[Ansteorra] just read the link

[Dave Wise]

Yes.  I am just fine with a seventeen year old posing with a sword.  
Growing up, there wasn't a kid I knew who couldn't lay his hands on a 
gun within about fifteen minutes.  Yet despite that, nobody went around 
shooting each other.  Before you say 'well times have changed', they 
haven't changed that much.  I would argue that every kid out there can 
still lay their hands on a knife, if not a gun, inside of 15 minutes.  
Yes, we have our Columbine and other tragedies, however those are 
exceptions and not the rule.  The vast majority of kids do not do those 
things. What has changed is the culture of individual responsibility.  
We have chosen to restrict everyone's rights, rather than segregate out 
the kids who were not raised up with the values to avoid doing stupid 
things.  If you are looking to change things, change the rules that 
force a teacher to put up with disruptive kids, instead of having them 
removed to join the other trouble makers.  Then, the teachers can go 
back to teaching the kids who want to learn.
As for 'what the man on the street thinks', I don't really have a lot of 
regard for the opinion of someone who won't bother to inform themselves 
of what they are seeing.
 From a legal position, the facts as described give rise to the term 
'arbitrary and capricious enforcement', and should be thrown out.

With regards,
Alexis

p.s. and yes, both my kids have shot guns and have steel weapons at 
home, all without killing anyone.

>It isn't as though this is the first time a weapon in a senior portrait
>has been an issue.  Tyler Schultz of Pewaukee, anyone?  Tyler posed at
>a gun club with the same kind of rifle he'd been shooting with since
>age 15, and his photo was not allowed either on the same basis.  I ran
>across several other references in the New England court system as
>well, where pics showing students with weapons were disallowed. The
>ACLU got involved on that kid's behalf too.  Talk about overkill, or
>maybe I'm the one thinking this is just too much ado about nothing.
>
>At least in Tyler's case he was posing with a gun he actually *uses* in
>his hobbies.  I'm still waiting for someone to suggest that young Mr.
>Agin actually uses either of those swords in his SCA activities.  
>
>Am I really hearing here that everyone is just fine with this seventeen
>year old kid posing with live steel as if the SCA actually supports the
>idea of children bearing (and using) real weapons of war? Sure, we
>understand the reality of the situation, but would any person off the
>street who is ignorant of what the SCA is, and what it does?
>
>- Kat MacLochlainn
> 
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