Paintball During The Pandemic

[Seajay]

yeah, and that's just on the paintball field. lots of other examples. from the time i was in elementary school to a couple months ago, this kind of stuff happens. and i grew up in a major city, went to a large university, and had mostly white friends. my run in with the cops has always been bad (exception was when I lived in nyc). and i know that my experiences have been tame compared to my other minority friends. hell, i had a african american buddy when i lived in new york. he had lived his whole life in the bronx. i asked him how the cops treated him bc my experience had been so positive. he said "they stop me every day." i said, no way. there's no way you get stopped every day. and he dead looked me in the eye and repeated "every. fucking. day." fuck, man. i can't imagine that kind of shit. getting stopped and frisked every damn day? for doing nothing, except being black and walking around? and he was such a sweet guy. always joking around and making everyone laugh. i can't imagine how that fucks with your mind. and who do you turn to? where's the help supposed to come from? that's some crazy ass shit.

and it's interesting. my wife (who is white) has recently started reading up on race and racism in america, and she said something very poignant to me. she said she needs to start being "anti-racist". i said, well i know you, you're not a racist. and she said, no that's different and put it this way. if she saw someone abusing a child in public, she would step in and say something. but if she saw someone being racist, she would have silently judged them and then not done or said anything. being "anti-racist" is stepping in and saying something to those people. it's a more pro-active stance on racism. letting your friends, co-workers, whoever know that that kind of behavior and language is not acceptable. i was proud of her.

anyway. i still want to play paintball bc i love this shit. just know this stuff happens everywhere. and i'm not out here trying to calling everyone a racist, i just want people to be aware of what goes on. and how certain topics and language can be perceived. my wife always tells me that i can make friends anywhere and i've never met a stranger. but when i meet someone who is white, there's that little voice in the back of my mind. and until they show me that they are legit. it'll always be back there.

Thanks for sharing. We honestly don't know what we are seeing and when we do see racism our minds compromise what we are seeing. When someone shares it is always eye opening, at least for those like me that are not racist, but not an activist.

In any case I would have sat right down next to you and stared those punks off if we ever got to play together.

I'm looking forward to a few upcoming games. Last time I played was Fulda Gap.

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

be an ally for others.

[Lazarus78]

thanks for the comment. it's dudes like you that make playing and just living a little bit easier.

[Ecapnation]

I've just basically retired for 2020... To much going on, to many canceled events, rather use my down time for hammock naps and cold beers

[GreenMan]

I've just basically retired for 2020... To much going on, to many canceled events, rather use my down time for hammock naps and cold beers

unfortunately, same. best local field is closed anyway. trying to focus on finishing school and gettin a job...

[gabe]

I've just basically retired for 2020... To much going on, to many canceled events, rather use my down time for hammock naps and cold beers

Self-care is cancelled. Time to drink cold beers at the paintball field.

[Siress]

Self-care is cancelled. Time to drink cold beers at the paintball field.

I'm confused. Which is it?

[Myguns2fast4u]

Played in MA a couple of times now.

Was excited to see that the website stated some very good safety standards and rules. However, once at the field nobody cared, staff or players. You would honestly never know that there was a pandemic. One ref actively advised me not to wear a PPE mask because it would make me fog up. Wore the PPE mask anyways and didn't fog up. Was the only one at the field wearing PPE.

I would love to keep playing through the pandemic, but we will see.