think would read TTAG . . .

If you look at the things I listed above in a different light, my story will start to unfold for you. However different I may look, I’m a business owner, husband, father and hell of a good friend. I have about a million good reasons to be a gun owner, and I’m sure you do, too when you really think about it.

I wish my journey into gun ownership would have started earlier. I have a horrible anxiety disorder where I fear irrational and impossible things as if they were actually right in front of me. After getting married and becoming a father my anxieties were only amplified tenfold. I talked to a good friend named Sean about deciding to carry/own and he referred me to a few articles on this very website (thanks dude, seriously!).

I visited a few local gun shops and felt completely confident in what I wanted. I got a few weird stares, visited some bum shops, but eventually got to where I needed to be. I knew I was stepping out of my usual comfort zone and the gentleman who ran my background check seemed a little too surprised that I “passed with flying colors.” As did the police officer who gave me my CCW permit.

I’m not an expert on firearms or anything and I can’t in good faith tell you that I’d fit in at a gun raffle. I can however tell you that the scope of gun ownership is so much bigger than what many people may think or bicker about daily. I don’t believe that everything is as black and white as I see it made out to be, and it certainly hasn’t been for me.

I go to the range once a week, I carry, and my anxieties have been cut down to a fraction of what they once were. I’m not saying owning a firearm “cured” my anxiety disorder, but it has been better therapy for me than I ever thought it would. I love shooting, and I love the feeling of security that I’ve been missing my whole life. I don’t feel my gun is a crutch, it’s a tool that I can use responsibly and properly. I’ll say with 100% certainty I would fight with all my power to continue owning and carrying my whole life — “liberal” or not.

I encourage everyone even remotely curious about gun ownership to visit your local shop and ask a ton of questions. I don’t care what “demographic” you fall under. Fear frequently comes from not understanding, and the best way to understand something is to dive in and learn everything you can.

The range/shop I go to (shout out to A&S in Youngwood, PA) as well as many others offer gun rentals to try out a broad spectrum of firearms before buying. Get comfortable with shooting, listen to advice, and be confident. A lot of people are excited and happy to get you where you need to be, regardless of your social status or appearance. I hear all too often “I could never see myself carrying a gun”. I thought the same thing for a long time, but a lot of that was stemming from the fear of the unknown. When you get familiar you get comfortable, when you’re comfortable you can handle your firearm safely and with purpose.

I’d like to sincerely thank TTAG, my buddy Sean again, and every single person who has helped me without even a split second of judgement based on my personal preferences or appearance. I have been welcomed into this group with more open arms than dirty looks and I feel like we could all use a little more of that mentality. Sure, I’ve faced a bit of adversity here and there…but overall I’m more than pleased to be part of the community and the community seems to be happy to have individuals like myself.

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129 COMMENTS

    • YES!

      Plenty of guys like you that shoot at my local range, Iron Sights in Oceanside, and plenty of active marines with ink, but no piercings.

      Do what you love, live free, die free. Cliche ain’t it, but it’s damned true.

    • The writer of this article is clearly a classical liberal.. Not the radical leftist progressives that have taken over the term. By today’s standards John F. Kennedy would be a Tea Party member, he was a rabid anti-communist, and pro-gun. Classical liberals don’t trust government, and want it out of their personal lives. Many people who claim to be conservative are simply classically liberal, in the 1960 Democratic Election sort of way.

      • I do not think the TEA Party would like this quote of JFK – “If by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal”, then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”

        • I too care about all of those things…..but how one achieves them determines your political philosophy.

          Liberals want government to give those things to all at the expense of some.

          Libertarians what people to attain those things via their own efforts.

          None of these things, however, is so important that they should come at the expense of liberty.

    • Even if not, the more gun-owners the better for gun rights. The gun-grabbing politicians who get in officer usually have to run in primaries first; wouldn’t it be nice if being anti-gun wasn’t a good thing in the D party (didn’t used to be!)?

    • Its pretty funny, I’ve got a friend who describes herself as basically anarchist LBGT. I consider myself something like conservative libertarian. She made the observation while we were climbing a volcano that there is A LOT of overlap in our political beliefs.

      People stick these labels on ourselves and clump in those groups, but most normal people agree other people, especially in far off places shouldn’t tell us how to live our lives. You run into problems with those people who believe they know better and that they should be the ones telling others what to do. She’s also a gun owner, btw.

      • Thank you for that…

        The unfortunate fact is that these days, if we don’t label ourselves, others will do it for us whether we like it or not; hence the proactive stance.

