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Appleseed article in The Pitch is out

Started by SebalLudington, September 28, 2010, 09:42:47 PM

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TruTenacity

"We are fighting for our country, for posterity perhaps.  On the success of this campaign the happiness or misery of millions may depend."  Henry Knox

"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."  Galatians 6:9

Piker

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson

henschman

QuoteA passing driver might mistake the scene for a well-armed tailgate party.

They are here -- on an old goat farm in Humansville, Missouri, on Labor Day weekend -- to learn how to squeeze off a kill shot from 500 yards.

O0 O0 O0
"Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law,' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual."
-- Thomas Jefferson to Isaac H. Tiffany, 1819

MamaBear

Having instructed at the shoot, I think this article is nothing short of an insult...she made us sound like a joke.  And I, personally was made to look like a complete fool (with regard to the "puking" comment)  She took a conversation that she wasn't even a part of and twisted it for entertainment value.  My original comment was: "I used to be so nervous to speak in public...so nervous in fact that I felt nauseated.  But Appleseed has really brought me out of my shell and allowed me to get up in front of those people I was so frightened to speak in front of  and speak from my heart with little fear." But of course, there's no entertainment in the truth... ++)

She also FAILS to mention that she not only slept in Paulette's home (GrammaGoats), but she also used her shower and ate our food for breakfast.  And we were happy to oblige- after all, we wanted to assure her that we were not some crazy right wing-nut women and that we had nothing to hide from anyone-not even a reporter from a liberal publication.  She also fails to mention that in her trunk was a small arsenal of rifles!  She brought an SKS, a 10-22, and...wait for it........a GARAND!!!!!!!  :~ :---  Turns out she has been shooting before with a male friend of hers...and LOVES IT!!!!  But again, no entertainment in telling the truth.

I thought some of her comments about Dinky were especially disparaging....what women wants to hear that she has a "linebacker's build"?


My skin in growing thicker by the day, but I can't help but feel hurt by the snarky words written about me and my fellow instructors  :'(  I guess I'm gonna have to grab buckets with both hands...and feet.

MB
"I would like to see every woman know how to handle firearms as naturally as they know how to handle babies."-Annie Oakley

'"A girl with a husband can be limited in what she can do. A girl with a rifle ain't got that problem." Calamity Jane

cmidkiff

No such thing as bad publicity (excepting your own obituary). 

A bit snarky? perhaps... have you ever read the Pitch before? I was not surprised that the article was less than flattering.  At least it's not the complete hatchet job I was half expecting!

MamaBear, don't let it get to you.  You're not the first to feel a bit nauseated at the idea of public speaking.  In any case, she did get the idea across that, despite your being uncomfortable with public speaking, you managed a touching, powerful presentation.  Having heard your presentation in the past, I can attest to the truth of that!

Hey, if it generates a bit of interest, and perhaps gets a few more folks on the line... Great!

eaglescouter

This serves as an excellent reminder that when you deal with reporters/ media/ journalists NOTHING IS OFF THE RECORD.  The tiniest thing you did not want printed will be the item that gets published.
Old Guy:  Do it long enough and you get really good at it.

Rifleman:  Sacramento:  Four Ought Nine
Full Distance:  Red Bluff:  What year was that?
Pistoleerâ„¢:  Hat Creek:  Three Twenty One

Make yourselves good scouts and good rifle shots in order to protect the women and children of your country if it should ever become necessary.
--Lord Baden-Powell
Scouting for Boys (1908)

The Machine

QuoteHaving instructed at the shoot, I think this article is nothing short of an insult...she made us sound like a joke.
Welcome to the "media" MamaBear!  &)
You and the other ladies can hop over to the 'Appleseed' facebook Page and set things straight...if you'd like: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Appleseed/109597865750

FWIW, I commend all of you for what sounds like a fine event.  O0
"I proudly support limited government and unlimited common sense"

"One of the great advantages of the American Revolution has been, that it led to a discovery of the principles, and laid open the imposition, of governments." - Thomas Paine 1792

"It does not take many words to speak the truth"

techres

Mama Bear,

We are open, kind, offering, and careful.  Sometimes we get a reporter who is great to us, even giving.  Sometimes we get a reporter who is not so great, even taking advantage.  So far, each and every one of these reports has helped our program significantly with increasing shooters on the line.  The individual press may not be perfect, or even fair, but the coverage has been a heaven send to us.

