# Why have Americans become so timid?



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I was at a birthday party over the weekend where the woman could not open her excessively taped up gift. I passed her my pocket knife. The table erupted with horror:

"Oh my God! "
"Look at that!"
"Don't let the police see it!"

It was a Boker Magnum with a 2 1/2 inch blade. What the heck has happened to us? It's a good thing they didn't see the .38 Special Snubbie I keep in my other pocket. They might have called out the National Guard.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

You may want to re examine whom your hanging with. You know, friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Four words: _ Media, frenzy, nanny _and _state.

_


sideKahr said:


> .......It was a Boker Magnum with a 2 1/2 inch blade.............


2½" is a 'high-capacity" cutting edge.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

What would she have done had you flashed you CC.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

I had the exact same experience. Was with some friends I don't see very often anymore and we were sitting around a table ready to play a game. The game was new and still in the packaging. One of the gals was having trouble opening it and said "can someone go in the kitchen and grab a knife?" So I pulled out my pocket knife and handed it to her. You'd think I just crapped on the table by the looks on their faces. One of my friends daughters (10 yo) was sitting next to me. She grabbed up her daughter and set her on the other side of her. Then scolded me, "what do you need that for?" My answer- "oh I don't know, opening packages maybe".

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Sasquatch said:


> I had the exact same experience. Was with some friends I don't see very often anymore and we were sitting around a table ready to play a game. The game was new and still in the packaging. One of the gals was having trouble opening it and said "can someone go in the kitchen and grab a knife?" So I pulled out my pocket knife and handed it to her. You'd think I just crapped on the table by the looks on their faces. One of my friends daughters (10 yo) was sitting next to me. She grabbed up her daughter and set her on the other side of her. Then scolded me, "what do you need that for?" My answer- "oh I don't know, opening packages maybe".
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


 I would have said to help you out when you ask for a knife.
Never forget, in my home your family, your dog, cat your guns or guns and knife are always welcome. 
There is also safe parking for your motorcycles.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I believe it's chemicals.

There is more estrogen in our water supply than ever before. The 'boomers have lower sperm counts than the WWII generation. My guess is that the X, Y and millennial generation are worse off than us.

We're becoming women.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Some of you just might be old enough to remember when every boy carried a pocket knife to school. Cutting up apples, sharpening pencils, carving Joe and Mary in a heart into the wooden desk tops


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## homefire (Apr 20, 2017)

The Tourist said:


> I believe it's chemicals.
> 
> There is more estrogen in our water supply than ever before. The 'boomers have lower sperm counts than the WWII generation. My guess is that the X, Y and millennial generation are worse off than us.
> 
> We're becoming women.


This 'women' used to carry a jack knife with her all the time. I used it to cut string when feeding the cows, open packaging, and all kinds of stuff on the farm. People have lost touch with the reality of hard work and the tools to accomplish them.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

Sometimes reading here makes me wonder if some of y'all still live in the US of A? Hell, most of the women I know carry a knife... at a minimum.

Didn't every American boy grow up playing mumbley peg, of same variation or another?


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Real Old Man said:


> Some of you just might be old enough to remember when every boy carried a pocket knife to school................


And if you didn't, you'd have no chance of becoming a real man.



******* said:


> .....Didn't every American boy grow up playing mumbley peg, of same variation or another?


We did, but parents today are quite different.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

That is just a lesson on the state of our country--


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

At 66 years old. I’m the oldest male (by about 15 years) at most of our family gatherings. Even though there are ten or more men at most get-togethers, I’m the de facto knife carrier. If something requires cutting, they all look at me to pull out a blade. No one gives me open grief about always having a 3” folding knife (though a couple of the new wives give cold stares), but it’s gotten so I just lay it on the table at birthday parties and such because I otherwise have to reach into my pocket a dozen times. The rest of the men either have no desire (socially abhorrent), see it as an “old timer thing” or don’t want to get in the shits with their significant city-bred others.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Or maybe a pocket knife just ruins the lines of their skinny jeans.


