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The Infiltrator: Can Crazy People Buy Guns?
A comedy article by Harmon Leon | 10/06/2009 02:18 PM | 5095 views
My name is Harmon Leon, and I'm a professional infiltrator.

Everyone knows it's easy to buy a gun. But how easy? In this series, I will go deep undercover into the gun world to answer all your second-amendment questions. Can crazy people get guns? Can drunk people buy guns? How nuts do you have to be before a gun shop will turn you away?

Get ready as I thrust myself head-first into the gun world. Guns! Guns! Guns!



My first step to greater gun knowledge involves going to the shooting range. I decide to adopt a shooting persona:

SHOOTING PERSONA: "Jesus Freak"

WARDROBE: White, button-down shirt and a pair of fancy dress slacks. I also wear a crucifix and a bowler hat.

GUIDELINES:
1) Make references to "the bitch back home."
2) Make comments about some ambiguous minority, simply referred to as "Them."
3) While shooting, yell "Take that! That's what you get for dating my sister!"


Driving towards the shooting range, I take the time to loudly practice cliche tough-guy sayings like:

"It's Howdy Doody time, Emerson!"

"You're a foot disease, I'm the podiatrist, Emerson!"

"School's out for summer, Emerson!"

"Drink 'em up, last call, Emerson!"

Pulling into the parking lot, I notice that most of the vehicles are the type one might find at a Kick Your Ass convention: large trucks with big wheels and American flags in the windows. But I guess that could be expected.



Before going in, I prepare for my afternoon of shooting by downing a six-pack of Old Milwaukee. I enter the range lobby area and approach the clerk solemnly.

"I would like to shoot for the Lord."

"I'll have to see your I.D."

I toss it on the counter. "Walk softly and carry a big stick," I say, genuflecting. The Jesus bit doesn't faze the clerk. Apparently this kind of thing happens all the time.

"Have you shot a gun before?" the clerk asks in a deadpan voice.

"Sure!" I say.

"Recently?" he asks.

"Ahhh ... no, when I was a little kid," I mumble.

"Which gun would you like to rent?" he asks.

"Uh, you know, an easy one," I say.



The clerk and I decide on the 9mm semi-automatic (pictured here). Then I sign a bunch of forms that basically say if I end up shooting myself or get shot, it's my own dumb fault. While it might be slightly annoying to buy a gun with that pesky 15-day waiting period, it sure is easy to rent one. All you need is an ID and a desire to shoot. Experience isn't even necessary; it's all done on the honor system.

Part of the fun of the range is all the great accessories. You don't have to wear special shoes, like in bowling, but you get special safety glasses, like in woodshop. Also needed is ear protection. I can't remember the last time I needed ear protection.

Also fun is selecting your target. They vary in style, from the traditional bullseye to the unusual animal targets. I ask the clerk if he has any targets with dogs on them. I tell him I want one that resembles my heathen neighbor's dog that barks too loud and digs up my pretty garden. He tells me they only have elk or deer. He answers it like it's a commonly-asked question.



Some targets are less traditional, like the Bad Man model, which features a mean-looking guy holding a gun. I go with the target called The Hostage. It involves a scary man holding a rifle, with a choke-hold around a woman's neck and the rifle pointed at her head. The weird part is, all of the target points are on the woman's body. Even the clerk seems a little taken aback by my choice.

I'm surprised by how fast the range is filling up with after-work crowd, a no-nonsense bunch who look like their other hobby might be bear-trap repair. I soon notice that most shooters are overweight. There is, though, this one wimpy-looking guy firing away who could pass for a social studies teacher. He scares me more than the big belt-buckle bunch. His mannerisms, concentration and size suggest he wouldn't look out of place with a high-powered rifle on top of a large building.

After getting a three-minute refresher course on shooting and gun safety, I'm ready to shoot. They give you more instruction before you're allowed to swing at a pinata.

It's strange and empowering firing heat. Also, slightly boring. There's only so much excitement to be had shooting at paper. After half an hour, I left. I did get to scream my "Sister" comment, but it was too damn loud. I didn't hear it myself.

Now that I was warmed up, it was time to bring out some real comedy firepower. Stay tuned for Part 2.


Next: Buying a Gun!


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Chuckleworthy 10 votes 2.9 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844787
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24 Comments (Funniest: Just Ravos,ishida,cycoivan)

  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844802
Yuoaman
10/06/2009 03:31 PM

I'm sure shooting paper could be fun... if you put something behind the paper.



