NY Times article on Project Appleseed

[Dwarven1 0]

The Appleseed Project has definitely hit the main stream! We are very excited to announce that the New York Times has published an in-depth, six page feature on our all-volunteer Marksmanship and Heritage program. Please read the NYT piece here:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magaz ... =1&_r=1&hp

 

Unfortunately, there are several mis-characterizations in that article that The Appleseed Project wishes to address. It appears as if we were unfairly portrayed by a Mainstream Media outlet using subtle innuendo, outright falsehoods, and everything in between to label us as something we are not, as has happened with many pro-Liberty organizations in recent times.

 

Please read our official response to the New York Times below and we invite you to help us educate anyone and everyone with these corrections.

 

Dear Sirs:

 

It is with some sadness and disappointment that we at the Appleseed Project read the New York Times article this evening. When the NYT originally asked us to host their media team in order to better understand what we do, we welcomed them. When they wanted access to our students, programs, and instructors, we acquiesced without hesitation.

 

We did so because we have nothing to hide and no secrets in our program. There is no reason whatsoever to restrict or fear an open and honest press.

 

We spoke with happiness and excitement about the stellar growth of our program over the last four years and our mission to bring every American to a greater sense of responsibility for our nation and to live out that feeling through civic involvement.

 

Frankly, we opened ourselves up and said our piece in trust that it would be conveyed by the press to its readers.

 

Sadly, today's article is not about us. It is not about the Appleseed Project. It is about militias and about anecdotal gun owners who are not members of our program. The constant focus on the militia movement, the Tea Party, and Mr. Faire are at the center of this article and as a result this article is not about us, since those things are not, and never have been the Appleseed Project.

 

Frankly, there are among us those who feel that we have been poorly described and treated in this article, and I will return to that point in a moment.

 

The real tragedy here, however, is a complete failure of the press to see the real story: Why does Appleseed double every year? Why are people of all races, genders and ideological affiliations drawn to the Appleseed Project? What is going on here?

 

In its rush to cover the desired story, that is, scary militia groups, the NYT simply misses what is really important. Therein lies its disservice to both its readers and our program.

 

Now, with respect to specific themes in the article that we feel incorrectly describe the Appleseed Project, let us simply address each in turn:

 

Inaccuracy #1: Appleseed is Militia

Appleseed is not a militia or interested in militia training. Appleseed teaches only individual marksmanship skills and the history of April 19th, 1775. Appleseed does not provide training in military tactics or unit operations. Rather, Appleseed uses marksmanship as a way for modern Americans to reconnect with the Founders through a shared, traditional American skill. No more. No less. Appleseed does not see our government as an enemy or force of arms as a solution. Rather, our enemies are laziness, ignorance and apathy. Appleseed sees education and lived history as the means to get people to the real solution: Personal involvement in civic processes to ensure a better future for our nation. Our ancestors fought so that we would not have to; all we have to do is get off our couches and get involved.

 

Where militias offer a dark haven for people with concerns about an unwelcome future, Appleseed offers reason for hope and sees bright, happy days ahead. That is the real reason we are not a militia nor associated with any such like-thinking group.

 

Inaccuracy #2: Appleseed is White (and thus Racist in some fashion by extension)

 

Appleseed is filled with students and instructors of all races, creeds, genders, and identities. We make no distinction for color, religion, sexual preference, political beliefs or any other discriminatory category. Our program is comprised at all levels of all Americans, and we explicitly urge all Americans to come. We have no patience for those who would take this great nation and divide it up by race, or who would single out someone else for ridicule or derision. There is no place in our cadre, among our students, or at our events for those who would put petty distinctions above unity and our joint past and future.

 

Inaccuracy #3: Appleseed is Anti-Government, Anti-Military, Anti-Law Enforcement

 

Appleseed is not anti-government, anti-military, or anti-law enforcement. Among our volunteers are people who work in law enforcement, the military, the government and nearly every civilian trade. We teach students who work in law enforcement, the military, the government, and any civilian occupation precisely because we are all Americans and inheritors of the same heritage and history. And together we must make our joint future.

 

Appleseed has zero tolerance for anti-government, anti-military, or anti-law enforcement attitudes, comments or advocates. To the contrary, we offer free spots on our shooting lines for active duty military personnel and have been called onto military bases to teach troops deploying for overseas duty in combat theaters. Elected officials at any level of government are invited to participate in Appleseed without charge. Finally, it is our goal to get each and every participant involved in the body politic, which means we are always clear that we hold our government, the government given us by the Founders, in the highest regard.

 

Soldiers, police officers, and government officials are not our enemies. They are our neighbors, friends, and protectors. At Appleseeds they are our honored guests.

