The word WEAPON

[PJgunner]

It seems to me that the word "weapon" is used somewhat indiscriminately on the various message boards. I'm not all that sure we should be using that terminology when referring to our sporting firearms.
As I see it, a weapon is a device, be it gun, knife, baseball bat, whatever used either in an act of aggression or defense.
In the Hunter Education class I teach, the word weapon will draw a fine of 25 cents from the user.
I realize that many who use the word got into the habit while serving in the military and like most habits, a bit hard to break
Let's be honest here, I don't doubt that anti-gun and anti-hunting people come to these sites to gain insight into our ways of thought so as to use them against us. When some nimrod says, "I raised my weapon and shot the deer." they see the word "weapon" (aggression) and deer. (Poor little Bambi.) You and I know it's stupid, but let's face it, they want to stop our sport any way they can. let's not give them the ammunition to do so.
Paul B.