Airsoft in a big way is no longer just a game, mainly because of the culture that now exists around it. To the young boy or girl jumping into airsoft, the hobby won't stay just a game once he/she gets into the social media part of the sport or start doing larger national events. The connectivity of social media takes folks from their corner of the world and lets them see right into the larger community. So that means our culture is always in transition.

Today, we are thirsty for more realistic combat simulations. Tomorrow we want high speed tournament play. Next week we want goofy personalities that remind us it's all just for good fun. The next month we want to idealize the newest personalities who market themselves well. It's hard to keep up with the constant shifting sands that are the airsoft world. Especially when it seems like it's all happening at the same time.

These constant shifts and changes create friction in the community of many cultures, that is airsoft. "Drama", has become the blanketing phrase now to describe all this tension. Now airsoft like any community does have a lot of "Drama", but to label all issues in the community as "drama" is dangerous. To do this closes us off to a wider perspective that might make us smarter. We want the community to be about simple fun and game, so we want everything simplified. That means how we look at issues too, by simply calling it all drama.

This could lead to problems because we may miss important issues and allow those under justified scrutiny to get away with wrong because they have you believing it's all just part of the drama. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of flat out drama created by those talking to simply be heard. Right or wrong, what Dbag Airsoft did created a large dramatic backlash. One of the three people insulted lashed back at him, the one insulted the least in his video. But people's need to latch onto drama created this wave of hate against Dbag Airsoft.

We say we want a "drama-free sport", but we latched on to that and road it hard. Ironically enough, the two most insulted people mentioned in that video shrugged it off and in quick poll taken of over 130 people after it all happened, overwhelmingly 70% of those voting didn't really see the harm, and they too saw it blown out of proportion. It's safe to say that the whole ordeal falls well within the realm of drama as we all can agree. Pointless and no one on either side really wins.

(Tom Cruise, A Few Good Men. 1992)

Now, let's look at Blacksheep and his PTSD-Milsim Challenge. Here's a cause that says it is for raising PTSD awareness, collecting donations and raising funds to help vets. There are serious questions in the community about how funds are being spent. Questions about statements that Blacksheep has made. Questions about the intent of a cause a year into life, but yet to really give back to those with PTSD. Who's asking these questions? Concerned veterans in the sport, former employees that quit because the air of impropriety this cause felt like it was started under, and civilian players that want to be sure the money they hand over is going to those you are raising awareness for. Are these haters or people just looking to make drama? Well, those like Blacksheep himself would like you to believe so, because, if it is just drama or hating then it can't be taken seriously, and those asking questions can keep being ignored.

In this exact scenario lies the danger of seeing all the friction in our community as nothing more than drama or hating. Two very different scenarios and situations but labeled under the same umbrella term by many because they want Airsoft to just be simple. This is a slippery slope that lets serious issues and concerns slip by that may have an impact beyond our community. The community as a whole has to stop its knee jerk reacting and look at everything happening before just overreacting or shrugging off serious issues. Because Airsoft is not just a game anymore we have a responsibility to care enough to know what's happening and then decide what's worth the uproar or not. A community that cares is involved and acts with careful thought is one that lasts longer than one complacent or impulsive.

I know this can be a tall order in a community filled with a lot of young people. But, there are enough older players and celebrities sitting on the sidelines avoiding anything negative that could do more. I know that tough issues and conflict don't equal to more fans, more likes, and subscribers. It does equal a more cohesive leadership in the community that polices itself and defends its rights from an always threatening government.

More to follow on Blacksheep's PTSD-Milsim Challenge controversy in my next opinion.

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.