Inaccuracy #4: Appleseed is Right Wing

 

Appleseed is a 501©3 not-for-profit organization with no interest in partisan politics. Appleseed volunteers and students come from all political parties, economic classes, and ideologies. We have no place for left wing, right wing, or any "wings" at all. Our program could not function that way, nor do we want it to.

 

Our only interest in politics is with the political details that led to and followed from the events of April 19th, 1775. From our retelling of those events we find that students are often motivated to move into civic involvement themselves. We do not frame the prospective involvement of our students and look forward to the day when we see two Appleseed graduates from opposite sides of the political spectrum running against each other in a national election.

 

Our goal is civic involvement across the ideological spectrum.

Inaccuracy #5: Appleseed has a Secret Plan

 

We wish we had a Secret Plan to get more people involved but we don't. There is no inner group, no special level, no wizard behind the curtain. There is only this: Our ancestors were left with two paths: submission or bloodshed. They chose the latter so that we could be left with a third path: citizenship and civic participation. To take this third path we must get off the couch, turn off the TV, and get involved in our communities. Those who would blather about a "choice" between submission and bloodshed in modern America do not understand what America was meant to be, or is.

 

Civic participation is not our secret plan. It is our openly stated mission.

 

In conclusion, it is my hope that the NYT and its readers continue their search for authentic information about the Appleseed Project so that they learn for themselves exactly what the Appleseed Project is, and what it seeks to create: a more active body politic. The current article is simply woefully lacking in that regard.

 

If anyone has any interest in continuing this conversation or attending an event, please be sure to contact us through our website [email protected] and we will be happy to meet you.

 

We are open to all inquiries and harbor no ill-will toward the NYT or the author. We are certain that what lies behind this unfortunate description of our program is a deep-seated concern about firearms, marksmanship training and heritage programs. It is our stated mission to change that through the hard work of education and apparently we are right where we need to be.

 

Thank you for your time, and thanks to your readership as well,

 

 

The Appleseed Project

National Branch

[AtlanticCounty 0]

I read the article, this group started in 2005, were they racists then? Or just now? Typical of the NYT to stir up shiit were there is none.

 

Checked out the video, seems like a fun time actually.

[Bob B 103]

I liked it. All press is good press. The article is clearly written with some bias, but people have a great capacity to see the truth.

 

One thing I don't like is the negative connotation of the word "Militia." Whether a person likes it or not, by law, they are in this nation's and this state's militia from the age of 17 to 45. It is only prudent to be a competent marksman if ever you have to be called up to defend her.

[Dwarven1 0]

AtlanticCounty, we were not and are not racists.

 

As I've posted on the NY Times site, on my line I've had Caucasians, Orientals, African-Americans, Jamaicans, Hispanics... and the only way I remember that is by looking at the pictures I've taken at my shoots, 'cause I don't see color when I'm running the line.

 

I see people not squeezing the trigger, I see them not following through on the trigger, I see them breathing incorrectly, I see them letting their fingers jump off the trigger after the shot, I see them "dragging wood" and I see them not getting into the proper position... but I don't see what color they are. I'm too darn busy instructing them in Marksmanship and telling them the stirring story of April 19th, 1775.

 

And, Smity? I'm sorry to say that I'm not in the Militia. At age 50, I'm too old. I'd be on the "Alarm list". I am, however, as we put it at the shoots, a Dangerous Old Man - kind of like Samuel Whittemore, Jason Russell or (my hero!) Hezekiah Wyman!

 

Don't know who they are? Sign up for the next Appleseed Shoot and you'll learn!

[bulpup 98]

Quite honestly, the times article and the appleseed response are very well written.

I defintitly see the bias however. For instance, one thing that you heard over and over during the Presidential election was the idea of "code words: for racist remarks. I am sure the Times reported about the 'code words' too. However The Times article is full of "code words."

 

In particular is the reporting of any number of "thousands of rounds of ammunition." An entire article devoted to an organisation that trains people to shoot and a guy has "nine thousand rounds of ammunition." Code word equals crazy. :roll:

 

But I did enjoy the Times article. and I believe that it is in a journalists creed to make sure he gets quotes from all around the spectrum. That one guy that says "I just wish they would do more checking," does not, in my mind, over ride the host of others that said the organization was clearly benign.

 

One thing that is for certain is that anyone that trains people to shoot at man sized targets is going to have other people expressing disgust or fear. I think the appleseed organisation came out fairly well considering.

Also, I am of the opinion that if Appleseed had merely added things like "back in those days you would starve if you couldn't hit a deer at this range," and then put a target up shaped like a deer, they wouldn't be such a target themselves.

[Melgamatic 66]

I read the article, this group started in 2005, were they racists then? Or just now? Typical of the NYT to stir up shiit were there is none.

