The 'How Did Your Airsoft Day Go? Thread

[Colin Allen]

I'm not entirely sure why it is but in this (and other -ist) ways, I've found airsoft to be a bit of a home for this behaviour. I seem to encounter it way more in airsoft than I do in my regular walks of life. The only exception to this I ever recall experiencing was Imperium, where they had a trans marshal and it was said in the brief there was no room for any phobic comments or you'd be sent home.

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It is the demographic; in my quite long airsoft experience, there is a preponderance of working class young men with right of centre views and limited educational attainment.

 

[Colin Allen]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to challenge that. When I'm at a site that I've never been to before, surrounded by people I don't know, I simply didn't feel safe doing so.

"Evil prospers when good men do nothing", I know, but I've gotta balance that with the risk of getting bashed.

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That shows just how far we as a society still have to go; there should not even be a need to consider that risk.

 

[Lyndication]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to challenge that. When I'm at a site that I've never been to before, surrounded by people I don't know, I simply didn't feel safe doing so.

"Evil prospers when good men do nothing", I know, but I've gotta balance that with the risk of getting bashed.

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Honestly that's a familiar feeling. Sites definitely each have their own culture IME, and some are more open than others. I've been to some where there was a vibe that made the idea of bringing up casual bigotry pointless, tbh.

We then just head somewhere else or to our usual haunt, and leave them to it. I guess that's how it develops; the ones who like that stick around and distill.

Big one that was jarring starting Airsoft is the whole assumption everyone is a guy by default. Every safety brief is referring to guys, guys will call you a dude because tactical gear is all cut for guys, until you speak and they realise you're not a guy. It's a vibe you don't really get in other hobbies, but also that's something a lot of players like about it IME.

I think broadly it's gotten a lot better in the years we've been playing, but you do find these lil pockets that feel like wandering into a small town pub where the old boys all stop talking and stare at you. Half expecting some hayseed to tell me they don't take kindly lmao.

 

[Galvatron]

Needs challenging at every point, completely unacceptable in this day

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There is one airsoft team that has effectively disbanded as of late as one member landed himself in hot water with a slew Islamophobic/racist/xenophobic rants he made on social media. Two members left and distanced themselves from him and he's finding himself banned from a few different sites.

He "apologised" but it's more like he was sorry he was called out.

 

[Colin Allen]

There is one airsoft team that has effectively disbanded as of late as one member landed himself in hot water with a slew Islamophobic/racist/xenophobic rants he made on social media. Two members left and distanced themselves from him and he's finding himself banned from a few different sites.

He "apologised" but it's more like he was sorry he was called out.

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I am guessing that he wasn't apologising for being a racist cnut; this is one case where naming and shaming would not go amiss.

 

[tside]

There is one airsoft team that has effectively disbanded as of late as one member landed himself in hot water with a slew Islamophobic/racist/xenophobic rants he made on social media. Two members left and distanced themselves from him and he's finding himself banned from a few different sites.

He "apologised" but it's more like he was sorry he was called out.

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"I'm sorry the consequences of my actions have caught up with me and everyone can see I am a huge cunt"

 

[Galvatron]

I am guessing that he wasn't apologising for being a racist cnut; this is one case where naming and shaming would not go amiss.

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If a moderator gives the OK, I'll do it. I don't have the screenshot of the recent rant that got him booted but I have screenshots shared in a chat elsewhere of a similar tone in case he denies any history of it.

Former members of the team posted on social media confirming they left without going into specifics.

 

[Cannonfodder]

He "apologised" but it's more like he was sorry he was called out.

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In my experience these apologies are nothing but attempts at damage control. Usually followed by some bellend going on about freedom of speech without realising it doesn't mean freedom from consequences

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to challenge that. When I'm at a site that I've never been to before, surrounded by people I don't know, I simply didn't feel safe doing so.

"Evil prospers when good men do nothing", I know, but I've gotta balance that with the risk of getting bashed.

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I know I've said it before but... I don't take Mrs TPH skirmishing, one (minor) reason being the misogynistic patches/'banter'/jokes. However, a friend will only play these days with several supportive friends or with their fellow trans team members at their home site. I'd rather they could rock up at any site and simply play the way that they did finding themselves.

Milsims, filmsims and themed weekend games have a much more relaxed and accepting atmosphere. Why that is I don't really know.

 

[Colin Allen]

I know I've said it before but... I don't take Mrs TPH skirmishing, one (minor) reason being the misogynistic patches/'banter'/jokes. However, a friend will only play these days with several supportive friends or with their fellow trans team members at their home site. I'd rather they could rock up at any site and simply play the way that they did finding themselves.

Milsims, filmsims and themed weekend games have a much more relaxed and accepting atmosphere. Why that is I don't really know.

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Again, it is a different demographic; those sorts of events attract people who have a different reason for playing, a different approach and a different attitude than the leary, edgy types who think that anything is ok because "it's just banter, innit?" that one encounters at some skirmish days.

 

[Colin Allen]

In my experience these apologies are nothing but attempts at damage control. Usually followed by some bellend going on about freedom of speech without realising it doesn't mean freedom from consequences

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And, as we know, the dildo of consequences rarely arrives lubed.

 

[Cannonfodder]

"it's just banter, innit?"

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I really hate that phrase. Banter is what happens when a group of friends are roasting each other, it goes both ways and all parties are consenting. I know amongst my friends we've all said things to each other which would make someone who didn't know us think we're going to knock the crap out of each other but we all know it's said in jest. Unfortunately edgelord idiots just use it as an excuse to be a cunt.

And, as we know, the dildo of consequences rarely arrives lubed.

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I don't know if it makes me a bad person but I do find it funny to watch them squirm as they try to justify their bullshit.

 

[EvilMonkee]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to challenge that. When I'm at a site that I've never been to before, surrounded by people I don't know, I simply didn't feel safe doing so.

"Evil prospers when good men do nothing", I know, but I've gotta balance that with the risk of getting bashed.

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It's our duty as straight mostly white men to set the example to stand up to this kinda nonsense, thats the kinda masculinity we should be promoting. The power we have to be an example of good behaviour is massive and rarely realised.

 

[Tackle]

Sounds like they're going to stay on my list of sites to avoid. The casual homophobia is childish at best. I agree that the thing about searching people's kit/cars does make it sound like they've got a problem with theft and demanding to do searches could land them in hot water, I work in security and the law is very specific and strict on what you can (and more importantly can't) do when searching people and their property. As for the hit taking, I'm not surprised it was iffy considering it was the regular haunt of a certain dickhead youtuber

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Who himself has been known to make public racist & homophobic comments, no wonder it was his site of choice.
@A_Stoat , thanks for sharing the honest insight, it's just plain ignorance on the part of those involved, once or twice might be construed as "bantz", bit to continue it just shows their obvious stupidity.
But on to the more serious matter, am I the only one who's intrigued as to why
@Colin Allen great great grandad might be proud of his plan to blow himself up, i wont lie, my first thought envisioned a kamakazi pilot ?