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## T-Man 1066 (Jan 3, 2016)

I work at a machine shop where employees are not allowed to carry knives. I am the supervisor. I ALWAYS carry a knife. Top level management thinks it will make us safer. Babbit hammers and 3' bars of steel or CI will give somebody a bad day too.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

pakrat said:


> At 66 years old. I'm the oldest male (by about 15 years) at most of our family gatherings. Even though there are ten or more men at most get-togethers, I'm the de facto knife carrier. If something requires cutting, they all look at me to pull out a blade. No one gives me open grief about always having a 3" folding knife (though a couple of the new wives give cold stares), but it's gotten so I just lay it on the table at birthday parties and such because I otherwise have to reach into my pocket a dozen times. The rest of the men either have no desire (socially abhorrent), see it as an "old timer thing" or don't want to get in the shits with their significant city-bred others.


Growing up they were considered a tool. Now they are almost equal to an AR.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

inceptor said:


> Growing up they were considered a tool.


Your first knife was part of growing up. Part of becoming a man. Part of being like your dad & his friends, who in my case, were all part of the greatest generation.

At dinner my wife, a teacher, was telling me about a 6th grade boy all upset because the coach called him names & was ugly to him. I think there will be some conferences with the parents over this. I just laughed. When I was a boy, that was the coach's job & was expected. These folks nowadays, kids & parents, are just a bunch of soft wussies. This ain't something you can blame on liberals. I blame it on lame parents who would rather do drugs or spend all their time on social media, than raise their kids. Kids nowadays don't spend any time outside. Hell, when I was young there was nothing to do inside. And if I was tired of fishing, swimming or shooting or didn't have any friends around, well heck, that is when the knife came out & I would challenge myself to a game of mumbley peg.


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

I can't tell you how many old timer tri folders I lost as a kid. Its a shame because I'd love to have one today. 

It aint just knives. People have no desire or stomach for the possibility of direct conflict so we handle everything via proxy or electronic communication. There aren't many good old fashioned get in each others face and have it out scenarios anymore. If you happen to get into a fist fight you go to jail for assault. I think thats why we have mass shootings, people let the bad blood build and build and do nothing to get it out.


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## Maol9 (Mar 20, 2015)

Real Old Man said:


> Some of you just might be old enough to remember when every boy carried a pocket knife to school. Cutting up apples, sharpening pencils, carving Joe and Mary in a heart into the wooden desk tops


We used to Play Mumbley Peg at school. I still have a small scar on my right foot.


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

NotTooProudToHide said:


> I can't tell you how many old timer tri folders I lost as a kid. Its a shame because I'd love to have one today.


Yah, the Old Timer carbon steel USA 340T. I've got my Dad's (w/broken tip on the clip point), one I bought for myself about 40 years ago and my youngest son has one I gave him when he got his Cub Scout "whitl'n chit" about 20 years ago. Now they're made in China with stainless blades... not even close.

You can find the old ones on ebay, but they want a lot more than the $9.00 I paid for mine in the Agway store.

Edit: Added a picture of mine and my Dad's... keep'n me honest.


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## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

I still remember years ago buying my boys some nice pocket knives at the feed mill. You would have thought I was handing them gold. They sure had good times with them and learned how to take care of them. Part of their Boy Scout training was the Tote N Chip where they learned to care for and sharpen knives axes and buck saws. I use my knife all the time when I am working in the garden. I have a "Morakniv" that is a real beater. I abuse it on a regular basis but it comes back for more. I carry a small pen knife with me to work to open small single dose med packages. (I keep my nails short so I can't use them.) I would be lost if i didn't have a knife handy at work or at home.


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

pakrat said:


> Yah, the Old Timer carbon steel USA 340T. I've got my Dad's (w/broken tip on the clip point), one I bought for myself about 40 years ago and my youngest son has one I gave him when he got his Cub Scout "whitl'n chit" about 20 years ago. Now they're made in China with stainless blades... not even close.
> 
> You can find the old ones on ebay, but they want a lot more than the $9.00 I paid for mine in the Agway store.