Thank you and the LS team for doing job #1 which is putting on a good shoot.  And between that and this report, you should feel good and be proud.  We learn with each media after action and this one is no different.  That is why we are pooling our resources and experiences to get real smart, real fast with the media nationwide.

But without any doubt, this article was a blessing to us even if it was one in disguise and even if the reporter did not mean it to be one.  It will help us with more shooters and potentially more ranges in the end.  Do not feel bad about that at all.

Everyone should keep an eye on the press suggestions & advice which are pooling in the instructor boards and at national.  Those tricks will help everyone.  But always keep in mind; we have not had a press interaction yet that has not helped us grow in the end.  None.

Good job!  It is a hard job, and a mucky one at times.  Wash it off, move on, share details where we can talk candidly and plan accordingly, and then move on happily into your next shoot.

And some day some red hat is going to tell you they went to their first shoot because of some crazy news article they read in the pitch,
Techres
Appleseed: Bringing the Past into the Present to save our Future.

TruTenacity

There seems to be more than one "national" Appleseed page on Facebook.  I posted the link here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20965705969&v=wall&ref=ts.  This page needs a bit of clean-up though as it has been hijacked by some advertisers.

TruT
"We are fighting for our country, for posterity perhaps.  On the success of this campaign the happiness or misery of millions may depend."  Henry Knox

"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."  Galatians 6:9

PHenry

#10
mamabear,
I saw right through her use of the crude vernacular as being of her own invention, as would I suspect, most people reading it. Any warm-blooded mammal would be inspired by this:
"Her speech is tearful, more serious and emotive than Dinky's was. "The sight of the Regulars (British regiment) was a breathtaking spectacle," she says, quoting a historical text from memory. "They looked like a ribbon of scarlet and white winding through the bright-green countryside, and their bayonets were glistening in the early morning sun."

We have to accept that the media is most often well biased. We have to embrace the horror of it and just keep doing what we are doing. History hath shewn that the Creator of all things prefers Liberty. I have faith that He will see us through. Our cause is just and our methods unimpeachable. So long as we behave in a manner that we would not be embarassed to have our dear mothers read about in the Sunday paper - we are golden - let the chips fall.

For the media, the SPLC, or the ADL to speak truly ill of us in plain terms would require a bald-faced lie. As Bama would say "I'm prouder than a game rooster to have rid with ya". Ya'll did a great job. Press is good - even when it is hard to stomach and full of innuendos and quasi-intellectual put downs.

At least she did make some decent observations, even if she failed to mention the hospitality she received (and yes, I noticed that also). "The day ends without any signs of a coup, or even a decent Obama joke."

I bet this is a lie: "Finally, she instructs the women to bring their weaponry to the firing line". $5 says Dinky said "Rifle".  :)

Bottom line: We cannot afford ourselves the luxury of insult. We are going to see a lot of this in coming years and we can't git our undies in a wad over every one. Facts are stubborn things and that fact is, we are a decent bunch of Americans working hard to make our country a better place. What has Nadia Pflaum done for America this year?

Congrats on running a good event under great pressure.  O0
Para ser Libre, un Hombre debe tener tres cosas. La Tierra, una Educacion, y un Fusil. Siempre, un Fusil!  Emiliano Zapata

Fred


     All that, true as it is, is great, but would it be entertaining to pick out the "dumbest thing" the reporterette said?

     I'm sure there'll be a lot of competition, but there's one thing she said that really is, truly, stupid.

     Not only stupid, but something we can hardly do (there - a hint!!).
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

mikaldulee

42

spitstickler

Quote from: TruTenacity on September 29, 2010, 03:42:06 PM
There seems to be more than one "national" Appleseed page on Facebook.  I posted the link here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20965705969&v=wall&ref=ts.  This page needs a bit of clean-up though as it has been hijacked by some advertisers.

TruT

If you are a Facebook user, you can "flag" these items and then "report" them as spam. This will not remove the content from the wall, (it only hides it from you) but will send an alert to Facebook. They may or may not delete the offending person's account and remove their posts. I imagine there is some threshold that has to be crossed (number of times reported, etc) before they do this.  

The admins for the page/group are the only ones that can immediately remove content from the wall they manage. It's something that requires daily attention and will be necessary to keep the page from being completely over-run with this kind of junk.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."  -Thomas Edison

zardoz

Thought I'd change my avatar to something more acceptable to these reporters since they like to jump on the militia.
To err is human, to forgive, Divine.
Neither of which is Marine Corps policy.

colycat

#15
That was the most entertaining article I have read on AS.  Loove the picture O0

Also, Love the part about 1 shot  one kill at 500 yrds.  Those damn deer are always out of range.  Makes me want to go to a AS. ^:)^

I actually liked this article so much, that I sent a link to our own outrageous talk show host, Vicky McKinna.

