Shooting from the Hip

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Below is an open letter I have sent to the Wild Bunch, Board of Directors of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS). This is the organizing group for the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting, an activity in which I have participated for 10 years:

Dear Sirs,

As a dues-paying member of SASS, I am continually offended by the conservative political rants printed in your organization’s publication, The Cowboy Chronicle. Specifically I am speaking of the right-wing political blather expressed by columnist “Colonel Dan.”

As a liberal American, I find these continual doctrinal attacks patronizing and offensive. I do not wish to associate with any organization that sees fit to marginalize a portion of its membership. It is inappropriate for a “fun sport” organization to toe any political line.

The online SASS forum says, "The SASS Wire shall never be used as a forum for the promotion of religion, politics. . ." I presume the Board takes this seriously, and this does not mean simply "views in disagreement with Cowboy Chronicle's decidedly conservative posture." Because if it so, then hypocrisy is added to the offense.

Not all members of SASS are God-fearing, Republican Party proponents of the Bush administration. This editorial stance has become so unpalatable that I am seriously considering revoking my membership.

I have spoken with Board members “Tex” and “Coyote Calhoun” on the matter, and was told by both that Colonel Dan is a “patriot,” as are the members of the Board of Directors. I would like to add that I am a retired Special Forces officer with a Combat Infantry Badge and Purple Heart, so I too know about patriotism.

I hope the Board sees fit to remove the expression of partisanship in future issues. I will be watching,

Proud patriot and liberal American,

James M. Hruska
jim@rangeragainstwar.com

SASS No. 19470 Member since 1998

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Follow-on 5/6/08:

In a Kafka-esque turn, the above message was removed within hours of being posted on the SASS message boards for being "political."

These people couldn't even recognize that this was a plea for an apolitical stance from the organization, in line with its espoused policy, yet unlike its current partisan one.