        As a result, a lot of people wear labels that don’t quite sit correctly.

        • I’d start with “career-limiting” when they’re on your face. Whatever job you have when you ink your face, neck or hands is probably as far as you’re going. If you’re happy with it, cool. Yes, I cheated and connected 2 words with a hyphen.

  3. Welcome to TTAG. The comments you will receive will not allay your anxieties, alas.

    I have several tattoos, two by the great Patti Kelly, early in her career. 28 years later or so, they are still in nearly-perfect condition.

    Not into piercings at all, but I have no problem with yours. Keep shootin’.

  4. welcome dude! glad to have you. congratulations for taking responsibility for you and your family’s safety and for educating yourself about something that many ignorantly fear.

    i was in your shoes once myself .

  8. While you don’t fit my image of a gun owner, I’m happy you are one. Not for us but for you and your family.

    Sometime lookup up “Lubys Massacre” on wiki. Also lookup Suzanna Hupp.

    After reading about it, the number of people (a large crowd won’t protect you and yours) and learning her story and watching a video of her taking apart some Texas legislatures I decided to carry.

    • Most don’t fit the image of a gun owner.

      simply because it is a RIGHT that predates us by generations.

    • I got on the phone with Limbaugh in… 08 or 09? After he made a remark about “leftists” invading Tea Party rallies. You know; the guys with shaved heads, and tattoos. The kind that clearly don’t fit in. I called in a few days later and explained to him that I was one of those people who didn’t fit in. EXACTLY what he described with the tattoos, the shaved head, and the facial piercings. I also attended with my toddler daughter, carrying a sign about my military service. A few years before that I was in the police academy and out on an injury. (Hey Sgt. Hayes, is your mind blown?) I am/was the poster child for what the tea party was originally about: ordinary AND extraordinary Americans who recognized that sh*t was all sorts of f*cked up and needed to be changed.

      I look like a skinhead, but I’m not. Too often, when I run into one (I swear if there is one in my county, they find me) they refer to me as “brother.” My swift and stern reply EVERY time is that I am not their brother. No honest, morally grounded man or woman can abide that kind of fear and hatred. As such we have to accept people for their qualities, not their faults. We, people of the gun, come from all walks of life. The running gag around TTAG is that gun owners are OFWGs. It’s a gag because we all know it isn’t true. We’re not “brothers,” we’re compatriots. I disagree politically with most people here, but I’ll defend your right to be wrong to the death.

      Coyote Black: I’m so glad you found something to lessen your fear. I would point out that your therapy likely isn’t the “power” of the gun so much as the empowerment, which is an important distinction. I’m also f*cking stoked that you came out not only with an admission to your politics, but your looks and personality. Carry on and welcome to the fold, bud.

      • For the record, the vast majority of young people who call themselves Skinheads ARE NOT RACIST or Nazis. The Skinhead youth sub-culture is yet another casualty of mainstream media fear mongering and hype. Being a Skinhead (in and of itself) has absolutely nothing to do with racism whatsoever. Not only are most Skinheads NOT RACIST, many Skinheads aren’t even white.

        I realize that for many of you older folks or people from rural areas, this might not make sense because the only so-called “Skinheads” you ever hear about are Nazi lunatics on the nightly news. Consider “Bikers” as an example. Just because some bikers are violent career criminals, or involved in distributing hard drugs, that certainly doesn’t mean that every guy on a Harley wearing a leather jacket is a criminal. A good portion of the yuppies in my neighborhood look like Hells Angels on a typical Sunday afternoon.

        The non-racist Skinheads I met were clean cut, patriotic, drug free, and prided themselves on having a very strong work ethic. They were tough and smart kids who basically rebelled in the opposite direction than their parents generation did. But they were NOT racist.

  10. I sympathize with you being a young liberal, i was too. But the sooner you break that bad judgment, and go libertarian or conservative, the sooner you will help preserve your ability to own, live, and love guns. Your fellow liberals and progressives want to take your guns and punish you… and a small business owner? me too.. wise the f up!!!!

    • It seems to me that Mr. Black is more of a classic liberal, not what passes for liberals these days. Today’s liberal/progressive movement is a statist movement. And unfortunately half the conservative movement today is a bunch of statists too.

      It’s pretty tough out there right now in politics land, especially once you break yourself of the government’s desire to shoe horn you into the 2 party system. I despise the Republican and Democrat platforms equally because I feel that they’re one in the same with a couple of opposing special interest issues tossed in to keep the populace complacent.