And, ofcousre offered her the world, if she will only come to Lodi in OCT, :)
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value."   T Paine

100

MamaBear

Quote from: Fred on September 29, 2010, 04:19:49 PM

     All that, true as it is, is great, but would it be entertaining to pick out the "dumbest thing" the reporterette said?

     I'm sure there'll be a lot of competition, but there's one thing she said that really is, truly, stupid.

     Not only stupid, but something we can hardly do (there - a hint!!).

Fred- might it be this??

"The group does not run background checks on its participants."    :D

Please tell me I got it on the first try!!   O0

MB
"I would like to see every woman know how to handle firearms as naturally as they know how to handle babies."-Annie Oakley

'"A girl with a husband can be limited in what she can do. A girl with a rifle ain't got that problem." Calamity Jane

sparks1

 I think she came looking for a militia training seminar and did not find it.

Her comment about not even hearing an Obama joke sounded like she wanted some sort of slip up to report on.

 Not a bad article, all in all, it does give Appleseed some publicity. The more people hear and read about AS then they will come. Or at least will have heard of us.

 Well done Ladies, well done indeed.
Integrity is easier to keep, than to regain.

The Truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great accomplishment. 
(John Maxwell)

The Machine

Quote"The group does not run background checks on its participants."  :D
Out of the entire article, that was THE ultimate statement of stupidity which rattled my cage.  ++) 
I believe you found Waldo, MamaBear!  ;D

"I proudly support limited government and unlimited common sense"

"One of the great advantages of the American Revolution has been, that it led to a discovery of the principles, and laid open the imposition, of governments." - Thomas Paine 1792

"It does not take many words to speak the truth"

Garand69

I'm With Colycat!!

My hair is a bit shaggy due to my Barber dieing on me and I always wanted to wear a Kilt.... I'm hitting the next Ladyseed  :D

Garand69

42

WSMR 03-10 ...SAPPER STEEL!!!!

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." - General George S. Patton Jr

"One can covet success or one can covet being Right, but if he covets both, he will achieve neither" - Stimey


Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is HOPELESS.
-Chester W. Nimitz

nadianadia

Hey guys, it's the "reporterette" in question,

I just wanted to post and say that if anyone would like to leave comments at our site, accessible via the first posted link, they are welcome to do so. No comments are moderated, censored or removed, and you can fill in all the "required" fields with nonsense and stuff like blahblahblah@blowyourself.com if you prefer to be anonymous.

Mama Bear, you were the last person I expected to offend with the story! The only reason that any of my first-person narrative was included at all (my first draft absolutely included mention of the centerfire rifles I brought to the shoot -- let's blame my editor for keeping my ego out of it) was *only* to highlight Paulette's hospitality, and yours, for inviting me to spend that night at Paulette's house. (And eat a bagel -- I admit it! But everyone paid for dinner, which was fantastic.) I knew that you'd puked before public speaking  previously because Dinky told the group as much before you did your rendition of the Second Strike. As for my description of Dinky, well, I'm a huge football fan, and have the utmost respect for the defensive line. She'd said things that led me to believe that she was perfectly comfortable in her own skin. But then, society is rough on us ladies. I've had my own physicality described online before and I know that no amount of thick skin keeps it from stinging, even if only a little.  

I have to run, so please don't take my failure to rebuke the allegations of "liberal bias" as an admission of such -- and I'll keep reading the forum, and if anyone has any questions for me that they'd like to ask privately, please email me at nadia.pflaum@pitch.com or call 816-218-6773.
Thanks!
Nadia Pflaum
Pitch Staff Writer

colycat

#21
nadianadia
Newbie

Me thinks you are one of us Americans, who want to restore the founding principals.  If, I m right, we need you, America needs you as well.  I thought is was a great article, and thank you so much for taking the time to do it.

Colycat, Senior Instructor,  AKA, Tony Bries

608/477/8254

Oh, and BTW, your description of Dinky,  A line backer,  yea she can be on my team anytime :---
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value."   T Paine

100

Fred

Quote from: MamaBear on September 29, 2010, 07:42:33 PM
Quote from: Fred on September 29, 2010, 04:19:49 PM

     All that, true as it is, is great, but would it be entertaining to pick out the "dumbest thing" the reporterette said?

