Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Surrender Ye Swords

Last month my friend Buddy completed his master's degree in art history, presenting a thesis on sword making and the weapon's eventual supplanting by firearms. As these things happen now, a morning radio announcer from Ireland found Buddy's thesis online and asked him to comment on the recent banning of samurai swords by the UK. Buddy is requested to comment on whether a sword can mean more to its owner than weaponry, or something along those lines. Why would anyone want a sword, is, I suppose, the idea. I'm not sure Buddy owns a sword, but it's an interesting question.

On the topic of banning swords in the UK (to be fair, they are banning only those swords inexpensive enough for everyone to own and use---collectors are exempt), I guess knives are next. Pointy things, bad for you.

Carrying a sword in public, evidently, is already illegal in the UK and punishable by four years in prison.

So what did they knight Elton John with?

8 comments:

Henry Chappell said...

The tyranny of absolute safety. THEY will keep us all safe because, clearly, we're incapable of looking after ourselves.

R Francis said...

THEY in Matt's question meaning our blessed monarch, who is always exempt from such bans. And n.b Knighthoods are only one level up from OBEs (Order of the British Empire aka Other Buggers' Efforts) and cost more. That deserves fixing more than samurai swords.

Steve Bodio said...

Just read that OBE definition in the Durrell bio I mentioned below-- he got the OBE and laughed because he said that was what it meant. I would have drunk with him.

Aren't they beginning to make noises about knives in GB? I know you aren't suppoed to carry one.

R Francis-- is that a lurcher I see?

Anonymous said...

They've been making noises about totally banning larger, pointed-tip kitchen knives for some time, actually. Incredibly, the bulk of the push to ban them is coming from British medical organizations.

R Francis said...

Steve, not a lurcher but a boisterous and odd-looking GWP.
Maybe a lurcher one day

PBurns said...

Luke 22 is about as important a chapter in the Bibe that there is, but not many folks read the Bible. I am no Bible man myself, but I do go to battle against all types, and so I cross-train (pun intended) like any good Ninja will do. And so, for you good Pagans, I give you Luke 22 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2022 ):

"[Jesus] said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. .. The disciples said, 'See, Lord, here are two swords.'
'That is enough,' he replied."


So Jesus MANDATED swords. Or Glocks. Get one and sin no more. The fact that the apostles said, "Dude, we got our iron right her, and we're strapped with a brace of nines right here" (New World translation by me) means this was not rhetorical stuff.

Patrick

Steve Bodio said...

I love that translation, Patrick!

Julie Zickefoose said...

Tiptoeing into your comments section, the grouchily complaining crane lady...Matt, I have a situation on our land developing with hunters who've put a very nice ladder stand five feet back from our heavily posted line, facing into our land. I know how I feel about it, but I'd like to bounce this off you and hear your views. You're my hunting sounding board. Would you please e-mail me at julieatjuliezickefoosedotcom? Many thanks.