Jerry Tsai Resigns from RECOIL Magazine

Rob Pincus joins us today as a guest contributor to discuss the RECOIL Magazine incident, and the resignation of Editor Jerry Tsai. Rob has an extensive background as a professional trainer, author and consultant, and is the owner of I.C.E. Training and the developer of the Combat Focus Shooting program.

– Brandon

Yesterday’s announcement that Jerry Tsai, former Editor of RECOIL Magazine, has stepped down certainly opens the door for them to rebuild their advertising base. But, the question still remains, will the change in leadership bring a strong message to young gun owners that the fundamental reason to own a firearm is personal, home and (in the worst case) National Defense?

Let’s hope so.

Keep in mind that this week’s conversations, and the many that will be had about RECOIL Magazine in the near and (possibly) far future, really revolved not around one man, but around large issues that affect each and every gun owner. The issue is “why is it okay that we owns firearms?”.

At the end of the day, there really should not be any reason that someone claims, short of the intent to harm another human being outside of defensive action, that anyone should consider wrong. There are many types of guns that we, as individuals, may not like. There are many reasons for owning guns that we, as individuals, may not want to list as our own. Fundamentally, I believe that defense is the primary best reason for firearms to exist and to be owned. I firmly believe that a constitutional interpretation of the right to own firearms is based on defense.

The reason I was personally so invested in the discussion this week was not to see one man replaced. It was to ensure that any voice of leadership in this industry at least agrees that our RKBA should not be legally restricted and that there is no absolutely such thing as a reasonable restriction to the rights of responsible, sane and law abiding person to own firearms.

Certainly, we may not always agree on the best choices for defense, the best ways to exercise our rights or even, believe it or not, the best caliber for any given purpose…but, on the issue of Zero Tolerance for Restrictions, we must be united.

I wish RECOIL Magazine, and Jerry Tsai, good luck in rebuilding so long as they do so with a stronger sense of the importance of instilling these principles in the young, enthusiastic gun owners that they reaching…and anyone else who is listening.

Further Reader

Bryan Black at ITS Tactical has a great article summarizing the RECOIL incident with typical excellent commentary.

– Brandon