      I lean libertarian, but I’m not a Libertarian. I’m all for personal and fiscal responsibility and I believe people should be able to do whatever they want as long as it doesn’t harm others. But at the same time I have compassion for my fellow man and feel like in a country as advanced and resourceful as ours that there shouldn’t be people who want for food, shelter, and medical attention.

      There’s not a single political party or candidate that fits my beliefs and I’m god damn sick and tired for voting for the lesser of many evils. I think and hope that a lot of people my age (36) and younger are as disenfranchised with the political system as I am. I hope that in my lifetime the 2 party system will get f@#ked.

  12. Welcome, given your opening bio, you may be more “libertarian” than “liberal” — either way welcome to the armed intelligentsia.

    • This. Many people think they are liberal, but really are not. They look at social issues, and decide to he democrats. Many are just libertarians and do not realize it. Don’t get blinded by the two party system

  14. Ive never even given a moments thought to what a gun owner looks like.
    Nor is it important to me one bit.
    What is important is you have joined the club and I whole heartedly support you and you reasoning for doing so.
    Welcome to you.

  15. Nice to hear a member of our community share their story. Maybe this could be a new TTAG series? Profiles of gun owners, both new and experienced, young and old, across the states?

  16. I can’t be the only person who’s thinking this right now. I couldn’t care less about your tats our your piercings, I’ve got/had my share. Glad to see you educating yourself and transitioning to a person of the gun. Welcome.. Seriously. But guns as a cure for a self described “horrible anxiety”? I don’t own or carry guns because I’m afraid, I do so because I’m not afraid. It sounds like you’re being proactive in seeking help learning how to be a responsible gun owner. I also hope you’re seeking help with your anxiety disorder. Might want to get started on how you process threats while you carry around a deadly weapon. Jeez.. We know antis read this site. Who decided to publish this MDA/MAIG wet dream?

    • I would bet that 85% of the married men on this site have had a full blown scream fest with their SO, while having a gun on their hip, and that even the thought of using it in anger in anyway never crossed their mind.

      maybe when they went to lay down on the couch, cause they lost the argument, they wondered how anyone could ever be the first to point a gun in true anger.

      • I just had a full-blown scream fest with my father in law and we were both armed and had beers in hand (Oh sh*t, yea guns and alcohol!?!?!?!?!?!?) Even after some chest bumping and a lot of nastiness, neither one of us had even considered drawing.

    • Really? Because the wonderful zen-like experience of putting small holes in a target ain’t one hell of a way to reduce stress. And everyone who has ever taken a Xanax is about to snap. If MDA/MAIG is going to use the depression/anxiety angle to disarm America, they have a pretty big contingent to fight.

  17. Might want to use a pseudonym like “tattoo man” or something so we can recognize your posts. We fall into far too few groups of opinions, yours may well be new to us. And maybe I can yell at you easier. For now, get this; welcome, friend.

  18. Welcome aboard! The people of the gun come in all sorts of colors and stripes and I guess skinny jeans too. Not bothered at all for another that embraces personal responsibility and liberty for the God given Right of self defense. Would be interested to know if you have brought any newbs out to range and they too have made transition with eyes awakened?

  20. Coyote is one of the many who is breaking the stereotype of what a gun owner looks like. I can definitely relate to Coyote (except for the tattoos,skinny jeans,and being a liberal) about being not a person who you would think would be a gun owner. Being Black and into guns surprises many. But the ones who have embrace me with open arms from the very start of me looking into firearms is fellow gun owners.

  22. Glad you joined the family, Mr. Black. As dysfunctional and catty we can sometimes be, I think you’ll be right at home.

  23. Nice post. But it’ll be even nicer when it’s not relevant what a person wears, looks like, does in his free time, etc. when discussing our favorite topic.

  24. This ties into something something I’ve said for a while. That we, as the 2A community, should try to distance ourselves from the idea of automatically lumping ‘Liberals’ and ‘Antis’ into one group. Doing so does more harm than good.

    Of course I’m not blind to the fact that they do tend to go hand in hand. But I do believe it’s a trend that we can change simple by showing out ‘lefty’ friends some respect and understanding. That and by not judging a book by it’s proverbial cover. That’s especially poignant for me, given my chosen icon. ^,,^

  25. You look utterly different than I do, you hold views I disagree with (some of them probably quite deeply held) and we may well support causes that would anger each other greatly.
    That doesn’t matter.
    You are no less an American, no less a man, no less a human being, and you have no less a right to bear whatever arms you see fit to defend yourself and those you love, and I’m glad to see you exercise that right.

