This past weekend, about a half dozen Sportsmen for Webb volunteers manned a booth and greeted hundreds attending the 23rd Annual Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show, held at the Showplace in Richmond.
This show, the largest of its kind in Virginia, drew close to 14,000 attendees from all over the state. And our volunteers carried Jim Webb's hunter-friendly message to those at the show and helped introduce Jim as a voice in Virginia they can count on. A collection of antique guns and swords on display at the Webb booth proved to be a big draw: among those items that were of particular interest to many at the show were a flint-lock musket manufactured in Richmond in 1818 and an original cavalry sword of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart that were on loan from a private collector.
The showing in Richmond was a great success, with many rural Virginians (and a number of self-professed +óGé¼+ôRepublicans+óGé¼-¥) stopping by the booth to inform Webb volunteers that they were +óGé¼+ôdisgusted with Allen+óGé¼-¥ and couldn+óGé¼Gäót wait to "vote for Jim.+óGé¼-¥
Possibly the most important outreach though occurred between the Webb and Allen camps when several stops were made by individual volunteers who chatted up the other camp in an effort to show bi-partisan support for hunting and the outdoors. While several attempts were made to score political points during brief, but spirited debates, both sides left with a better understanding of their opponent+óGé¼Gäós viewpoint.
The newfound spirit of bi-partisanship between campaign volunteers was even followed up with a friendly email from the Allen camp to a Webb supporter:
I want to say again how nice it was to meet you at the sportsman show in Richmond last weekend. When [we] came back to man the booth the following day, we both commented at how [we] regretted that you weren't back.We may be on opposing sides of this one race, but it's refreshing that even in today's divisive political climate that we can still be friends. It is an honor.
Your friend,
We certainly agree with those kind words, but apparently the convivial relation between volunteers at this event did not extend to the rest of the Allen campaign, as we all know what story dominated the news this week.
Even so, Sportsmen for Webb plan to carry Jim Webb's message to similar sportsmen events between now and election day, and any person interested in helping out in this important effort should contact Jim Kirkman, Captain of Sportsmen for Webb, at 703 778-4080 or email the group at sportsmen4webb@gmail.com.
This weekend Sportsmen for Webb will be at the Showmaster+óGé¼Gäós Roanoke Valley Gun Show held at the Roanoke Civic Center on Saturday Aug. 19th and Sunday Aug. 20th.
For all those who want to show up and look for a new hunting rifle or just make some new friends, you might also get a chance to see Jim Webb who is rumored to be in attendance.
I have been surprised for a long time that so many people ail to see the inseparable nature of hunting/fishing & environmentalism. I did research paper once and found that something like 78% of conservation dollars comes directly and indirectly from hunters.