Quote:
Originally posted by D.C
I have 4 swords. I have a medieval long sword and 3 japanese swords. Anyone can shoot a gun, doesnt take much brains. But to use a sword effectevaly, the person must posses skill and intelligence. Swords are imo the hallmark of honor and discipline.
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Wow, nothing personal, but thats one of the most ignorant, uninformed comments I've heard in a very long time.
I shoot, have been shooting most of my life, and am on an NCAA Rifle Team. Our "bullseye" as most would refer to it is 1/2mm in diameter, with a .22 caliber bullet, from 50ft, in 3 different positions. You not only have to be fully aware of everything from your breathing patterns, to your heartbeat, the movement of every muscle in your body, your sight alignment, and be able to process and anticipate the shot within thousandths of a second, while fading out every minute distraction around you. Then you have to replicate every EXACT detail of this process another 159 times that same day. The fun gets even better when you are in a championship match with a 10 man shot by shot shootoff, where everyone is watching you, your scores are announced after every shot, and the winner is determined based on 1/10ths of a point.
On top of this, there are an infinite number of variations on the various positions, so a shooter must be able to assess his own abilities, hold, comfort level, etc, while in the process of every shot. You can watch and learn what proper form is when swordfighting, but you can not watch and learn what it is to feel and interpret everything with the utmost perfection when shooting. And this is only collegiate competition. Imagine what its like to be a sniper, having to replicate this same precision when both your life and anothers is at stake.
But hey, all of the Olympians, world champions, collegiate athletes, and police and marine snipers I know, myself included, who are able to perform day after day, even when faced with tremendous adversity (political and otherwise) must not have any intelligence, honor, or discipline to be able to do what we do. Hell, its so easy, I encourage everyone to do it
Again, nothing personal, as you're not the only person I've heard make comments like this in regards to shooters. Sure, it takes all of those attributes to be a good swordsman, but it takes all of those attributes if not more to be a good shooter.