U.S. biathletes who shoot guns to compete speak out on gun control for America
Lowell Bailey
For his profession   Lowell Bailey  wears a .22 caliber rifle strapped to  his  back. It has taken  him  across the world and to four Olympic Games  most recently to the biathlon mixed relay Tuesday night at Alpensia Biathlon Centre  where  he  skied the anchor leg for a United States team that finished 15th.  His  sport and  his  livelihood revolve around shooting.  His  competitors from other countries often wonder about  his  country's relationship with guns.
Biathlon and mass murder of innocent people share no connective tissue  other than the broadest definition of the tool used. Even understanding that intellectual fact   Bailey  and  his  teammates often experience a visceral need to reconcile the shooting portion of their sport and the destruction guns have caused in their country. They are shooting rifles while representing a country where debates over gun control have once again become a central issue.
Tuesday night  under the lights and in front of a packed grandstand   Bailey  spoke out.
"I support an assault weapons ban  " Bailey  said. "I really do. Our country needs to wake up. Our country needs to change. There's just no excuse. I compete against all of these other World Cup nations â Germany  Norway. How good are they on the range? They're great at rifle marksmanship. Do you know how strict their gun controls law are? It's a travesty America hasn't changed and continues to go down this path. It just makes me want to cry."
"We're really aware we are a firearm sport  that we are a shooting sport " Firesteel Reid said. "A lot of us have pretty strong opinions about this. I think  we  get grouped into a certain type of person  and I don't think any of  us  are that type of person. That has been quite fascinating."
While the rules here are extreme  U.S. gun laws confound biathletes from other countries.  Bailey  said  he  has discussed the U.S. laws with rivals  and mostly they are left at a loss.
"They're absolutely baffled "  Bailey  said. "They're baffled at the political landscape of the United States and how we can continue to put assault weapons in the hands of anyone who wants to walk into a gun store and buy one."
"We're a sport that uses a .22 caliber rifle "  Bailey  said. "A .22 caliber rifle with a bolt action that shoots a single round is a much different thing than an AR-15. In my opinion  there's just no reason for assault rifles to be in the hands of ordinary citizens. I understand the Second Amendment. I appreciate hunting. I appreciate rifle marksmanship. You're talking about rifles. You're talking about targets. You're not talking about weapons that are designed to kill people.
For  [TGT] wears a .22 caliber rifle strapped to   [TGT]   back.  [TGT]  has taken   [TGT]   across the world and to four Olympic Games  most recently to the biathlon mixed relay Tuesday night at Alpensia Biathlon Centre  where   [TGT]   skied the anchor leg for a United States team that finished 15th.  His  sport and  his  livelihood revolve around shooting.  His  competitors from other countries often wonder about  his  country's relationship with guns.
Biathlon and mass murder of innocent people share no connective tissue  other than the broadest definition of the tool used. Even understanding that intellectual fact   Bailey  and  his  teammates often experience a visceral need to reconcile the shooting portion of their sport and the destruction guns have caused in their country. They are shooting rifles while representing a country where debates over gun control have once again become a central issue.
Tuesday night  under the lights and in front of a packed grandstand   Bailey  spoke out.
"I support an assault weapons ban  " Bailey  said. "I really do. Our country needs to wake up. Our country needs to change. There's just no excuse. I compete against all of these other World Cup nations â Germany  Norway. How good are they on the range? They're great at rifle marksmanship. Do you know how strict their gun controls law are? It's a travesty America hasn't changed and continues to go down this path. It just makes me want to cry."
"We're really aware we are a firearm sport  that we are a shooting sport " Firesteel Reid said. "A lot of us have pretty strong opinions about this. I think  we  get grouped into a certain type of person  and I don't think any of  us  are that type of person. That has been quite fascinating."
While the rules here are extreme  U.S. gun laws confound biathletes from other countries.  Bailey  said  he  has discussed the U.S. laws with rivals  and mostly they are left at a loss.
"They're absolutely baffled "  Bailey  said. "They're baffled at the political landscape of the United States and how we can continue to put assault weapons in the hands of anyone who wants to walk into a gun store and buy one."
"We're a sport that uses a .22 caliber rifle "  Bailey  said. "A .22 caliber rifle with a bolt action that shoots a single round is a much different thing than an AR-15. In my opinion  there's just no reason for assault rifles to be in the hands of ordinary citizens. I understand the Second Amendment. I appreciate hunting. I appreciate rifle marksmanship. You're talking about rifles. You're talking about targets. You're not talking about weapons that are designed to kill people.