I couldn't carry mine in Cub Scouts because thats when they instituted the all knives must be lockbacks rule. I always had a pocket knife when I ran around the farm and later on I had a hatchet and a bb gun. I also got to drive a 3 wheeler and go pretty well anywhere on the farm I pleased. At age 12 I was hunting alone in the woods with a loaded shotgun. How outraged would the public be these days.


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

NotTooProudToHide said:


> I couldn't carry mine in Cub Scouts because thats when they instituted the all knives must be lockbacks rule. I always had a pocket knife when I ran around the farm and later on I had a hatchet and a bb gun. I also got to drive a 3 wheeler and go pretty well anywhere on the farm I pleased. At age 12 I was hunting alone in the woods with a loaded shotgun. How outraged would the public be these days.


My growing up was about the same. I was the youngest son, so if anybody had a tendency to be worried about a boy with a knife or going hunting and fishing alone, the older ones cured them long before my time came to do it&#8230; not that I didn't collect a few scars at an early age.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

My boy was about to deploy to the Stan with the 82nd some years back. Thought I'd send him a Gerber that I'd carried when I was in Korea. Got it back in almost the return mail with a note that his 1SG told him that he'd face an Article 15 if he took it along. 

Times have changed and not for the better


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

They've had 75 years to do it to us. I'd say they did a pretty good job, frog in the pot. 

A couple weeks ago my 8 year old granddaughter began negotiating with me for a birthday present. 
Can I have one of those folding knife thingies? (I had given a 13 yr old grandson a Swiss Army Knife)
No, a knife isn't going to happen. 
Why not? 
Cause mommy said so. (Notice how I cleverly shifted the blame.) 
How do you know that? 
Cause I talked to her the other day and we talked about it. 
Oh. 
OK, how about a gun?


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I've had a folding Buck or Schrade in my pocket since grade school.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

pakrat said:


> At 66 years old. I'm the oldest male (by about 15 years) at most of our family gatherings. Even though there are ten or more men at most get-togethers, I'm the de facto knife carrier. If something requires cutting, they all look at me to pull out a blade. No one gives me open grief about always having a 3" folding knife (though a couple of the new wives give cold stares), but it's gotten so I just lay it on the table at birthday parties and such because I otherwise have to reach into my pocket a dozen times. The rest of the men either have no desire (socially abhorrent), see it as an "old timer thing" or don't want to get in the shits with their significant city-bred others.


I'm 41 and grew up in suburban CA and have always carried a knife. My Grandfather did, my father does and I do. My Grandfather gave me my first knife. Believe it or not quite a few guys in CA carry knives. It's kind of become a secret code. If you see a guy with a pocket knife most likely he is a Patriot. The Liberal douche nozzles are all too busy carrying tampons. Both the male and female.


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## 23897 (Apr 18, 2017)

homefire said:


> This 'women' used to carry a jack knife with her all the time. I used it to cut string when feeling the cows, open packaging, and all kinds of stuff on the farm. People have lost touch with the reality of hard work and the tools to accomplish them.


Homefire. Normally I would think it was a spelling error but with you I need to ask:
Feeling the cows or feeding the cows?

Sent from my iPad using Technology before it is shut down.


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## homefire (Apr 20, 2017)

fangfarrier said:


> Homefire. Normally I would think it was a spelling error but with you I need to ask:
> Feeling the cows or feeding the cows?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Technology before it is shut down.


feeding...whoops!! :vs_smirk:


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I got my first knife from my favorite uncle when I was about 10 or 11. It was a knife he carried and I watched him perform all sort of magic with it from carving fire starting sticks to surgery when I got a sliver jammed into my palm. I received it (his, not a duplicate) for Christmas. The morning after a vivid dream where he said I had a special surprise under the tree. The same day the family was told of his death.
While I don't carry it anymore due to shrinking of the blade due to sharpening all these years, I have it tucked away and still fondly hold it once in a while.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

sideKahr said:


> It's a good thing they didn't see the .38 Special Snubbie I keep in my other pocket. They might have called out the National Guard.


You have to admit, a .38 snubby is a LOUSY way to open a birthday gift in a room crowded by members of your family...