Hilarious 4 votes 4.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844862
cycoivan
10/06/2009 05:56 PM

If Jesus had a gun, they would have never crucified him



Side-splitting 1 votes 5.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844865
Just Ravos
10/06/2009 06:12 PM

Of course they let crazies have guns. How do you think Dick Cheney went quail hunting?



  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844905
Pants
10/06/2009 09:42 PM

In what state did you go shooting? We don't have a waiting period in Georgia.
We do, however, have Gun store/Shooting Range/ Jewelry store/ Pawn Shops though.



Hilarious 2 votes 4.5 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844935
ishida
10/07/2009 01:06 AM

Simply, you're a fool.

Renting is not purchasing, for one.
To rent, you STILL had to prove your age, with a certain minimum age as set by both FEDERAL and STATE law.
You also committed something that's possibly a crime, and then admitted it on the internet, by drinking first.
Oh yes, and all the classic "I'm better than you" "you're all crazy" and "all gun owners are murderers".
It doesn't get more stupid.
Oh, and oyu know why you can rent? Because you are under direct supervision of not only the owner, but range officers, and then every other person on the range. Odds are, you try something, at least ONE person is putting you down.



Funny 5 votes 3.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844939
Pants
10/07/2009 01:23 AM

ishida I am an owner of a few firearms and I do hate it when people who oppose them try to misinform the public. However, I do not think the author had such an aggenda. This is a comedy site. It is suppose to be fun so have fun and write some funny Shakespeare.
After reading reading both of the posts you have made that you seem very angry. Angry people shouldn't own guns because bad Shakespeare happens. So my recommendation to you is to chill the Frost out and make us laugh.

Thank you for your time.





  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844943
ishida
10/07/2009 01:39 AM

When his "comedy" involves drastically misrepresenting millions of people (right around a hundred million), misrepresenting renting as purchasing, not mentioning that renting involves nowhere but the range that rents, and that he is under direct supervision of multiple professionals, yeah, it's not funny.
Nor is the insinuation that gun owners are all crazy, or murderers.
And neither is breaking the law, which he arguably has done. At the very, very least (as in "thank you deity of choice for this miracle")he broke the rules of the range in question. He might even have a DUI infraction.
And when the point of the series of article's point is to insinuate that anyone can buy a gun (regardless of 20 thousand different laws on the books), it's not funny.


There's good taste, bad taste, and downright wrong.



Chuckleworthy 2 votes 2.5 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844947
Thud
10/07/2009 01:50 AM

ishida - unclench your hair and relax. If you're worried about an article like this, on a comedy site and represented as part of a series of comedy articles, I'd suggest that you avoid reading the pro-gun media. Some of the things that anti-gun group have put out as "fact" might cause you to blow an o-ring.


Or course, some of the things the pro-gun side puts out are pretty heavy on the propaganda, to: "Jackbooted thugs coming to take your guns and fondle your grandmother!"



As usual, interesting article.



  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844948
ishida
10/07/2009 02:05 AM

A comedy sight with thousands of readers, some of whom know nothing of law and will accept it as fact.
There is NO "good" misrepresentation.
There is no "good" purposefully misrepresenting law and millions of people.

How about some comedy with some taste. "Playfully" getting drunk and shooting, followed by a plan to be as offensive as possible (well, to some people, particularly Christians) is not in good taste.
Just like racist jokes, there is such a thing as taste.

I suppose it would be perfectly funny for me to go around and completely misrepresent a couple million people and a couple thousand laws in the name of comedy, and commit a couple crimes in the process.



Funny 9 votes 3.5 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844949
Reverend Dave Rodriguez
10/07/2009 02:07 AM

Sigh....

When his "comedy" involves drastically misrepresenting millions of people (right around a hundred million), misrepresenting renting as purchasing, not mentioning that renting involves nowhere but the range that rents, and that he is under direct supervision of multiple professionals, yeah, it's not funny. Nor is the insinuation that gun owners are all crazy, or murderers. And neither is breaking the law, which he arguably has done. At the very, very least (as in "thank you deity of choice for this miracle")he broke the rules of the range in question. He might even have a DUI infraction. And when the point of the series of article's point is to insinuate that anyone can buy a gun (regardless of 20 thousand different laws on the books), it's not funny.

Ishika,

Drastically misrepresenting people is very funny. And true. Ogden Nashes hate books and anything not shiny. Rednecks DO Frost their sisters while drinking Pabst at the trailer park. Jesus freaks, well, they are like a sort of Baskin Robbins of freaks, too many to name. Killing babies is both in bad taste and funny.

