staffs
Administrator
Staffs
Posts: 3,295
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Post by staffs on Jan 9, 2005 11:52:37 GMT
I received an e mail from a member forum this morning and am posting it here and i am sure that member forum will not mind its disclosure and will ask for the support of fellow Knights Templars. It has been edited to keep the senders name and personal details confidential : I write to you with great concern. if you didn't know already the first minister of the scottish parliament announced new measures to tackle knife crime. which am sure you would agree is a growing problem in scotland. But the legislation aims to put a ban on the sale of all swords. just like the hand gun legislation. this will mean that even knight templar swords will be banned. Any member found carrying there sword from and too the lodge can be arrested for the carrying of an illegal weapon. This am sure you and other brethren will find to be un fair. we will only be a small group effected by this as all medieval re-enactors, highlandancers, collectors etc will be effected. So i ask you along with all other Brethren to stand up along side these other groups and try to stop a total ban. All we need to do is to get as much names on the petition below. Lets keep our swords part of the Templar ritual www.petitiononline.com/Swords/petition.html
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Post by leonardo on Jan 9, 2005 12:06:00 GMT
A noble cause. Hopefully it will have as much support as possible. So far 1039 Signatures.
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staffs
Administrator
Staffs
Posts: 3,295
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Post by staffs on Jan 9, 2005 12:10:44 GMT
1040 now
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Post by roberthlamar on Jan 9, 2005 19:28:26 GMT
Well done I have just voted.
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Post by leonardo on Jan 9, 2005 21:25:42 GMT
I hope and pray that as many people as possible will vote. I do believe it can make a difference.
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Post by OzBod on Jan 9, 2005 22:55:17 GMT
1056 now - and I'm not even KT! Bro KIEREN AUBREY (JD and webmaster) Robert Mummery Lodge No.8331 Staffordshire, England www.lodge8331.com
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Agent J
Member
On a Mission from God...
Posts: 127
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Post by Agent J on Jan 10, 2005 11:48:10 GMT
1070...what if I stick a tea-towel holder on the end of mine?
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bod
Member
UGLE - MM (London), MMM RAM(Middx), OSM (London)
Posts: 1,296
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Post by bod on Jan 10, 2005 12:36:18 GMT
Banning - the last refuge of the terminally stupid.
I am constantly left in a state of frustration by the uninformed who call for a ban on everything that moves once it is used by someone for nefarious purposes. If there was any mileage in it (politically) they would have banned motor vehicles a long time ago - after all they kill more people worldwide than knives or guns, or smoking, or dodgy websites, or whatever is the current flavour of the month to be banned.
I say ban almond croissants - the nuts get stuck in his throat and killed my hamster.....
Petition duly signed..in blood.
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Post by leonardo on Jan 10, 2005 13:34:09 GMT
Absolutely right Bod. This has got to be one the most craziest, inane, inept actions taken by anyone to date in this regard.
Someone earlier made the comment about kitchen knives. Kitchen implements are being used much more frequently to murder partners. I wonder will any of these also be the on the agenda for banning?
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Post by taylorsman on Jan 11, 2005 8:16:34 GMT
If they do this, and in think it only applies to Scotland, then they will have to ban the Skein Dubh the kiltie wears in his sock and the Sikh's Kirpan or dagger which has religious significance for him. Now I dont see Politically Correct New Labour upsetting an Ethinic Minority who's votes they will want in a few month's time!
If this ban did come in then I assume KTs etc would need to leave their swords in a locked container at the Masonic Hall? This would be counterproductive as any scrotes or neds could then break in and steal an armory of swords at one go. Anyway, a KT sword athough it has a point has a dull edge and would need to be sharpened to make it a worthwhile weapon. Would it take an edge or is the metal too soft? A KT sword costs about £120 Uk from the Regalia Vendors. A Naval Officer I know, who is also a KT , tells me that his sword (part of his dress uniform) cost over £1000 and it is a REAL weapon and has a sharp edge.
