Originally Posted By: Russ
Apparently the Scouts in the U.K. are taking exception with statements in the article. The truth about Scouts and knives indicates they haven't banned knives and "will circulate a more detailed response". I would imagine from this that some of the statements were taken out of context; can't imagine a reporter taking anything out of context whistle

Edit: Another article from Timeonline can be found at Scouts with knives are dangerous. But isn’t that the point? Read the first comment and while the Brit Scout may not have banned knives, they have restricted carriage.
Quote:
chris elmer wrote:
At the risk of letting the truth get in the way of a good story:

I'm a scout leader who has read the rules, The Scout Association has not banned knives. What are the chances of us having Bear Grylls as Chief Scout and not allowing penknives!?

We help the kids be legal and safe. We do not allow them to walk around in public with a knife but we also encoutrage them to own and use knives. They are invaluable on camp.

We ask scouts not to travel to and from meetings with a knife and we ask them to keep it stashed safely in their kit bag on the way to camp.

No ban on knives. They are tools for our members, just as we also let them use hammers, axes, saws and more but would not allow them to walk into town carrying them!
September 7, 2009 12:47 PM BST
Be prepared, except in public. . .


Read the original article here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19472733/Scouting-magazine-articles-on-knives

Some in the U.K. have objected to the characterization of the Scout policy as a "ban" and claim that the newspaper article is misleading. We don’t think the Daily Mail article is that far off the mark. When an organization with a strong tradition of knife use and carry such as the Scouts comes out and clearly states that it considers knives as weapons first and prohibits their use except in specific situations determined ahead of time, we think "ban" is a fair characterization. Scouts are not to carry knives at any time EXCEPT when a specific need is identified, and even then, they are to be allowed to have them only for as long as it takes them to perform that specified chore. Clearly, the Scout leadership has abdicated to the anti-knife hysteria in the U.K. Clearly they are discouraging carry of knives as a useful tool in daily life. In our opinion, by considering them weapons instead of tools, they are setting a poor and dangerous example for their youth, on many levels. Knife Rights was founded in order to keep knives as useful tools in our everyday life. The policy change evidenced by the Scouts in Britain is anathema to anyone who considers knives to be essential tools and one of our essential rights here in America.

Doug Ritter
Chairman
Knife Rights


The following image, based on a famous painting of Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell, was sent to me from one of our members.


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Doug Ritter
Editor
Equipped To Survive®
Chairman & Executive Director
Equipped To Survive Foundation
www.KnifeRights.org
www.DougRitter.com