A week ago, The Truth About Guns published a translation of an Italian press release from Chiappa describing how their firearms would be incorporating RFID tags.
Yesterday, The Firearm Blog published a press release from MKS Distributing, which apparently imports Chiappa firearms to the United States. This press release was, shall we say, condescending. I was, however, amused by the remark that ridiculed the accuracy of “blogger reporting” – then confirmed what the bloggers had reported.
The Chiappa press release was written by Cinzia Pinzoni. She took time away from her busy schedule to give me a tour of the Chiappa factory in Italy back in March. She’s knowledgeable, professional, courteous, and very kind. Frankly, I couldn’t think of a better public face for a company. As far as the rest of the Chiappa factory folks go, they were all friendly and polite, even as they continued about their tasks.
I don’t know who wrote the MKS press release, but they’re not the same type of person that I encountered in Azzano Mella. This fiasco doesn’t change my opinion on Chiappa (which is good) or desire to eventually pick up some of their products (I’m eyeing that lever pistol), but there are plenty of companies in the firearms business that are run by smart, professional people. It’s important to note that Chiappa and MKS are separate companies – and, hopefully, there will soon be ways to purchase Chiappa firearms that do not involve MKS.
Excellent remarks.
The release was written by Charles Brown. I emailed him to express my displeasure with his tone. Below is his response. I think the issue has been put to rest. Sounds like a standup guy.
Thomas,
I appreciate your response to the barcode chip Release that was sent out last week, I am handling each one of the few responses we received individually, I feel if you took the time to contact me and express yourself I should extend the courtesy of responding to you.
I agree 100% with your observation that the tin foil comment sounded and read like we were uncaring pompous asses who did not care about the customers we market to, I like to try to put some humor in all of my releases and the shooting press seems to find it a nice departure from the mundane who-what-where-when contained in most the releases they get, however the intent of the humor came thru in a totally different feel-(yes we forgot the whole internet thing about how you can’t read inflection or feelings)
I also try to let all of our releases sleep over night and come back in the next day with fresh eyes and take a look at it nfortunately I did not with this one.
My family has been in the firearms business since 1953 and I have owned MKS for the last 28 years, always supporting the firearms industry and supporting the preservation of our constitutional rights and being on the watch for erosion of such.
MKS was one of the charter members of the Heritage fund that has pledged 1% of all of our sales to go toward fighting for our firearms rights, I am an NRA life member and support with cash and donations, thru MKS numerous events, friends of NRA, first shots programs, NSSF, US Sportsman’s alliance..in the 90’s we were one of the first to send donations of cash to the organizations in California fighting for our firearms rights. ect.
I am hoping that our ACTIONS of the past and future will show through and one comment that was supposed to produce a chuckle (unfortunately made us look like Jackasses) won’t forever hurt the way we are viewed. I guess I should have just re-stated that the glued in easy to find Barcode chip can be easily removed and left it at that.
Humbly and respectfully yours
Charles Brown
Thomas, thanks for posting that. It sounds good – but it would sound a lot better to me if he recognized that he was wrong and issued a simple apology.
The issue was not, to me, with one comment, but the tone and attitude of the press release as a whole.
He needs to have someone else write his press releases – but, as I intimated in the post, I’ll be looking elsewhere for my firearm needs.
Andrew, this sh!t won’t fly.
This is the internetz, you need to be writing something like:
“OMG! GAIZ! GAIZ! Chiappa is a bunch of pedo-communist-liberal-evil-nazi-illegals who want to use the constitution for toiletpaper and kill every freedom-loving person, plant and animal on the planet! This is the first step on the ladder to the communist-zombie-monsters-stepmothers takeover of all we love and hold dear. I even read on the internet that they force their children and women to swim in lakes of snot. They’re SICK! and they HATE US ALL!”
Better yet, make it all in capitals to REALLY GET TEH POINTZ ACROSSS!!!!!!11!!!! I mean plz, you write like a n00b.
Seriously though, I think you’re setting the standard when it comes to concise, informative and level writing and video on the topics you cover. Keep up the good work.
Thank you sir. I wrote this post during one of my more lucid periods. 😉