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Post by Late Knight Chemist on Jan 11, 2005 13:14:23 GMT
Steve,
I gather that the patterning on a ceremonial sword originally derives from the making process whereby the crude iron is repeatedly doubled and beaten thin. This was part of the hardening process and created the patterning. Our swords may the better be used as a club by holding the blade.
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Michael
Member
... as you have passed through the ceremony of your initiation...
Posts: 326
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Post by Michael on Jan 11, 2005 14:39:13 GMT
Now at 1098
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Post by mrmason on Jan 11, 2005 17:44:14 GMT
Steve, Fortunately the Skean Dubh "apparently" won't be affected as most modern ones are now just under 3 inches in length, which is the limit. Most Scottish Preceptories hold a decent number of swords for their knights so it may not effect us that much. However is it not another erosion of our liberties.
I hope this isn't a ploy by our English counterparts to disarm us all and then slip over the border to invade us again. ;D
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Paddy
Member
palmam qui meruit ferat
Posts: 51
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Post by Paddy on Jan 12, 2005 8:45:07 GMT
when i read the intial post i felt dis-enchanted by the laws that hinder a persons belives and rites to practice what they love such as using of the sword in Rituals which is not for anger or harm to people.
im not a fellow brother as of yet but it feels by the time i become accepted many of the old ways will be abbolished by political and missguided laws.
i went to sign the partition but see it only extends to uk residents.
anyway i hope all goes well
regards quantum postman
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Post by taylorsman on Jan 12, 2005 9:14:51 GMT
Quantum, we live in a society in the UK these days where it is so protective of people from self induced risk and so "Politically Correct" that if the most stupid moron MIGHT possibly be injured by some object or activity, or it can possible be adapted for some criminal purpose, then it is to be banned, even if the massive majority of people put such matters to a completely legal, safe and benefical purpose. There are now warnings on commonplace items such as knives saying "Sharp, may cut skin" or on kettles etc "Warning, may contain boiling water, Risk of Scalding" They tried this with guns, banning the legal ownership of many such firearms after the Dunblane Massacre when a loan nutter , who legally held firearms, shot up a load of kids in a school. Gun crime is now no less in the UK since this ban and illegal weapons can still be obtained with comparative ease in any large town or city. The only ones to suffer were the members of gun clubs who legally held them and complied with all the strict rules. So I can see us all having to leave our KT swords at the Temple or Centre, locked away in strongbox and Visitors will have to borrow one when a guest at another Preceptory , Chapel, Encampment, etc. Ridiculous! I'd say bear this in mind when you vote at the General Election this year, but I now feel that its a waste of time, they do what THEY want, whatever the Party, and I speak as a former Local Councillor!
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Post by leonardo on Jan 13, 2005 12:18:53 GMT
Spare a though for poor old Lester (Sensi) as these laws may effect people like him who are seriously involved in karate. They sometimes need to carry Samauri swords for exhibitions and so on.
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bod
Member
UGLE - MM (London), MMM RAM(Middx), OSM (London)
Posts: 1,296
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Post by bod on Jan 13, 2005 13:09:12 GMT
Really? I was under the impression that most forms of Karate were 'empty hand'? Practitioners of Iai-do, Ken-do, some forms of Ai-ki-do, Kung Fu and Ju-jitsu use weapons such as swords - including Tai Chi, but I didn't think karate-ka would be sword carriers.
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Post by Two Ton Ted on Jan 13, 2005 14:05:01 GMT
1130 now. Two Ton Ted
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Post by leonardo on Jan 13, 2005 14:09:30 GMT
That's right Bod, Karate does mean empty hand but many martials artists do use them for demonstrations, etc. Now Lester may have a different take on this but I know many from the martial arts who do use the samurai for the reasons I've outlined.
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sarge
Member
peace and harmony
Posts: 224
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Post by sarge on Jan 14, 2005 9:00:19 GMT
Steve . Ditto australia the federal government had a firearms buy back scheme ,after a mass shooting, spending millions of dollars buying firearms which had been banned some of the same firearms being readily available on the black market . Now after a few stabbings another kneejerk action . All swords etc to be handed in .We got dispensation for the tylers sword and the ceremonaal swords used in rose croix, but the same have to be registered and locked in a steel case when not in use sarge
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