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African Americans in shooting competition?


teegray1124

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As Gary has stated, the information is out there for anyone who has access. This sport is not for everyone regardless of background. How many of us have seen a new shooter show up at a match, have a good time, leave the range with a smile on their face ... and you never see them again? I've felt like a caged animal for the last 3 1/2 years not being able to safely compete in the shooting sports due to heart issues which we're still hoping to get ironed out, but I'll volunteer to set up an occasional classifier to help out. The people who want to get into this sport will get into it. All we can do is offer encouragement and information to those who dare to screw up the courage to simply ask.



Pray you get better man. God bless


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There are a number of reasons why you don't see many African Americans shoot USPSA and IDPA.  I'm a black guy and have been shooting USPSA and IDPA off and on since about 2004 or 2005.  One of the reasons why there isn't a large representation of IDPA or USPSA is because of access/location.   Many of the clubs (at least here in Michigan) that host these events are in more rural areas where black folks don't live or frequent in large numbers.  Most of the people that I invite to shoot had no idea that this type of shooting (IDPA/USPSA) existed, and/or had no idea that there was a shooting club in that area.  Ironically, black people may not have been welcomed in some of these clubs 30,40 or 50 years ago.  

 

I found out about this type of shooting because a club that i joined started holding IDPA matches.  So I went to a match just to look.  I came back the next month and shot the match.  I then started going to other clubs.  But for a few years I was the always the only black guy at the local matches.  Now it is opening up and there are a bunch of folks of all different backgrounds shooting.  This has happened mostly by word of mouth.  People that have had positive experiences share it with their friends, and then their friends come and shoot too. 

 

This is only one reason, and this is based upon my experience shooting all over the midwest.

 

A few of the nonsense reasons stated in this thread are:

 

1. Can't afford it.

2. Have felonies.

 

 

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Been in this action shooting sport for over 30+ years USPSA,STEEL CHALLENGE,BIANCHI CUP,BOWLING PINS,IDPA,

PRO AM. In my association as a club member/officer and attending hundreds of matches over the years as an AA and most of the time being the only one. Or one of several. My opinon of why so few of us compete is the mind set of firearm  ownership

is enough, just having it is enough. But to compete is not a high priority. I think the cultural conditioning STIGMA of AA who use a firearm to practice and compete casts a dark shadow on that person among friends,associates and peers. I have been called OBSSESSED, and not somebody to be ANGERED. Because i might shoot someone. In my early days i was associated with one AA law enforcement officer. When i asked him to join me at the range he said NO. If you like to shoot so much why don't you join the Army. After that exchange i never bothered to ask anymore of my people about going to the range. Also there is also an intimidation factor. When attending there first or first few matches,and seeing the level of shooters they don't come back. Have seen this a lot over the years.

 

 

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23 minutes ago, sweetback said:

Been in this action shooting sport for over 30+ years USPSA,STEEL CHALLENGE,BIANCHI CUP,BOWLING PINS,IDPA,

PRO AM. In my association as a club member/officer and attending hundreds of matches over the years as an AA and most of the time being the only one. Or one of several. My opinon of why so few of us compete is the mind set of firearm  ownership

is enough, just having it is enough. But to compete is not a high priority. I think the cultural conditioning STIGMA of AA who use a firearm to practice and compete casts a dark shadow on that person among friends,associates and peers. I have been called OBSSESSED, and not somebody to be ANGERED. Because i might shoot someone. In my early days i was associated with one AA law enforcement officer. When i asked him to join me at the range he said NO. If you like to shoot so much why don't you join the Army. After that exchange i never bothered to ask anymore of my people about going to the range. Also there is also an intimidation factor. When attending there first or first few matches,and seeing the level of shooters they don't come back. Have seen this a lot over the years.

 

 

The intimidation factor is a big point. Alot of people think they are better than they really are, and it hurts the ego to get spanked at something you thought you were pretty good at. It either makes you quit, or makes you want to get better.

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23 hours ago, teegray1124 said:
I have always wondered why I haven’t seen many African Americans in the shooting sports? I'll come out right away with the fact that I am 33yr old Black mixed male, i'm an LE in Texas. I've enjoyed shooting as long as i can remember and also reload my own ammunition but I have never competed, and i just wanted to know if there were any on this forum that could give insight if there are actually any AA competitors. I actually live in a decent area were racism isn't as prevalent . But do you think that the common "Stereotypes" for African-Americans would tend to keep them away from the shooting sports along with other ethnic groups. Thanks in advance hoe i didn't offend anyone.
 


I don't see many, there are a few but not a representation of the population.

I am a scuba Diver, spearfisherman watched a little NASCAR (Not Anymore) am an NHRA fan, and I don't know of any black drivers in NASCAR, 1 in NHRA, a few black Divers, I did drive from Tampa to the East Coast to dive with Allen West, he is an amazing man. ( Edited to remove political reference)

Not sure why, but there are a lot of blacks in the NBA, NFL, Baseball, so it could be cultural, I don't know, I am white, so I can only speculate, I do know where I shoot we welcome everyone, doesn't matter who they are, I don't look at a person as being black or white, Asian, etc. people are people.

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It's an interesting question.  I live in a city that is literally 80+% African American.  There is one African American that shoots the local, highly attended, USPSA match on a regular basis.  But then when I go visit my wife's family in South Florida, it is not out of the question for me to be the only non-Hispanic on a squad...  I would posit that it is some stigma that guns and their association with gun violence and crime have in the African American community that keeps shooting sports from being more popular... 

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1 hour ago, bret said:


I don't see many, there are a few but not a representation of the population.

I am a scuba Diver, spearfisherman watched a little NASCAR (Not Anymore) am an NHRA fan, and I don't know of any black drivers in NASCAR, 1 in NHRA, a few black Divers, I did drive from Tampa to the East Coast to dive with Allen West, he is an amazing man. (Edited to remove political reference).

Not sure why, but there are a lot of blacks in the NBA, NFL, Baseball, so it could be cultural, I don't know, I am white, so I can only speculate, I do know where I shoot we welcome everyone, doesn't matter who they are, I don't look at a person as being black or white, Asian, etc. people are people.

 

Darrell Wallace, NASCAR driver.

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On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 10:59 AM, teegray1124 said:
I have always wondered why I haven’t seen many African Americans in the shooting sports? I'll come out right away with the fact that I am 33yr old Black mixed male, i'm an LE in Texas. I've enjoyed shooting as long as i can remember and also reload my own ammunition but I have never competed, and i just wanted to know if there were any on this forum that could give insight if there are actually any AA competitors. I actually live in a decent area were racism isn't as prevalent . But do you think that the common "Stereotypes" for African-Americans would tend to keep them away from the shooting sports along with other ethnic groups. Thanks in advance hoe i didn't offend anyone.

I honestly couldn't give you an answer on that one. I have shot competition shotgun internationally since I was 10 years old, and have done about the same with pistol and rifle. I have seen probably less than 25 regular black shooters, and probably less than 100 blacks just there to try out shooting sports.

 

I have a fellow officer at work that I want to start shooting USPSA with me, and he is a bit apprehensive about being a black man in public with a gun....even though his full time job is being in public with a gun.

 

However, I shoot with plenty of other people of color regularly! I have been to match practice and matches here in Texas and have been the only non-Hispanic. Hell, even the people that came with me, including my wife were Hispanic!

 

the bench

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To be fair, there are more African Americans in the shooting games that LGBT's. Most of the black shooters that I know are cops, except for my kid, he is Jamaican (not a cop). In SoCal the Pacific Islanders/Asians/Chinese outnumber the whites at certain clubs. So to ensure cultural diversity, we have a rule that there has to be at least one white guy on those squads...........

 

He got rid of the DreadLocks when he switched from a Glock to an STI

 

image37561.jpg

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24 minutes ago, 9x45 said:

To be fair, there are more African Americans in the shooting games that LGBT's.

 

How can you really know this? Someone can be L-G-B and you wouldn't be able to tell with out asking them. And don't forget, it's now LGBTQIA, don't leave anyone out or they may be offended.

 

That said, I'm sure you're probably right, as the LGBT community is like 2% of the population. I'd bet a majority are liberal leaning, so we probably don't see many at our matches.

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Honey, I know I'm right! We celebrate the largest gay party*** the world here in the desert, and it's called "The White Party" However,  there are a large number of black party goers present. LGBT was around long before the QIA (resource center). But not too worry, the Scottish Heritage CSA has a place for those not of  blood clan descent, and it's called the Black Watch ( Gaelic as Am Freiceadan Dubh 1891).  

 

But all of this stuff is just silly nonsense anyway. If someone wants to play the games, regardless of race, creed, color, economic status, physical handicaps, etc, then they will. If not, there will always be an excuse...........

 

 

***https://www.jeffreysanker.com/

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Very interesting question. I try getting every friend I have to try the sport out, I've taken I think 3-4 buddies with me and none have stuck with it. Competitive shooting attracts people that love guns, not people that just like and are cool with them. It also is a bigger time commitment, I have a buddy that would do it, but because he has small kids and a wife that doesn't understand an 8 hour day away is hard for him to get. my brother liked it but prefers golf. 

