"UK Govt sword ban response" Topic

OK. I don't have a horse in this race especially, but seeing as it generated some discussion when the petition went up – here's the repsonse:

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Please try not to take this to CA. Ah, please yourselves. ;-)

A quick read of this and I get that they are considering all of the opinions on the subject. I think that it will quietly disappear and little more will be said about it.

Swords are prohibited weapons in my state. You are allowed to have them if they are part of a collection and not sharpened, or if you use them for a cultural event ie sword dancing, or sport, ie martial arts.

Rat, that's why table/chair legs are now the preferred assault weapon. How absurd can this get, I mean really?

1066.us

Swords are allowed as part of collections here…sharpened or not. If carried in public then they are required to be registered much like firearms or dull and blunted. My blade is my preferred home intrusion response system. Doesn't disturb the neighbors nearly as much…

As part of a re-enactment group in Australia , i have to be sure to be able to justify why im carrying any of my swords in public , ie: on my way to training , or on my way to an event , i've never had a problem with the Cops if theyve pulled me up . Although i have seen one knobhead wear his sword on his back while on his motorcycle , and then give the cops greif for pulling him up . Its only a few rotten apples spoil the fun for the rest of us .

t

I used to walk 3km to reenactment in full getup, the sword that would have got an armed offenders callout if carried on it's own got just a smile and a wave when in costume. The only time I got stopped was when someone rang the police to report me threatening someone, what actually happened was that he pulled a video camera and said "show me some moves."

Robert

Never underestimate government twits with to much time and not enough media attention for their tiny little egos. They'll be outlawing blue jackets or wooden spoons or something next. They really can't adjust to not controlling how people do things. Party, sex, religion, or any other faction is always put aside to boost their little egos when they want to control something or get their names in the press.

"Will somebody please think of the children ?"

I the UK a Viking re-enactor was able to get his sword back, after the police confiscated it as an offensive weapon.

He claimed that in his religion he would not be able to enter Valhalla unless he died with a sword in his hand.

Sheiks are also obliged to carry swords as part of their religion.

How are you supposed to conduct your duels? Forks at 30 paces? ;-)

Never really thought about this too much. Growing up in Montana, Guns were a way of life as were "pig stickers" (large knives). On the ranch, we regularly used guns and large knives for legitimate purposes.

I guess the question is: What legitimate purpose is served by owning a sword?

Another way to look at this is how is a sword more dangerous to your child than a newly sharpend lawn mower blade or a sharp chef's knife? Seems to me the latter would be a more likely source of grief to a child.

Never heard of a sword being used in conjunction with a crime in my limited experience of 50+ years -- so why ban them?

mjc

There has been at least one case in the UK of a Samurai sword being used in an attack on people in a church. I think there was at least one fatality.

The current law, in New South Wales, here in Australia, is a sword may be freely worn, as long as it is an essential part of a costume, FOR A PURPOSE. So you need a costume, and a reason for the costume. That, as it was explained to me by the officer in charge of licaning and weapon offences, serves to allow Martial artists, re-enactors, dancers etc to have there toys, and makes sure anyone doing anything dodgy will be remembered. No one is going to use a western style sword in a crime, because they are to hard to get hold of, and too expensive. My re-enactment swords cost AUD$110+…. a hachet costs $5… a machette $10…. Katanas are slightly different, because you can get them cheap anywhere… and note, most cheap swords, like you get on e-bay or at dodgy markets are designed to incorporate at least one fatal flaw, meaning they are made to break if you hit anything with them.

Neh.. We've had a couple lunatics wielding swords over here in the US. Most recent was the guy who'd lost touch with reality to the point he thought he was his character from Shadowrun. An Elf character. A *female* elf character..

Frankly, I'd rather have a sword in every house than a gun in every house.

When taking my exams at Oxford one of the students exploited some of the older rules to have a pint of beer delivered to his desk (apparently you have the right to this).

The university got him back by fining him for NOT wearing a sword.

IainJL

I've heard the same story about Glasgow Uni.

In our reenactment group one of the first phrases we learned was

"Hones officer, it's just a theatrical prop"

It's amazing how many people are willing to let the government tell them what it is Ok for them to own or not own. Amazing and sad really. I won't even license my cats.

I know of at least 2 deaths related to being hit with a bowling ball, so my god, we better ban them as well.

On a side note, I have seen recently, people bringing their bowling ball onto a plane as their carry on. We have to keep the 5 ounce bottles of shampoo off the plane, but the 20 pound bowling ball is fine. Why is it you put someone in government and their IQ turns to mush?

I the UK a Viking re-enactor was able to get his sword back, after the police confiscated it as an offensive weapon.

He claimed that in his religion he would not be able to enter Valhalla unless he died with a sword in his hand.

Now that's just untrue. Axes are fine too, and you can be empty-handed as long as you die with you teeth sunk in the throat of your enemy.

The Aesir really aren't as uptight about afterlife qualifications as most mythologies…

Justin, I think you means Sikhs – and they are Knives, not swords.

Just what I was gonna say.The Sikhs.

Hi

Decades ago, I bought a bolo from an igarot friend in the Philippines. It has been in every vehicle I have ever driven. I refer to it as a "camping tool".

Living in bad places, producing it in the face of knives, chains and bats got folk running.

Rocky

A few years ago a former Member of Parliament, Nigel Jones was attacked with a Samurai sword by a disgruntled constituent. His assistant intervened and was killed!

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I hate chef's knives. They should be banned too!

I imagine any current, or retired Gurkhas will be very displeased with such a law as well.

I once stubbed my toe on a putty knife that was lying on the floor. Can we ban those too?

The reply keeps on about SAMURAI swords.

THAT WAS NOT WHAT THE INITIAL BILL SAID. It said "SWORDS".

Hence many of the re-enactment groups, from all periods, and Heathen groups that carry swords as ritual devices got involved.

NOW they change the goal posts!!!