strathspey@strathspey.org:52638

Anselm Lingnau

Re: No more sword dances?

June 3, 2008, 2:27 p.m. (Message 52638, in reply to message 52636)

Pia wrote:

> I would also ask the English Arts Council and Dance UK what they propose to
> do about this.

I would probably try to explain the omission of traditional dance through 
Hanlon's Razor (»Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained 
by stupidity«). When the average politician's junior staffer is asked to come 
up with possible exemptions to add to the sword ban section of the crime 
bill, sports and historic reenactment are the obvious no-brainers, but the 
sword dance probably doesn't weigh that heavily on public-schooled City 
yuppies' minds. It's likely not that they are actively out to hurt 
traditional dancing, they just need a prod in the right direction, which is 
probably what the petition is about.

(Actually, what they -- or, rather, their bosses -- *really* need is a whack 
on the head with a dead fish or something for getting the silly ban started 
in the first place. A swordfish would be appropriate. But that's neither here 
nor there.)

Anselm
-- 
Anselm Lingnau, Friedberg, Germany ..................... xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
One should never underestimate corporate unpredictability ­- or stupidity.
                           -- Jonathan Corbet, on Novell's deal with Microsoft