     I'm sure there'll be a lot of competition, but there's one thing she said that really is, truly, stupid.

     Not only stupid, but something we can hardly do (there - a hint!!).

Fred- might it be this??

"The group does not run background checks on its participants."    :D

Please tell me I got it on the first try!!   O0

MB

    Yep, you got it on the first try - and were the first one to get it! O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0

    And, Machine, you said, correctly, she was right. O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0 O0
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

cmidkiff

The line 'The group does not run background checks on its participants. ' is almost a quote... from me... though it's not presented as such.  As I recall, I said that we can't run background checks on our attendees, during a discussion of the NYT article, and their attempt to link Appleseed to a militia group because one attendee was a member of one.

Is it something I shouldn't have said?  Perhaps... It made sense to me in context.

AFTERMATH

Quotechaotic aftermath of a natural disaster or a political coup
Ok, I figured that the last place my name would be brought up is at a Ladyseed, 2 states away. ;D

And here I was thinkin' we were losing our edge!   >:D
Glad we're still controversial...  Lest we may become irrelavent.

Now, you all be nice...  I gotta go back to practicing kill shots at 500! :---
Oh, and I may even squeeze in a little time to plan for the shoot in Duluth this weekend!

A 10/22, a SKS and a Garand!  I've got those too!  
A fine selection....  To start with. @)

Back to the line! &)


Aftermath


p.s.  If they own a rifle; they've already been through a background check!
"We intend to produce men who are able to light a fire for Liberty in men's minds, and make them the finest rifle marksmanship Instructors on the planet." - Son of Martha

"Tyrants rise and fall, but tyranny lasts forever." -Me

[What kind of megalomaniac quotes himself?]

Fred

Quote from: greybeard on September 29, 2010, 10:48:26 PM
The line 'The group does not run background checks on its participants. ' is almost a quote... from me... though it's not presented as such.  As I recall, I said that we can't run background checks on our attendees, during a discussion of the NYT article, and their attempt to link Appleseed to a militia group because one attendee was a member of one.

Is it something I shouldn't have said?  Perhaps... It made sense to me in context.

   GB, I see no problem with you saying it - you have to say something, right?

   I personally would not have thought your saying this could be turned into this kind of seeming accusation: "The group does not run background checks on its participants."

   That sounds like we could if we wanted to, but we don't want to, for unknown or unstated reasons...

   So, another "lick" on us, not doing what any fool would think would be logical, necessary, and prudent when dealing with dangerous things like firearms. Only, it's impossible (SFAIK) for us to do it.

    But let us turn away a nervous-guy in mid-eastern clothing with stuff strapped under his cloak as he speaks rapidly with a thick accent - and we're guilty of the worst kind of prejudicial racial/cultural/ethnic profiling.

    They've got us coming and going...

    Shooting fish in a barrel - and we're the fish.
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

mikaldulee

Seems like the editors are more of a problem than the reporters.  We seem to get along fine with the reporters and crews.  I guess they get mad when they find out we aren't a militia or anti government group.

Beats me.  I'm at the point where I am viewing them as difficult to instruct... Grab another bucket and move on.  Plenty of work I can do with others. 

Mamabear gives one of the most touching 2nd strikes I have ever heard.  I usually have to act like I'm digging around for something to hide the...um...stuff that gets in my eyes.
42

SkyHawk

I liked the article (despite the fact it had an obvious bias) for it will certainly bring more people to the AS trail.  At Ottawa there were 6 attendees that when asked how they heard of AS said they read about it in the New York Times.  Then went on to say,  "if the NYT didn't like AS there must be something good about it."  My only surprise was that anyone still reads the NYT but that's beyond the point.
"An elective despotism was not the government we fought for"  Thomas Jefferson

MamaBear

Quote from: mikaldulee on September 30, 2010, 10:57:28 AM
 

Mamabear gives one of the most touching 2nd strikes I have ever heard.  I usually have to act like I'm digging around for something to hide the...um...stuff that gets in my eyes.

Awww, shucks, Mike!  I'm gettin' all red in the face over here!  :-[  Thank you very much  :)
"I would like to see every woman know how to handle firearms as naturally as they know how to handle babies."-Annie Oakley

'"A girl with a husband can be limited in what she can do. A girl with a rifle ain't got that problem." Calamity Jane

Piker

Quote from: SkyHawk on September 30, 2010, 01:03:11 PM
"if the NYT didn't like AS there must be something good about it." 

NYT makes things easy, just do the reverse and you are good to go.  8)
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson