Political Correctness in the Knife World

[Sniper66]

Just thought I would share this. Harold, a coworker/friend of mine recently resigned to move on to a different job. He was well-liked and as is our practice we chipped in for a parting gift. Around that same time I had bought a Buck folding knife for myself and knew that Harold really liked it. So, I suggested buying a knife for him and offered to collect the money and order the knife. The staff enthusiastically donated money and I was all set to order the knife, BUT the department head intervened and said he wasn't comfortable with us "bringing a weapon" into our health care facility. I showed him my pocket knife and told him that most of the men I know carry pocket knives and that lots of people have knives in their desk to cut up lunch...apples and such. We also have a kitchen facility in the building with a collection of kitchen knives. A told him I was puzzled by his stance on this since his staff was in favor of it and that there were already lots of knives in the building. Further, I told him I was also puzzled by his reference to a harmless gift as a "weapon". He pulled rank and said since it was his department and that he was "responsible the welfare of the staff", he would not change his mind. What an idiot!!!!!! At that point I gave up. Who knew the mere presence of a knife could be so dangerous.

 

[rcmodel]

Mercy Mercy!
But I know the feeling.

I gave my son a Kershaw Assisted Opener for his birthday last night.

So we drove 7 miles to a farm town BBQ joint to eat and give him the knife in a private back room.

Our usual watering hole here in Lawrence?
I figured some bleeding heart liberal would call the cops on us for playing with a "deadly 3" switch-blade knife" in the restaurant.

And scaring them so bad they couldn't eat their Brussels Sprout Quiche!

rc

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

Hmm. Curious. What reason did he have to believe that this knife, as opposed to those already present, would be used for ill purposes? Does he distrust the recipient? The gift givers?

 

[hso]

I'd have the going away offsite where the boss has no concerns.

 

[danweasel]

You work for VA don't you?

 

[bikerdoc]

Move it of site and invite the jerk. Make him squirm with along presentation speech and an equally long acceptance speech, lauding the love and value of knives.

 

[kBob]

I carry a small "common folding knife" to hand out when someone asks for a knife to prevent gasps of fear. Especially at church. This does not mean I do not have the larger one hand opener of some type on me, it is just out of sight in church and such and the little pocket knife is less likely to raise eye brows. No one except security areas has ever had a problem with my Leatherman.

-kBob

 

[lemaymiami]

If it helps at all I usually try to remember that the kind of supervisor that would make that particular bad decision.... would probably starve if you gave him a hatchet and a live chicken for dinner.

 

[dayhiker]

I am glad I work for a boss who expects you to have a knife on you.

She , yes I said she, recently asked a new guy to borrow his knife (hers was on her desk) the poor guy said he didn't have one. With a genuine shocked look on her face she said "YOU don't carry a knife?"

 

[Sniper66]

The event has already come and gone, so no opportunity to do it elsewhere. As to why he did it; who knows, but when confronted with the reality that there are other knives, lots of them, in the building, he retreated to saying "I am not comfortable with weapons". I reiterated to him that he seemed to be the only one who had that fear and that since the gathering was for Harold and not him, perhaps he needed to find a better way to deal with his phobia. He muttered something about being responsible for the safety of his staff and walked out of my office, completely unresponsive to the observation that he seemed to be the only one who felt threatened. He is not my boss, so felt OK about running away, I guess. Harold and I have lots of laughs about this and we have a beer together occasionally and always get a chuckle out of our having survived the deadly confrontation with cutlery

 

[Readyrod]

"I am not comfortable with weapons"

It's not a weapon it's a tool. I pulled out a tiny keychain sak at work a few months ago to open a package and I got the "gasp, you've got a knife thing" from one of the secretaries. She had scissors, pens, pencils, and a lot of other stuff way more dangerous than my sak but I had a knife!!!!!
Btw I work near Kappabashi in Tokyo. It's the kitchen supply area of Tokyo. Went for a knife shop tour on my (long) break today. Saw hundreds of knives and not one of them attacked me. Dangerous living at its best.

