K i need sum reasons to argue with people restricting me from carrying fixed blades

[Thomas Linton]

Don,

If you work hard enough you can find something that offends you. Or you look for the better spirits. Although I have often disagreed with Mr. Forge, I find nothing offensive in his post -- just not 2005 PC.

 

[Benjamin Liu]

Even though I'm on the opposite side of the debate, I'll have to come to DaQo'tah Forge's defense on this one. There is nothing offensive with what he wrote to anyone other than those who keep up-to-date on the latest PC trends in order to find all possible ways that they can be offended even when people mean no offence. What should he call them? When I worked in group homes we called them "residents" or "clients" and in a doctor's office we call them "patients" but he did not indicate that he worked in either field so none of these terms would apply from his point of view.

The ICD-9 lists several codes for "mental retardation." Mild mental retardation is 317, moderate is 318.0, severe is 318.1, profound is 318.2, ans unspecified is 319. These are codes used in documenting patients' conditions for medical services. If there was something offensive with the term why would it be an official term used by the federal government to describe a medical condition?

By the tone of DaQo'tah Forge's post, his son did not want to visit them, thinking it had nothing to do with Scouting but DaQo'tah Forge disagreed and considered community service part of Scouting. His post seemed to be critical of his son's attitude.

I only partially agree with him. While IMO community service IS an important part of Scouting, outdoors training and activities is the backbone. Without it the Boy Scouts would not be Boy Scouts and just another service club.



Back to knives: Fixed blades are safer.

 

[Benjamin Liu]

Hey... I made a left-handed smokeshifter once! It can be done!

I've never heard of one being made before. Maybe you should submit the plans to "Boy's Life" magazine.

 

[DonTomas]

Once my oldest son didn't want to go with the rest of the Scouts on a visit to a place where the retarded are sent to work on art projects.

Maybe I gave you the wrong impression. I'm not a PC-crazed-left-wing-activist by any means; I just felt a twinge of hypocrisy in DQ's post. The Klingon bit, was just a little dry humor. I have no problems with Klingons. Well, except their cuisine.

In no way am I criticizing the Scouts or DQ's parental abilities. The very fact that he sat his son down and talked to him about it speaks volumes.

Benjamin Liu, the federal government still uses the word "retarded"? I was under the impression that just about everyone had shifted to the term "mentally challenged".

Nevertheless, back to knives. Yes, I agree, fixed blades are safer, but overkill for 6yr olds in the city.

 

[Benjamin Liu]

Benjamin Liu, the federal government still uses the word "retarded"? I was under the impression that just about everyone had shifted to the term "mentally challenged".

Yes, at least in medicine. I used the 2005 version of the ICD-9 for my codes. In 1995 my Abnormal Psychology textbook also used these terms. It is a medical term that some people have turned into an insult, just like the older terms for mild, moderate, and severe retardation; moron, imbecile, and idiot.

"Mentally challenged" is a PC term and can mean anything (if you have some sort of mental block keeping you from achieving a goal, you are "mentally challenged," at least by the linguistic definition of the terms.) and it is not specific or descriptive enough for use in medicine. There is nothing wrong with the current medical terms, just in the way they are sometimes used.

Since people in the field of helping these people refer to them as "clients" instead, I've noticed at the job that some people would call each other "clients" and I've actually seen the term "client" used as an insult making its way into pop culture. Any new label will eventually become used in a derogetory manner and then become un-PC, and it will happen much faster than before with the internet. It is all pointless.


"Nevertheless, back to knives. Yes, I agree, fixed blades are safer, but overkill for 6yr olds in the city."

I don't know much about Tiger Cubs since that started when I was already a Boy Scout, but Cub Scouts start at 8, Webelos at 10, and Boy Scouts at 11, and boys at 11 are old enough to learn how to use a fixed blade. I had one at 11 and it was taken by my Scoutmaster at camp. IMO he was right to take it, but he did it for the wrong reasons. Looking back I know it was junk and had a bad sheath, so that one was dangerous, considering that the sheath eventually did come apart a couple months later. However, similar problems will also exist with junky folders. Dull blades that won't take an edge, bad locks, and other qualities associated with cheap knives no one on this board will carry can all be dangerous. I was teaching my nephew how to use a SAK to open a can and the cheap "SAK" broke. I'll get him a Victorinox when he is ready. A Scoutmaster SHOULD inspect the Scouts' knives for quality, and maybe teach them about quality knives.