  26. When I read this, I had to comment on one thing. The comment about cutting down anxieties really resonated. On the way home from our weekly range trip, my wife and I always comment on how relaxed it makes us feel. There is something about practicing (and we practice skills) that focuses your mind, uses your body in new ways, and causes you to breathe properly, that really calms and soothes. The feeling is very strong and in some ways similar to the high after exercising (bike riding for instance).

    Welcome. I hope you also get your family into shooting at the proper times. Thanks for telling your story.

  27. Good for you! There is nothing wrong with being a “real” Liberal in the fact that, a real, or nowadays, “classical liberal” or “libertarian” would never be as anti second amendment as todays “liberals” are. What we today call “liberals” are not liberals. They are statists, socialists, communists, and fascists. The name today means not what it was originally intended for.

  28. YES!!!!

    1. To the author “Coyote Black:”
    I’m a 31 yr old “conservative” punk rocker in the Monroeville area. Let’s meet up some time and do some shooting, especially if you want to do some outdoor range shooting or try some long guns.

    2. To the TTAG community:
    I think there should be more of this on the site. Fight the OFWG image; we are diverse! The mainstream media wants to make guns an emotional/social issue SO let’s give it right back to them. Every time some egotist or gun-control group says something along the lines of “I want to give $50 million to fight the NRA,” then we need to turn that statement into “X person/group wants to spend $50 million to shut down an organization founded on helping free African Americans fight against violence and racism.”

    • This, and f*ck yes this! The OFWG DOESN’T represent us…. You two get together, post pictures, and tell your friends.

    • I’m a 40 year old who grew up playing in Punk and Hardcore bands. I distanced myself from the whole punk rock label because most punks are just politically correct ultra liberals or commies now. I actually split from a fairly well known band from the 1990’s (right before they achieved some level of widespread popularity and success) because I couldn’t get on board with the politics the rest of the band had to profess to achieve they (relative) success that they enjoyed.

      I commented on one of the responses to a post above that mentioned Skinheads. Your a punk rocker, you should know, try telling some of these OFWG’s that most Skinheads are in fact NOT racists.

  29. If you don’t trust any governing body then you are not a liberal- they like using the coercive power of govnt to force their equality on everyone.

  30. Great post & welcome. Espousing our natural rich to self defense IS liberating, isn’t it! As a father as well, I can easily understand the thought process that brought you yo this point. You give “Stay Calm & Carry” new meaning!

  31. There are so many gun owners that don’t fit the OFWG stereotype but the MSM won’t acknowledge that. When I first started working so many people I worked with were shocked when they added me on Facebook and saw that I had tattoos and owned guns.

      • Hope you understand that it was sarcasm in the extreme. I have said it before. I don’t believe gun ownership somehow gives you a free pass. Each man owns his life. Is responsible for all he is. As Grace Slick once said on a different topic, “if you’re a creep and you smoke dope, you are just a stoned creep.”

        • Ok, I missed the figurative “sarcasm off/”, TK, Sincere apologies! My bad! Like the Grace Slick quote! Agree with your other comments, too. Peace!

    • I was going to suggest that Burke’s comment above about the comments section here was overly pessimistic but… guess you proved him right.

  33. Congratulations Mr. Black on seeing the light. A typical gun owner only exists in the warped minds of the blamestream media and the government. I became acquainted with a young man such as yourself through my 4 wheeling club. A highly skilled tattoo artist and piercer who also happened to enjoy guns and 4 wheeling. With thirty some years age difference we have quite a few interest in common. Great guy who takes and gives a ribbing good naturedly. Ribbed him a while back about him gauging his ear lobes. I mentioned the holes were the perfect size for 12 gauge shells. Handy storage when two extra shells might be needed. Grosses me out when his lobes are just flapping in the wind. He’s married with a cute little girl, I could count on him watching my back and me his. Sadly he moved to California where he could make a lot more money. I’m glad I accepted him for his uniqueness.

  34. If you don’t trust the government you’re not a liberal. You’re something else. I have black acquaintances who own guns who are leftwing. They do a disconnect when I tell them Obama & most Democrats want to disarm them. People ASSUME all kinds of stupid crap about me too. Don’t concern yourself with others opinions Coyote Black. From an evil old white man married to a beautiful black woman.

  35. Coyote, your story gives me hope that we, Americans, can overcome the deep divisiveness that is hurting our Country today. The key is that you were not judged by your appearance, but “by the content of your character”, to paraphrase one famous American. I hope your experience begins to spread so we can put an end to the destructive political/social polarization, the “hate-speak”, stereotyping and intolerance that has crippled these United States in the past twenty or thirty years.
    Thanks and welcome to “The People of the Gun”!