 

I read the article and missed mention of racism; which page is that on?

 

I'm a little surprised that the RWVA has $334K in the bank; at this point they shouldn't be charging for Appleseeds at all....

[bulpup 98]

I read the article, this group started in 2005, were they racists then? Or just now? Typical of the NYT to stir up shiit were there is none.

 

I read the article and missed mention of racism; which page is that on?

....

 

 

The only thing that does that is the mention, a brief mention, that the class being taught was all white faces. subtle to be sure, but its in there, and like I said, that is about as 'code word' as you can get.

[AtlanticCounty 0]

I read the article, this group started in 2005, were they racists then? Or just now? Typical of the NYT to stir up shiit were there is none.

 

I read the article and missed mention of racism; which page is that on?

 

I'm a little surprised that the RWVA has $334K in the bank; at this point they shouldn't be charging for Appleseeds at all....

 

Page 1 where the they are pitting "all white faces" vs. the federal gov. Subtle but there.

 

My point was that the beliefs of the Appleseed group transcend political parties since the group was founded during the Bush administration. But now the NYT seems to be casting this group as they are casting the tea party groups and every other organization that is anti-tax, anti-gov spending. Why would the article mention their race at all? Why is it relevant?

[djg0770 481]

Why would the article mention their race at all? Why is it relevant?

 

Simply to discredit the "other side".

[Melgamatic 66]

My point was that the beliefs of the Appleseed group transcend political parties since the group was founded during the Bush administration.

 

This article made me feel that the Appleseed program may be much more politically-motivated than I had previously hoped. I had been pretty excited about it, now I'm not so psyched to spend a weekend with a bunch of guys foaming at the mouth about Obama.

 

The founding during any presidency doesn't tell you much about the political nature of a group. Bush II was more anti-gun than almost any president we've had, despite seeming to enjoy shooting in his personal life, and Obama has managed to pass several major pro-2A laws that had not passed under Bush, even though most people don't think Obama is pro-gun in any way and is actually the spawn of a socialist devil monster. Bush got guns out of Amtrak baggage and out of the federal park system, and somehow they are both OK now. It's never clear.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

This article made me feel that the Appleseed program may be much more politically-motivated than I had previously hoped. I had been pretty excited about it, now I'm not so psyched to spend a weekend with a bunch of guys foaming at the mouth about Obama.

 

That is shame - seems the NYT has accomplished its goal - at least in your case. While I have never participated in an Appleseed program, I've read lots of reports, on various forums, of those that have. Not once in my memory was politics ever brought into it. Reports usually consisted of glowing descriptions of the fun had by all, even though it is a demanding course. Most also reported how beneficial it was to their marksmanship. My advice would be to try it and form your own opionion, rather than allow yourself to be swayed by the likes of the NYT. If there is anyone "foaming at the mouth" about BHO, it is the NYT.

 

JMHO.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[wsl 2]

There's no such thing as bad press. Next time just look at the resume of the person they're sending to you. His only other article for the NYT was about online trolls. He writes for Good Magazine which is an online nobody, and he had to try to twist facts if he wants to be published freelance. This is the reason NYT is going out of business. Where's the proofreading and QA department at the NYT? You sent your letter, and i'll assume they're respond by saying its an opinion piece, so they won't take any action. The least they could do is to print your response letter. I have to ask though, did you honestly think a left leaning organization was going to give a favorable article?

[jeffesonm 0]

The article was maybe a little biased but overall I did not read into it the things the Appleseed guys are worried about.

[axeman_g 128]

I think the Appleseed folks will always have the "political bias" stigma because of what they teach, believe and testify for. I have taken an Appleseed weekend in, it was great. But I am a devout history nut and a beleiver in the Consitution as it was written. I believe in the wisdom, intelligence and commitment of our fore-fathers. But the RWVA will always have to deal with the stigma of militias, because militias are what they base their teachings on; the town militias involved on April 19, 1175 at Lexington, Concord and Cambridge among others. RWVa will always have to deal with a "right wing" tag line because the feel like our fore fathers did and do you think Jefferson, Henry, Adams or Lee would be thought of as liberals if they were alive and kicking now, not a chance. They would be more right wing then Rush or Beck. So anyone that believes that qualities such as personal freedom, personal responsibility, self determination and the ability to resist tyranny of any sort is automatically right wing in today's world.

 

Go take the weekend and learn... it is a great experience, good training and a great reminder of what it means and requires to be an American.

[lunker 274]

I read the NY Times article finally. It was full of liberal code words that imply racist, backwards, uneducated people and behavior. All the things that the NY Times think anyone that believes in liberty and limited government is. No surprises there. Like another poster wrote, hopefully a discriminating reader can filter through all the political bullshit thrown up by the author and get a sense of what this is all about.