I have guns. I am Frost-ing nuts. Seriously. I'm a felon, who takes Valium and has been suggested to be mildly Bipolar by a professional at one occasion. So, I'm crazy and really should not be a legal gun owner, but I am. I am also a Christian who is dating a black girl, and I take jokes lightly, so should you. I do not have any children, however I have flushed several thousand babies down the drain in my lifetime.



Funny 5 votes 3.6 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844950
Reverend Dave Rodriguez
10/07/2009 02:09 AM

A comedy sight with thousands of readers, some of whom know

Thousands of readers? Well this clearly proves you are delusional. Everything makes a lot more sense now.



  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844952
Shrantic
10/07/2009 02:23 AM

"A comedy article by Harmon Leon | 10/06/2009 10:18 AM | 597 views"

Yeah, he'll get thousands of readers. It's already at 597 views.



Chuckleworthy 2 votes 2.5 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844953
Reverend Dave Rodriguez
10/07/2009 02:30 AM

Yeah, he'll get thousands of readers. It's already at 597 views.

and 5 of them are mine, dumbass. There are less than 100 unique viewers, I guarantee that. Hell, 100 are probably Bill alone. Glad you have learned so much in the ten minutes you have been here though.



Funny 3 votes 3.7 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844955
Frogpop
10/07/2009 03:18 AM

Itchyduh - He says pretty clearly that he's renting the gun. When he talks about buying a gun at the top of the article I'm pretty sure that's a set up for later on in the series when he does got to buy a gun using an offbeat persona.

I'd be willing to bet that a lot of gun owners are fat and drive trucks, because a lot of americans are fat and drive trucks.

I think the thing about the beer was hyperbole (and an excuse to post a picture with a pinup girl in it.. a clever way to help keep the readers' attention which I hope he reprises in his next article). Even if it is true, he only broke open container laws.. the range broke the law by letting a drunk man rent a gun.



Funny 2 votes 3.5 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844957
Redwing
10/07/2009 04:32 AM

Hey Rev. Dave, where the Frost are all these horny sisters I keep hearing about? I'll buy the goddamn PBR if thats all it takes, but I aint got no sister to fill full of beer or Coleridge, god damn it! What trailer park do I need to cruise to find me a fine Pabst swillin' itchy twat lookin for a Frost? Shakespeare, I'll bring the .410 if that will seal the deal.



Chuckleworthy 2 votes 2.5 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844958
cycoivan
10/07/2009 06:00 AM

What concerns me more is who in the blue hell 5 orbed that comment by Ishida? Being a general prick and a troll is not exactly sidesplitting. Maybe if he had done his screed in a funny manner that might be worth 2.

I had a really nice point/counterpoint message for everything ishida says but I think everyone else pretty much said the same thing I would. I'll just sum it up in 4 words: ishida, your a moran.



Chuckleworthy 3 votes 2.7 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844961
da sippee gal
10/07/2009 06:25 AM

Jeez, now I don't feel so bad about my meltdown.

Next to Ishida I am Frost-ing hilarious, maybe even side-splitting!

Thanks Ishida! Now go take your meds.



Funny 4 votes 3.3 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844986
Just Ravos
10/07/2009 11:29 AM

A comedy sight with thousands of readers, some of whom know nothing of law and will accept it as fact.

We Canadians aren't allowed to have guns. Much like safety scissors, someone could get hurt.

How about some comedy with some taste.

I got some taste for you. I hope you like salty!



  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844992
cycoivan
10/07/2009 12:03 PM

I got some taste for you. I hope you like salty!

You're going to give him some poutine? Or are you going to let him sample your Tim Bits, with extra maple syrup?



Amusing 1 votes 1.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1844995
Just Ravos
10/07/2009 12:26 PM

The timbits come with a ball-park frank, and the sauce sure as hell ain't maple.



Chuckleworthy 1 votes 2.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1845004
the fun in disfunctional
10/07/2009 12:48 PM

ishida, your a moran.


You're a moron.



Chuckleworthy 1 votes 2.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1845010
KChillie
10/07/2009 01:05 PM

It seems like it's been a while since we've had a really nasty trolling session.

THANKS FOR RUINING IT, Emerson!



  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1845017
Matheline
10/07/2009 01:28 PM

"Ahhh ... no, when I was a little kid," I mumble.

OMG >< Who is the crazy guy, the seller?



  0 votes 0.0 /live?func=new_user&msgid=1845510
Juan Campos
10/09/2009 01:26 PM

ishida, your a moran.

You're a moron.



You're a god damn retard.


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