  36. Welcome Coyote- not into tats myself, but those look pretty cool, and welcome to the Armed Intelligentsia, where what you look like matters not a bit- only that you think for yourself, support individual liberty, and are willing to defend yourself and your own.

  37. I was a little like that when I was younger. I eventually became aware of reality and became a conservative. Then a friend suggested I might be a libertarian.

  38. Over the last ten years or so the gun nut crowd has evolved, more inclusive of the pop generation. The Tacticool movement has made it en vogue to own weapons. To tell you the truth I think its for the better. Most owners are just a responsible as my grandfathers generation and might even be more enthusiastic about it. I love talking shop with anybody, liberal or not. Its a club, welcome to it!

    • Unfortunately things like Aurora and Sandy Hook happened at an opportune time for gun grabbers. I have many friends, some who I talk to less these days unfortunately, who are very liberal and were starting to come around to the possibility of accepting the ownership & fun in a thing like an AR-15 and AK-47. Some of them watched “Sons of Guns” and thought “wow that looks like fun!” One even brought everyone to the range as part of his bachelor party.

      Then politics happened, and some of them reeled back on those ideas, and decided guns were bad again, and political acceptance of firearms ownership has lost & gained many supporters since then.

  40. TTAG works hard to turn off gun owners with other points of view, This is refreshing but you’ll soon backslide into anti-Dem rants and turn off a lot of potential voters. When you resort to childish crap like Obummer and Hickenpooper, you just turn off the all-powerful swing voters. Hey, there are a lot of us that support those guys who still love our 2A. Instead of turning off “progressives” with your rhetoric, convince them to be allies to work from within to make practical, enforceable laws.

    • the swing voters are f*cking retarded if they are still actively supporting democrats at this stage in the game.

      Take it from me – I was a hardcore Obama shill in ’08. Couldn’t have been more wrong about the whole democrat party. The last six years have been a huge eye-opener for me.

  41. There is way too much politics attached to gun ownership. I am a “very liberal” guy. I attend an Ivy League school, a place where hoplophobia is rampant. I am also a combat veteran and a gun owner. The sooner the gun community stops lumping liberal in with anti-gun the better, you guys might just find you have some very influential supporters in unexpected places. I am 27 years old for the record. Keep up the good work and keep showing that there is no “one” gun owner for the media to stereotype.

    • This, so much this. Human rights should be a bipartisan issue. Constitutional rights should be a bipartisan issue. Everyone should support the right of a free citizen, a free *person*, to carry their personal arms without interference.

      I’m a liberal, too. I own a gun, and I carry it when the law allows– I’m in Wyoming, but I live in public housing– but that doesn’t make me a conservative, doesn’t make me GOP. And it’s more than just the social issues. Sure, I support gay marriage and the right to abortion. But I also support continued and increased funding for the public schools. I support Social Security, and TANF, and SNAP. I support *real* healthcare reform, full-on socialized medicine, and not this Obamacare– *Romneycare*– corporate tyranny. I support Defense cuts and tax hikes. (Because, unlike either GOP or Dems, I support fiscal responsibility.) I’m not a “libertarian in training”; I was a libertarian years ago and I grew out of it.

      But when it comes to my right to keep and bear arms, I stand *with* you. I stand with the NRA, even though Nugent disgusts me. I stand with the GOA, and the SAF, and the JPFO and the Pink Pistols. When it comes to my gun rights, I’ll stand with anyone who will stand with me.

      And that’s how human rights *should* work, in any civilized country.

    • I see your point, anonymous. I will keep it in mind in future posts since I have been guilty as hell of stringing “liberal” in along with “socialist”, “progressive”, “statist”…ALL in reference to the extreme leftists who want to establish a single-payer health care system, regulate and tax businesses into paralysis, cut veterans’ benefits and pay, take ever more money from the wealthy, disarm The People, and increase the national debt to the point of collapsing the U.S. economy (the short list). I have used silly words for the POTUS who seems to be shepherding these destructive agendas along and several of his other stooges.
      I really do see your point, so I will stop stringing the term “liberal” into the other references to the extreme left ( i don’t think I ever used the term “libtard” too often, but it’s out, too) and calling Obama and minions silly names as a gesture of good will, because I also DO recognize their are liberal thinkers who are far closer to center than those extremists. That’s fair. We need diversity to make the Republic work as it should. I really believe that. The “hate-speak” needs to end.
      Apology in advance, but I will continue to use “Obamacare” in reference to “The Affordable Care Act” because I just cannot grace that abominable fiasco with any other term.
      At this point, I can only hope younger Americans will put an end to this madness and get the country back on track to prosperity and liberty. The key to that is breaking the stranglehold the extreme left has on the Federal and many State Governments.
      I’ve only got 25-30 years left, but it bothers me greatly that you and your children may never have what I’ve had insofar as quality of life and opportunity. I got to live “the American Dream” and I hope you do, too. The Constitutional Republic, individual liberty, the rule of The People via the Republic, respect for life, equality for all under the law, respect for the law at all levels and free enterprise are the other keys. Tell me what else I can do.