 

[Pilot]

You're dealing with pure emotion, not logic. They will just keep mindlessly mumbling the "weapons" thing because they've been brainwashed worse than the guy in "The Manchurain Candidate".

 

[BullRunBear]

I've encountered this attitude before and despise it. There can be no arguing with these imbeciles as there is no thought involved, just emotion. It really bothers me these fools can vote and breed.

But I'm glad you your buddy can have a laugh about it.

Jeff

 

[Owen Sparks]

Could you not arrange to give it to him in the parking lot across the street as he leaves?

 

[TCBPATRIOT]

Thats ridiculous. But then again I work for a guy that carries a 4 inch fixed blade. But he also lets me wear my gun at work as long as its concealed. I'm a cook at a high end restaurant.

 

[Harley Rider 55]

The boss grew up in a very protected environment. How sad.
When I was a Cub Scout, I got my first knife. After getting permission from my teacher, I took the knife to school for show and tell.

 

[22-rimfire]

I would have the get together in a restaurant after hours and give him the knife. Boss does not have to participate.

The "boss" was playing the role of representing the medical faciilty and I would hope their policies. If he wasn't, he was a total jerk. Lots of jerks around.

 

[Kcinnick]

Wow, I have been given knives numerous times as gifts at work.

One day, not at work, but on a short errand, I met someone who wanted me to show someone my holster (I make leather goods). They were shocked I didn't bring my gun in with me. I knew I was 5 minutes from my house, I had a gun and wife in the car and I was going into a building where everyone I knew would be carrying a gun. They where in true shock I didn't have a gun. I did have a spring assisted opening knife and flashlight and I make all the crazy **** they come up with so they let me keep my official Louisiana Man Card.

 

[Sniper66]

Just another FYI about this event. The weasel in question here was not following any agency policy; his actions reflects his character and a wuss factor of 10. There is a sign on our front door that reflects a "no guns" policy, which of course I follow, but nothing about knives.

 

[Owen Sparks]

You probably can't drink alcohol at work either but the boss can't stop you and the rest of the employees from having a get together at a bar after work.

This should be no different. Present him with the knife somewhere else. Just don't invite your department head.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Have the party off site and invite the liberal and serve steak rare and show him you favorite carry piece. I had a few reactions to some of my blades over the years. I say let them pound sand.

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

Have the party off site and invite the liberal and serve steak rare and show him you favorite carry piece. I had a few reactions to some of my blades over the years. I say let them pound sand.

Somehow I was expecting to see something like this: ...and when he starts looking around for a knife to saw that sucker up, you politely tell him that, hey, weapons aren't allowed in here ... so, no knives...

 

[Mp7]

I have about 3 Puukko style knives in my desk.

Whenever sum1 really needs a sharp blade, they come to borrow one.


I also was awarded the post of BBQ-caretaker, as we have a big
gas-barbie on our company terrace.


The word Team means embracing diversity - and combining talents.
I feel lucky to work in such an environment.

 

[Big_John1961]

I've come to loathe all facets of political correctness. Condemning an invaluable tool like a pocket knife, which, as you pointed out, many men carry, while overlooking kitchen knives and other edged tools is the height of hypocrisy. And stupidity.

 

[Big_John1961]

A knife is a tool that can be used as a weapon. So is a baseball bat, an office chair, a pair of scissors, an ink pen or pencil, a letter opener, etc, etc. The whole issue is how people perceive things. People like your co-worker can't see past their own ignorance and that's just sad. My ex-wife is like that. She was never comfortable with me carrying a knife in my pocket (God forbid, a gun). When I told her I've been doing it for years, it still didn't sway her. She'd then get up off the sofa, head to the kitchen and chop up a salad with an 8" chef's knife. She didn't blink an eye.

When I was a kid and joined the Cub Scouts, it was a rite of passage to get your first knife. There may not be a more valuable tool than a good knife. What the hell happened?