You've got to be kidding me, right?
This almost made me choke this morning...
A SWORD-MAKER who creates weapons for Braveheart-style battle re-enactments is to take up the fight against tough new restrictions on the sale of swords.
Paul MacDonald, who owns MacDonald Armouries on Brunswick Street Lane, presented a petition of more than 2000 signatures to the Scottish Parliament last year.
The sword-maker is angry that he will face tough new restrictions on the sale of swords under a Bill, introduced last week and expected to receive parliamentary approval early next year.
Commercial sellers will have to comply with strict new licensing conditions such as keeping full records of all sales and buyers, and complying with restrictions on displaying items.
Now Mr MacDonald has collected another 500 signatures and plans to re-submit his Save Our Swords petition to parliament.
He claims his campaign has gained widespread support from other sword retailers, antique dealers and historical fencers.
Mr MacDonald makes swords costing between £300 and £2000 for collectors, museums and theatre companies. He also makes historically accurate reproductions of swords, mainly with blunt edges for the historical fencing market.
The sword-maker said he now faced having to buy a licence to sell swords which he does not consider any more of a menace to the public than kitchen or Stanley knives. He said: "My concern is that this is red tape for no reason when dealers having a licence will not affect street crime in any way."
The 34-year-old said people who commonly bought swords, such as Highland dancers, auctioneers and museum curators, had signed his petition.
"This is placing an unnecessary burden on sword-makers and I plan to officially resubmit my original petition to parliament with more signatures."
His concerns were echoed by Edinburgh antiques dealer Murdo McLeod, owner of Bow Well Antiques, on the West Bow. He said: "I think this is a knee-jerk reaction by the parliament and it is completely pointless."
"Politicians have said they do not know why people would want to own a sword in this day and age – and the answer is that they are part of our nation’s history and are very beautiful objects."
A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said knife-carrying was all too prevalent in certain parts of Scotland and had cut short and scarred too many young lives.
He said: "It is simply far too easy for these weapons to be bought and sold. That is why we intend to make it an offence for anyone in Scotland to sell a sword, subject to a number of exemptions, and require businesses to be licensed to sell non-domestic knives."
How very sad... freaking freedom-hating, PC-lapping imbeciles.
A SWORD-MAKER who creates weapons for Braveheart-style battle re-enactments is to take up the fight against tough new restrictions on the sale of swords.
Paul MacDonald, who owns MacDonald Armouries on Brunswick Street Lane, presented a petition of more than 2000 signatures to the Scottish Parliament last year.
The sword-maker is angry that he will face tough new restrictions on the sale of swords under a Bill, introduced last week and expected to receive parliamentary approval early next year.
Commercial sellers will have to comply with strict new licensing conditions such as keeping full records of all sales and buyers, and complying with restrictions on displaying items.
Now Mr MacDonald has collected another 500 signatures and plans to re-submit his Save Our Swords petition to parliament.
He claims his campaign has gained widespread support from other sword retailers, antique dealers and historical fencers.
Mr MacDonald makes swords costing between £300 and £2000 for collectors, museums and theatre companies. He also makes historically accurate reproductions of swords, mainly with blunt edges for the historical fencing market.
The sword-maker said he now faced having to buy a licence to sell swords which he does not consider any more of a menace to the public than kitchen or Stanley knives. He said: "My concern is that this is red tape for no reason when dealers having a licence will not affect street crime in any way."
The 34-year-old said people who commonly bought swords, such as Highland dancers, auctioneers and museum curators, had signed his petition.
"This is placing an unnecessary burden on sword-makers and I plan to officially resubmit my original petition to parliament with more signatures."
His concerns were echoed by Edinburgh antiques dealer Murdo McLeod, owner of Bow Well Antiques, on the West Bow. He said: "I think this is a knee-jerk reaction by the parliament and it is completely pointless."
"Politicians have said they do not know why people would want to own a sword in this day and age – and the answer is that they are part of our nation’s history and are very beautiful objects."
A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said knife-carrying was all too prevalent in certain parts of Scotland and had cut short and scarred too many young lives.
He said: "It is simply far too easy for these weapons to be bought and sold. That is why we intend to make it an offence for anyone in Scotland to sell a sword, subject to a number of exemptions, and require businesses to be licensed to sell non-domestic knives."
How very sad... freaking freedom-hating, PC-lapping imbeciles.
posted by Bob Freeman at 11:31 AM
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