      • Start with an in-depth reading of history. Obama isn’t a radical leftist. Taxes on the wealthy are nowhere near what they were when you were growing up–taxes that financed your shot at the American dream. That–along with learning the actual meaning of the terms you were throwing around–will do more to curb your inappropriate and counterproductive labeling of people then seeing more gun-loving, self-described liberals (like me) on fine blogs like this one.

        • Technically Barak Obama is a Democratic Socialist, which includes the members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (of which Obama was a Member until he became POTUS). These groups start out left of center left and get more extreme the farther left their ideology takes them. So, while Mr. Obama may not be as far left as the closet avowed communists/Stalinists who support him and are in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government now, he is not doing anything to discourage them, either. As The Bard’s Juliet said “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
          By any other name would smell as sweet.”
          Individual Income Tax Rates were highest in 1960 and subsequently cut by Congress, Presidents Regan, Clinton and George W. Bush and “simplified” by reducing the brackets from 24 to the present seven during this process. In some cases IITR cuts were offset by other taxes, and Obama added the seventh bracket in 2012 to get higher taxes from those making over $450 K. So, his Administration definitely raised taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Verify these statements at

          http://taxfoundation.org/article/us-federal-individual-income-tax-rates-history-1913-2013-nominal-and-inflation-adjusted-brackets

          So, Pseudo, I know what I am talking about and you desperately need to re-evaluate your response to proffered “Olive Branches”. I will keep my promise to anonymous to avoid silly names for Obama and his minions and refer to Obama and the extreme left as Democratic Socialists because I recognize the “hate-speak” on both sides has to stop. There should be room for both Liberal and Conservative thinking in the U.S., and there will continue to be extreme elements on both the left and the right, but the extremes need to be marginalized because they are dangerous to the Republic. I will not compromise on the defense of American’s Constitutionally protected rights, nor accept the further encroachment of Socialism as an economic model. It failed miserably in the so-called Communist States and is failing miserably in the Post WWII European States. It’s greatest triumph in the U.S. is Obamacare and it is a class-A disaster. We can all only hope the Democratic Socialists don’t completely crash the already weakened U.S. economy. Obama has already increased the National Debt by $6.87 Trillion (more than one and a half times the increase of George W. Bush) in five years, so he’s on track to increase it by $10+ Trillion by the end of his Second Term(that would be more than $20 Trillion, which exceeds the Gross National Product by more than $5.5 Trillion.

          President Obama’s Approval Rating has fallen below that of Jimmy Carter at times and if he doesn’t wise-up, HE will be remembered as the worst President in U.S. History, and you and your descendents will pay for his incompetence for scores of years ahead. Have fun with that.

  42. Welcome, CB! After practicing law for over 30 years, I can tell you that it’s not the guys with tats that concern me. It’s the guys in suits. Although skinny jeans are only a slightly less suspicious fashion choice.

  43. Coyote Black: Welcome to the gun. You should bring more friends and skinny jeans into the fold. We are largely out numbered here.

  45. “the gentleman who ran my background check seemed a little too surprised that I “passed with flying colors.” As did the police officer who gave me my CCW permit.”

    Gotta call BS on that part. Very few people fail background checks while trying to legally purchase firearms, so that part won’t surprise anyone, skinny jeans or not. Perhaps you’ve been judged on your choices regarding personal appearance so much you were reading too much into their expressions. Hard to say.

    Anyway, the gun range is a great place to make friends with folks you wouldn’t otherwise associate with. We all share deeply held feelings about our rights, responsibilities and liberties. It’s all good.

  46. I don’t care who you are, what you look like, what you do or who you associate with. If you want to be a member of the tribe and support the tribe, the welcome to the tribe I say. 🙂

  47. Welcome to the club brother! If you find yourself in the Bloomsburg area, come on down and we’ll go get some range time together!

