Swords to be banned in Scotland????????

[Ken Pfrenger]

I am not in Scotland but thought i would pass this along anyway since they are asking for people from everywhere to sign even though the page says UK only according to the originator of the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Swords/petition.html

you can see the author of the petitions own words about who can sign here:
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=71136

 

[SFC JeffJ]

This is getting ridiculous.

Jeff

 

[Swordlady]

Criminy...all I can ask is WHY??? Scotland has a rich history where edged weapons are concerned, and I think it's a downright travesty that the new laws are going to deny folks an important part of their heritage.

Edited to add: This is what happens when a few bozos use their swords for unlawful means. Sigh.

 

[East Winds]

It is true that the Scotish Executive have banned the "SALE" of swords. It is an attempt to curb the prevalent knife crime in cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh. Martial Arts clubs and Highland dress users are exempt and are allowed to carry weapons provided they have appropriate carrying cases. The martial arts lobby (in particular the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain) were very active in representing the views of martial arts here in Scotland.

Very best wishes

 

[Blindside]

Does much of your knife crime involve muggers threatening people with a 50+ inch claymore?

 

[terryl965]

I can understand the knife crime but what does that have to do with swords. I really can't see anybody mugging someone with a 4 foot sword in the middle of the street.
Terry

 

[ArmorOfGod]

Unfortunately, I have to say that I don't believe that petitiononline.com is taken seriously at all.
There would have to be a real petition set up by a true sword heritage organization and not something set up by some kid in their parents' basement, as most petitiononline.com petitions are. I am not saying that the author of this petition is like that, but that is the general belief that most have of that site.

AoG

 

[Xue Sheng]

Does much of your knife crime involve muggers threatening people with a 50+ inch claymore?

Lord knows the Claymore is the weapon of choice of mugger’s worldwide!?!?!?

What the heck are they thinking....Scotland and no swords... Give me a break.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Criminy...all I can ask is WHY??? Scotland has a rich history where edged weapons are concerned, and I think it's a downright travesty that the new laws are going to deny folks an important part of their heritage.

I agree completly. Taking away the heritage should be a crime not owning a sword

 

[pstarr]

This is tragic!!!! I'd like to meet the imbeciles who think up laws like this-

 

[East Winds]

Blindside,

No they don't use Claymores. Being a multicultural country they use Samurai swords!!!!!

Knife and sword crime in Scotland is a seriuos issue. Gangs of youths meet and fight with swords and knives. However I agree that the measures taken by the Scottish Executive are likely to have little impact on the situation. Although shops are no longer allowed to sell swords, they can be bought easily through the internet!!!

But we Scots are a hardy race. After years of opression from the English a little law like this won't bother us. (They banned the wearing of the kilt after the '45).

Very best wishes

 

[zDom]

Silly Scots. *sigh*

My family has some Scotish roots - Crawford Clan to be specific.

Gangs having swordfights in the streets ... almost as bad as the idiots who shoot each other in the U.S. over "respect." :whip:

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Well, I signed.

If you care, you should too. It ain't much, but better than nothing. Help get some common sense light shed on this legislative piece of bovine fecal matter, stead of just complaining,I say.

 

[Grenadier]

It's just like any other "feel good" legislation. The legislators are pointing their fingers at the wrong group of people, since law-abiding sword owners aren't going to use their swords for criminal purposes. It's no different than ignorant politicians who wish to prohibit law-abiding citizens from owning firearms, simply because criminals use firearms that were either stolen, or obtained from black market sources.

The efforts should have been aimed at keeping those who do use swords in a criminal manner behind bars. It doesn't matter what weapon someone tries to ban; criminals don't obey the laws, and will always be able to get their tools of the trade.

This is but one step in what some "feel-good" legislators will attempt in order to completely ban swords. They know that they can't ban them outright, or else a really loud opposition will face them, but if they can make sword ownership to die from a million paper cuts, they will.

Now, if I were to guess, I strongly doubt that those gangsters are using good quality swords. Instead, they're probably using sword-like objects made from welded stainless steel...

 

[Kane]

Weapon prohibition in Europe, drug prohibition in the United States. It doesn't surprise me that they might ban swords. I think in England it is illegal to carry pocket knives. They don't have a 2nd Amendment like Americans do.

Banning nearly anything is always wrong. Weapon prohibition is no different. It only unarms law-abiding people and makes then vunerable to criminals who can easily get a weapon from the black market. So much for martial arts and self defense. It will probably become illegal to use even your unarmed techniques one day in self defense.