British Law?

If you say something, there are 2 things to consider: what you say, and the way you say it.
If you want to start an intelligent discussion, then do so.
The initial post in this thread amounted to nothing more than someone pointing a finger and saying 'haha, they're stupid'

If you don't want to be misunderstood, it's important to consider how you say things.
Btw, this is why on official state visits between heads of state, the various departments of protocol hammer out the practical detail, and why diplomats are often experts on the culture they;re interacting with. It's to prevent the participants from accidentally snubbing each other in front of an audience.

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Originally Posted by Bruno

If you say something, there are 2 things to consider: what you say, and the way you say it.
If you want to start an intelligent discussion, then do so.
The initial post in this thread amounted to nothing more than someone pointing a finger and saying 'haha, they're stupid'

If you don't want to be misunderstood, it's important to consider how you say things.
Btw, this is why on official state visits between heads of state, the various departments of protocol hammer out the practical detail, and why diplomats are often experts on the culture they;re interacting with. It's to prevent the participants from accidentally snubbing each other in front of an audience.

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I think you are being a tad over sensitive my friend because I do not get any condescending vibes from the original post, I don't feel offended by it, he was simply asking for some opinions from UK residents. The man has even posted an apology (unnecessarily IMHO) there is not one post from anyone in the UK complaining about it, you reside in Belgium so why you are on a high horse over it is beyond me.

I have no idea about how it is in UK but here people have carried knives since the last ice age. Knives have been considered as an utility tool or a tool for general purpose, not so much as a weapon of attack or defense. Many people still carry knives although it is illegal these days. Officials have no problem with it as long as you have a valid reason to have yourself an utility tool.
However, the world has changed within the last 20 years and nowadays people see knives as a weapons of attack or defense. Not necessary so useful, but something that is cool. Cases where knives have been used in a robbery or overreacted defense increased say 20 years ago and that is also when carrying knife became illegal. I have no idea if such law had effect, but i can see the point. Law might be stupid but here it is as stupid to carry something you think as a weapon.

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Originally Posted by osdset

The man has even posted an apology (unnecessarily IMHO) there is not one post from anyone in the UK complaining about it, you reside in Belgium so why you are on a high horse over it is beyond me.

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True, but I am also admin of this board, and because of that I keep an eye on how things go in the conversation forum.
The way threads are started usually set the tone for what happens next. Currently the conversation forum is rather quiet, but there have been times where many threads ended in flames.

That is why in the past, we asked that if your start a thread on politics or cultural differences and things like that, you start the topic by supplying the initial information, and then explaining your take on things or why you think it is relevant or something in that vein. If people start threads by making fun of cultural differences or calling politician idiots or other things, then pretty soon, we're back to a forum where we start with namecalling and starting topics just for making people with other political opinion seem silly.

It's happened in the past, I've seen it happen on other forums, and I don't want it to happen here.
In the other place I visited, it got so bad that every thread was a collection of insults going back and forth. And when I asked why people were not more polite, I was told that if I couldn't take it, I should not be there.

Fair enough, but I don't want that here.

Btw, I have been contacted by UK members in the past over issues like this, when Americans made fun of UK knife laws in confrontational ways.
One of them was an ER doctor who treated stab wounds on a near daily basis.
I know from experience this is a sensitive topic.

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Originally Posted by Bruno

Btw, I have been contacted by UK members in the past over issues like this, when Americans made fun of UK knife laws in confrontational ways.
One of them was an ER doctor who treated stab wounds on a near daily basis.
I know from experience this is a sensitive topic.

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Fair comment, maybe it would have been prudent to mention this in the first place, I have just re-read the OP and to be honest I am struggling to find anything confrontational, I don't think he is making fun of UK knife laws, more like he cannot see the reasoning behind the law, an opinion which may be somewhat influenced by the very different situation that exists in the USA. (now I'm second guessing someone else's train of thought, which could be confrontational so I'll stop there)

John

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Originally Posted by osdset

Fair comment, maybe it would have been prudent to mention this in the first place.

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No doubt it would've been no less prudent to read the sticky thread in this section called "Conversation Guidelines", and then simply follow them.

Certainly easier than to give a historical background with every post, explaining why one would be posting the thing they are posting, in the context of this forum.

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Originally Posted by gugi

No doubt it would've been no less prudent to read the sticky thread in this section called "Conversation Guidelines", and then simply follow them.

Certainly easier than to give a historical background with every post, explaining why one would be posting the thing they are posting, in the context of this forum.

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Ok, this is my opinion, I do not find the post offensive, confrontational, or condescending, so if anybody does, lets hear it.

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Originally Posted by osdset

Ok, this is my opinion, I do not find the post offensive, confrontational, or condescending, so if anybody does, lets hear it.

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Easy-peasy. I do, and I'm neither British nor U.S.ofA.ian. I think that settles it.

Peace on earth to all people of good will etc.
No harm no foul.