  48. Thanks for the reminder. The ties that bind are much stronger than the differences that seek to drive us apart.

  49. @Ralph,

    Indeed. Its easy to fear the classic armed bandito bank robber. Politicians and such just “legally” rob the bank from the inside with taxation policies, predatory loans, high interest rates, and taxes.

    @CB,

    Welcome to the fold.

  50. You people keep grouping everyone into political parties. That’s where you’ve been brainwashed…People from all walks of life believe different things. We all are people and unique

  52. Everytime I see someone with a bunch of ink, I just have to think “Wow, I could have bought a lot of guns and ammo with that money.”

    Power to ya’ though brother. Your money; your body; your choice.

  53. I thought it was a TCP at first from the size and also the shape of the trigger guard but the sights are too … useful to be a TCP. Anyone have any guesses or answers to what gun he’s got? 709?

  55. …and the gentleman who ran my background check seemed a little too surprised that I “passed with flying colors.” As did the police officer who gave me my CCW permit.

    A lot of people in law enforcement have to interact with people who use tats to indicate affiliation and associations, not personal expression. So when they see someone with a lot of body art, well, aesthetics isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.

  58. As long as we are loyal to each other through the constitution who cares the label we affix to ourselves? Tyrants hide behind the labels hoping that our bias toward the other will blind us to the real evil the politicians pose to all of us.

  59. “I am quite possibly, at first glance, the last person you may think would read TTAG.”

    Uh….correction: you’re quite possibly, at first glance, the last person YOU may think would read TTAG. I don’t speak for the rest of TTAG’s readers and contributors, but the expansive span of individuality I’ve personally witnessed among them in my couple or so years visiting the site has been awe inspiring. The occasional, ironic reference to OFWGs aside, the fact is that TTAG readers come in just about every flavor there is; including young guys in skinny jeans (Oh wait, I just now saw what you did there.) I take exception to a self-professed liberal’s displacement that he’s the oh so eye-popping black swan.

    Firearms freedom and the underlying set of God-given rights it represents transcend liberalism, conservatism or even libertarianism (whatever that means). I’m less interested in your political origins or destinations, your personal appearances or dimensions, than I am in the fact that you’ve fairly confidently asserted yourself, accepted your responsibilities and embarked on the path of Individualism. Consider it the road *from* serfdom, and I welcome you as a fellow traveler.

  60. “I don’t trust any governing body to be quite honest.”
    Sorry, but that is the antithesis of a “Liberal”, as currently defined. They are statist, and put all faith and power in the Government.
    Otherwise, have fun at the range ;o)
    Glad to have you aboard

    • Might be the antithesis of a liberal but not of a patriot. Fact is one can be a liberal and a patriot. They are not mutually exclusive and republicans/conservatives do not have a corner on that market.

      • Has nothing to do with “patriotism”. Many of the most hardcore members of the Communist Party in the
        Soviet Union were true patriots of their country. Nazis were mostly patriots.
        I’m not decrying Patriots, or Patriotism, mind you, just saying that a Statist can be a Patriot. The Tories that fought for the Crown were Patriots. The Liberals are statists. Their devotion to the state is little short of religious, and they feel that the state can cure all problems, and that the state can be relied on to protect us. Far from distrusting the Government, they adore it

  61. Nice tattoos. Let me guess – was it an uncle? Family friend? Scout master? Priest?

    The reason people look at you funny is because you look funny. I mean, you didn’t do that to your face so people would look at your shoes, did you? Now that you have a kid, you’ll become experienced consoling him/her when he/she gets bullied because of how daddy looks. I bet your tattoos will affect whether other parents let their kids hang out with your kid too.

    Comment moderated in 3..2..1..

  62. I wait for the day where every post is about guns, ammo and what to do with them.
    Until then, the more of all of us of different strips need to show ourselves and our numbers and our political diversity to have politicians stay out of our lives.
    Mr Black broadens the spectrum for politicians to see all colors are not to be ignored.
    At that point we should be able to ignore the politicians.

  63. Welcome. It’s good to see someone else of a similar political persuasion. I don’t think the community here is quite as broad as some members believe/want it to be judging by the bulk of the political comments on this site. I love this and a handful of other online gun communities for information about guns. The political stuff often falls too far to the right. Take in the guns with gusto and all else with caution.

  65. Welcome. Would you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and impressions about the NRA? I ask because there have been several posts about the need for the NRA to reach out beyond the stereotypical image. No big deal but it would interesting insight.

  66. Welcome to the other side. The look of a gun owner? Any law abiding citizen that owns a gun. Your tats are just that….yours. not my concern. Skinny jeans….well my fat ass couldn’t wear. Wouldn’t either, again that’s your choice. Be safe and enjoy the therapy.