 

I think $$ rarely is the reason, of all the activities I've done shooting is actually not that pricey. Cost of entry is low compared to quads, golf, scuba etc. cost to shoot is pretty cheap, what $50-$60 per match? Hell I used to spend more than that drinking every week, when I made much less money. It's priority. When a guy has a choice between things he likes but has only so much time and money to dedicate he has to prioritize. Now think about most of the guys we shoot with. On a Sunday they could be watching football or nascar, but they are shooting. They could be golfing but are shooting. They prioritize it. 

 

When we talk about AA involvement I think what it is about is culture not race, I know that sounds confusing to some but I'll explain what I mean. Many races are associated w cultural stereotypes, however, a person could be of one race and not part of that culture. For example, white people in the south are not the same as white people in Berkeley. Racially they'd be identified the same but their cultures are different. 

 

Im not AA so this is theory is on my own, admittedly limited, observations, if you're AA please feel free to respond. A lot of AA love sports, love hanging out with friends, socializing. How many have family outings where they go and shoot a bunch of guns? Remember AA % of the population is pretty low nationally, what about 12%? And mostly concentrated in cities where chances to shoot are less. And I'm betting there is pressure, open or not, to avoid any activity that will get you stereotyped as being criminal or having bad intentions. Let me propose fictitious AA male George, he grows up this way. Now he's 25, has a good job and money, wants to try shooting. But all his buddies want to watch and play sports and hang out, he has nobody he knows to go shoot with. He buys a gun, goes to the range and has fun but is not getting the comraderie he has with his chums so doesn't compete. 

 

contrast w me. Rural white American , I started shooting when I was 5. Was normal for us as kids to go to mountains and shoot on public land. I've had my own handgun in my room since I was 15, had shot for fun for 20 years before trying USPSA. And even me, with almost every friend and relative I have owning and shooting guns, none of them would stick out competition w me! Most won't even try it! But I love guns, and am very fortunate to have found BENOS forums and a local guy contacted me and took me under his wing and made me feel comfortable right off. This was a big factor in my involvement. 

 

Now me  and fictitious George don't represent the entirety of both our groups right, I think it can serve to examine this though. As a member of a larger % of the US population I tried it and stuck with (mostly, haven't picked up a gun in two months) it but can personally speak of many friends with the same cultural experience as me that didn't. Then we take a guy like George, well just mathematically the number of AA that try it out is gonna be a lot smaller. I would even bet that the AA shooting w us either were raised in a slightly different cultural environment or had a friend/mentor that really facilitated their involvement. 

 

The best thing about USPSA is the guys are great, very helpful and friendly. As we introduce more friends and people to the sport the more the diversity will happen. Cultural shifts take a long time. How long have AA males even been comfortable owning and being seen with guns? We get one grand master that's black tearing it up and getting in magazines and such, it'll change. I think we need a lot more women shooting, they're half the population and I never have a squad with more than 2 of 10 shooters female. I'm going to give both my daughters a chance and have a coworker that's interested in learning to shoot, maybe she'll try competition. 

 

The bigger question is why so many super squads are Filippino?! And fast! :D 

 

jUst some thoughts, but I'm no sociologist, but I did stay at a holiday inn express once. 

 

Red

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I can't speak for anyone beyond myself but 7 years ago I knew nothing about USPSA, IDPA, 3 gun or any of the other shootings sports beyond trap and skeet shooting...it wasn't until I met a customer of mine that mentioned IDPA to me that I got interested...if people aren't aware of a sport they will have no desire to search it out...doesn't matter what ethnicity you are from

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In the KC area, all kinds of people shoot in matches. To me, and I think most people, it's not about color, it's about behavior. I have friends of many backgrounds, colors, continents, etc. Some people you enjoy spending time with and some you don't, regardless of what they look like. At the matches I go to, anyone who can SAFELY handle their firearm and is a nice person is welcome. Anyone who cannot be safe is not welcome. What someone looks like is immaterial on either side of the equation.

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White non Latino people make up 62% of the people in America. African American people make up 12%. 

 

There are 326,000,000 people in America. 

So roighly 202,000,000 white people, roughly 39,120,000 black people.. 

 

 

USPSA has roughly 25,000 members. Obviously we can't track the non member stats.. so out of 326,000,000 only 25,000 of them shoot USPSA.

 

 

i think a pistol competitor is already rare regardless of color. 

 

Why does it matter. This is the dumbest topic ive ever seen.  

 

 

 

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