I was only looking for some light-hearted Halloween themed zombie killing swords.
You know, the kind of thing most responsible sword enthusiasts like you and me think is a little funny. But this year, all I kept on hitting were articles about how insane it was that these swords and knives could be bought online at all, singled out and systematically attacked by a panicky British media and incompetent police forces.
Articles like 'sickening zombie blades delivered to your door'
This statement by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner sums up the attitude quite well, for he
"declared the zombie blades 'disgusting weapons' with 'no other purpose than to cause harm and suffering' and called for an international response to stop their sale and import. He pleaded with anyone who had bought one of these potentially deadly weapons to take them to a knife surrender bin."
You can read the
full article here - it is attack after attack on standard web copy for swords - all interpreted through the distorted lens of a Hoplophobe (fear of weapons)
Back in the day, if a British bobby found a punk kid with a machete or a knife, they would probably have taken it off him and given him a good boot up the backside. These days, they would probably call in a tactical response team..
It really is quite pathetic - especially as the majority of these blades are not very effective weapons. For a start, they were never seen historically and the serrations and other protrusions would make it less effective as a weapon than a standard machete, or a bit of wood with some nails stuck in it. But they look scary, and that is the big issue - fear - fear of weapons, fear of young people, fear of the other - working hand in hand the media and the police in the U.K. have created a climate of distrust and fear..
So this Halloween, spare a thought for our fellow sword collectors in the U.K.
