strathspey@strathspey.org:52629

Andrew C Aitchison

Re: No more sword dances?

June 3, 2008, 8:34 a.m. (Message 52629, in reply to message 52616)

On Tue, 3 Jun 2008, Anselm Lingnau wrote:

> Fiona Grant wrote:
>
>> Banning the purchase and use of these swords is to my
>> mind completely ridiculous, as I know of no occasion when such swords have
>> been used in violent crime.
>
> This misses the point somewhat, I think. The point is not "doing something
> about the vast numbers of murders etc. being committed using highland
> dancers' (dull) swords". The point, on the politicians' part, is "being
> perceived to do something dramatic for the public good", even if the public
> good doesn't really care one way or the other.

The proposed ban has exemptions under two categories: "HEALTH/FITNESS/SPORT"
and "HISTORICAL PRESERVATION" but dancing doesn't appear under either 
category. The petition isn't to block the bill but to add dance to the 
existing list of exemptions.

-- 
Andrew C. Aitchison					Cambridge, UK