[Ansteorra] just read the link

[Chris Zakes]

At 02:31 PM 12/18/2006, you wrote:
>Please take the idea of this picture to its extreme. Do not stop 
>with the picture of just this student with two swords and chainmaille.
>
>   let anyone can wear anything...what can you imagine.
>   let anyone have weapons in their picture
>
>   How stupid could someone get? Where could it go? What could the 
> reprecutions in the school be?
>
>   If this were allowed then before the end of the school year 
> several students would be dead. Having known of students being 
> killed for the color of their shirt, I know where this could go.

You're right, it could. We should all immediately do our utmost to 
never offend *anyone* under any circumstances, ever again. In fact, 
the safest thing to do is to all spend the rest of our lives hiding 
under the bed.


>Often those who do not live their lives at schools do not realize 
>what life can/is like in school and what can set off truely stupid behavior.
>
>   Teachers/Administrators are servants. Please think about this. We 
> serve our students and their parents. We must protect our students 
> from not only the outside world, but often from themselves...and 
> for this care we are treated poorly and seen as the villian.
>
>   As far as the mascot having a gun...that most likely is part of 
> their past that they have not changed yet...but even that is slowly 
> changing across the country.

The school mascot is "the Patriot", a picture of a Revolutionary War 
soldier. Are you saying that patriotism and American history are no 
longer acceptable in today's schools?


>As far as advertisement space...they have the right to refuse to 
>allow anything in their advertisement section.

I think you missed the point here. The school principal said the 
yearbok picture *was* acceptable as a paid advertisement.


>A gun in a play...does not even fall into this discussion.

Why not? That's far closer to "a weapon on campus" than having a 
photograph of a couple of broadswords in the yearbook.


>We must treat all students equal, and thus all students must follow 
>the exact same rules.
>
>   Again, one student's stupid behavior reduces the freedoms of all 
> the rest. One person's stupid behavior reduces any citizens 
> freedom. Sadly we can not stop people from doing stupid things.

Only if you're afraid of confrontation. Consider the following 
scenario: Joe Fighter is being a rhino and not calling his blows. Do 
we solve the problem by...

1. Pulling that fighter from the field, giving him a good talking-to 
and possibly pulling his authorization card?

2. Cancelling the entire tournament?

Both options would stop the problem, but only one would reduce others' freedom.

         -Tivar Moondragon