Right now as I write this, a few good men and woman stand in the Massachusetts State House in Boston waiting to hear the house vote on the bill that would effectively kill airsoft in Massachusetts. HB-3476 is just another in a series of attacks on the airsoft industry and community that are growing in momentum. By the time you read this we will know the fate of the bill and how much closer Massachusetts is to losing airsoft all together. If the bill passes through the house, the senate will vote followed by the governor deciding whether to sign it or not.

How did we get here?

How do we get to a point where the dominoes are starting to fall and airsoft's future is in one of its darkest hours?

The community from the player level has become selfish with everyone in a quest for fame. Players now worship the companies like gods in the hopes that they will get something for free. The industry sits on Mount Olympus watching, living off the love and prayers of those below reaching up with their hands open. Instead of helping secure the community and grow they just spit out a new product pedaled by players. All a new player sees now is the next great thing in the hand of the famous player. How can anyone be surprised that players do not understand the concept of a larger community when all they see is buy this, use my product, look what we have new for you. No leadership what so ever from the industry.

We are here because the community and industry as a whole sit more divided than ever. We are so far apart now that it is easy to pick us off state by state until there is nothing left. This is at all levels of the hobby/sport, however you see it. It is from the young kid on the field making videos and becoming popular through acts of stupidity to the big companies that sell you the products sitting silent. It is neglect and immaturity of the community as a whole that got us here.

As long as airsoft stays so deeply divided we will continue to see the fall. Small bands of players and well intentioned folks have tried to rally people. Pages have formed and petitions have been created. Awareness has slowly spread but with limited reach. This is not enough to stem the much stronger government tide that sees those individuals as nothing more than a distant noise they can ignore. At the local levels teams try to cultivate a better attitude and local shops fight to revitalize the small communities that are where all players would start as the best examples of how the game should be played. But it is not enough in a time where the marketing machine of the industry has gripped players so hard that they no longer get that this is about them being sold a product.

Those that make the most off the community have become the least interested in joining the fight to stop the sport from dying. You would think this is stupid and not possible because it means they lose money too. Not really, they fought in California to preserve their asses in the short run knowing what is coming in the long run. Make the money now when they can because as the dominoes fall they can just retire or move back overseas. Rather than join the fight everywhere an anti airsoft bill is introduced they sit on the sidelines. They will spend more time arguing over who is going to lead a loose confederation to fight these bills than actually getting anything done. This is where the real change needs to come from.

The everyday joe and small business cannot compare to the power that the industry itself can wheeled. Because lawmakers will always listen to business and money before they listen to the call or email from an enthusiastic player. It is clear the industry will not make a choice to move towards helping defend airsoft. They are all just hoping to be the last ones to cash in as the fall happens.

So how do we turn things around?

We have a community wide awakening about how we see each other, competitors and those we once may have hated. We need to remember why we started playing in the first place. We also need to remember that in an industry looking to sell you so hard, the power of the purse can change the minds of those we have become obsessed with worshiping. It is up to the community to not just put pressure on the local government to stop these bills, but the greater fight is the one to pressure the manufacturers, big box stores and their sponsored players to get off the side lines. You need to pressure the sponsored players to talk openly about these bills to their sponsors. You need to pressure the big box stores to pressure the manufacturers of the product they sell. You need to pressure the manufacturer reps to talk to their bosses about getting involved to unite the community and fight for the protection of the sport.

It will not be until the community turns its anger and disapproval to the airsoft industry itself that things will change up top. It is time to tell them that your money is for the companies that care to join the fight to preserve airsoft, not just profit off it. It is never too late to join and you are never too small to try. We just need back up and the big kids on the block need to be told that. The industry can bring everyone together. Massachusetts may fall and your state will be next if there is not a national awakening changing everyone's attitudes. A shift from being just competitors, factions and simply consumers to that of a community invested in each other needs to happen now.

Just one grunt's opinion,

Javier "Darkhorse"

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About The Author

Javier "Darkhorse" Franco, formerly from This Week In Airsoft, runs his own Airsoft Blog on Facebook called "One Grunt's Opinion." This article has been posted here with the author's permission.