  67. Ha, I think I have you beat. I’m 42 and I’ve been a vegetarian for 27 years. I own more guns than anyone else I know. I shoot about 1000rds a month, go to courses, can draw and place one round in the upper chest at 5 yds from concealment in 1.75s.

    Yupe. Not to mention my 7 NFA items. 🙂

  68. My only concern about the picture is how the gent is holding his handgun. I’d suggest learning a good strong Isosceles stance, arms out, elbows locked, bend from waist, much easier to get into this stance consistently, as opposed to the stance in the photo.

    Tats? Whatever, it’s your face. I think it is a really stupid move to ink up your face, but … ‘Merica.

  69. CB –
    Glad to have you.

    I have a couple of words of advice to you, though. They’re worth at least what you paid for them.

    1) Stop calling yourself ‘liberal’ unless you’re a statist who believes in things like white guilt and equal opportunity. That word has been stolen by people who want nothing more than to take your guns away. I get it- BUT THEY’RE USING IT WRONG!! That doesn’t matter; you’re lending support to a dangerous political movement.

    2) Stop talking about your anxiety so publicly. It could very well be used against you in the near future. There’s a lot of talk about intensifying background checks (the web sure is a great tool for those…) and making mental health checks a requirement for firearms ownership real soon. Lots of other things can go south, too – for example, if you ever want to get your private pilot’s license, you could be denied simply because you wrote an article that said you sometimes feel unreasonably anxious.

    Be careful out there, man. There are people (who you currently self-describe as affiliates) who want to take your happiness away from you. OPSEC, brother.

    Keep your powder dry.

  71. This is what I love to see, and why I wrote those pieces the last couple years. My refrain has not changed.

    The only litmus test for 2A support is 2A support.

    And we are actually stronger when people who agree with us on 2A disagree on other matters, be it immigration, abortion, DOMA or whatever.

    Coyote, if we ever meet, you may get mocked for the jeans, but I promise you it will be in good fun, and we are glad to have you aboard.

  72. Welcome to our world. There is no standard definition of a gun owner. Many democrats and liberals are pro gun esp in the south. It’s the so called “Progressives” who attack freedom and want to dictate people’s lives. They only support..
    1. Immigration reform
    2. Legalization of weed
    3. LGBT causes
    ….Because they need votes and they have no American ideals to stand on.
    They don’t care about immigration, weed or gays….just their votes. They want a dictatorship in this country where they can rule from on high.
    We accept all who want to exercise the freedom of the 2nd amendment. We most certainly don’t all agree all the time, but we accept all who come our way.

  73. “Fear frequently comes from not understanding, and the best way to understand something is to dive in and learn everything you can.”

    Great philosophy, especially for firearms. Now for spiders…hell no.

  74. Kudos to you, Coyote, and welcome to the People of the Gun! I actually am a OFWG to all appearances, but appearances are deceiving, my attitude and outlook is something quite different. Been trying to shed some weight though, it just comes off slower the older I get. Not important.

    Anyway, keep doing what you do and be happy doing it.

  75. Welcome, Coyote! Sounds like your tats also work as advertising for your business. Good for you!

    I don’t fit the mainstream media stereotype either. No tats, but I look more like a city girl running around with nerd-girl pigtails most of the time. Got some odd looks on my first trips to gun shows and into gun stores. Didn’t take long for folks to get to know me and my passion for 1911s.

    These days, my votes are almost entirely 2nd Amendment, with the Constitution as my single-issue. I can say with confidence that I am neither Liberal nor Conservative. And as for Dem vs GOP, they have become pretty much the same -both like to screw us over and manipulate us into believing that it’s the other party’s fault.

    Thanks for speaking up. It’s important for more 2A supporters and the otherwise indifferent folks to see how diverse we are.

  76. a didactic guzzi mechanic friend once observed to me that motorcyclists were all also into either guns or guitars. it oftentimes holds up. like the first cubs scout thing you do with your kid- you have to watch and figure out where the beer is stashed. the scouting creed makes it forbidden, but you can spot the thirsty ones. ‘stereotypes are real time savers’ and all, but once i figure out that you dig vacuum tube audio, motobikees, barley wine or .44mag you will hear my wife breathe a sigh of relief: ‘we can stay’. here in n. rogers park/ s. wilmette we are surrounded by aliens. they all look to me like gun owners, but only some understand and are tolerant. and many of them have more shite in and on their face than others. find that common thread.

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