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## SGT E (Feb 25, 2015)

At age 12 I used to hunt with several of my teachers and the principal...guns in car's in the school parking lot were common...guns in school was only allowed on the first week of squirrel season...shotguns only though....the .22 LR crowd always almost started an insurrection . Would be headline news on CNN if any of the above happened now lol!


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

sideKahr said:


> I was at a birthday party over the weekend where the woman could not open her excessively taped up gift. I passed her my pocket knife. The table erupted with horror:
> 
> "Oh my God! "
> "Look at that!"
> ...


Ha,ha,ha! Yeah I guess it is a good thing that they did not see your .38 snub. They would have had tremulous, pissing of the pants. I have carried a Kabar, tucked into my belt, for all to see: I can guess what they would think of that. I currently carry a 3 inch Coast lock-blade from Home Depot, it is handy.

I have carried knives since I was 8 years old, my mother bought me a fish scaler Imperial, and let me carry it where ever I wanted to. God bless her heart.


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## homefire (Apr 20, 2017)

SGT E said:


> At age 12 I used to hunt with several of my teachers and the principal...guns in car's in the school parking lot were common...guns in school was only allowed on the first week of squirrel season...shotguns only though....the .22 LR crowd always almost started an insurrection . Would be headline news on CNN if any of the above happened now lol!


Are you kidding? You'd be drawn, quartered, and crucified..remember the kid suspended from school for a confederate flag in his truck bed?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

homefire said:


> Are you kidding? You'd be drawn, quartered, and crucified..remember the kid suspended from school for a confederate flag in his truck bed?


Or the kid that recently received a 10 day suspension for liking a picture of a gun. AND he did it after school hours.


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

pakrat said:


> Yah, the Old Timer carbon steel USA 340T. I've got my Dad's (w/broken tip on the clip point), one I bought for myself about 40 years ago and my youngest son has one I gave him when he got his Cub Scout "whitl'n chit" about 20 years ago. Now they're made in China with stainless blades... not even close.
> 
> You can find the old ones on ebay, but they want a lot more than the $9.00 I paid for mine in the Agway store.
> 
> ...


That picture brings back some memories. Like I said, aint no telling how many of those I lost when we lived out on the farm.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

I went to high school in the 1970's in a small farm town.

I worked at my dad's store after school. I can't imagine there was a single day I didn't carry a pocket knife with me, it was just part of what you did. Heck, sophomore year I had to do a "demonstration speech" in class so I brought my "ole smoke pole" single shot 12-guage and my demonstration was how to properly clean a shotgun. Nobody thought a thing about it.


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## OrneryOldBat (Feb 10, 2017)

The Tourist said:


> I believe it's chemicals.
> 
> There is more estrogen in our water supply than ever before. The 'boomers have lower sperm counts than the WWII generation. My guess is that the X, Y and millennial generation are worse off than us.
> 
> We're becoming women.


This woman has two: one for wearing jeans and the other in a purse. Both are sharp. Neither are pink.

I think it's about an attitude of self-reliance and preparedness. I prefer to be able to do any task that comes my way myself, and I don't like to rely on other people's tools.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)




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## OrneryOldBat (Feb 10, 2017)

Boss Dog said:


> They've had 75 years to do it to us. I'd say they did a pretty good job, frog in the pot.
> 
> A couple weeks ago my 8 year old granddaughter began negotiating with me for a birthday present.
> Can I have one of those folding knife thingies? (I had given a 13 yr old grandson a Swiss Army Knife)
> ...


This makes me sad. People have forgotten that its a tool.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

OrneryOldBat said:


> I think it's about an attitude of self-reliance and preparedness. I prefer to be able to do any task that comes my way myself, and I don't like to rely on other people's tools.


What kind of knife do you pack?

I can't help it, I'm a polisher...


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## OrneryOldBat (Feb 10, 2017)

My purse knife is a Buck 112. It was my Dad's and has seen some heavy use, so I keep it now for light duty and where I'm not likely to lose it. My work knife is a Spyderco Delica. Good enough for most purposes, legal and won't break my heart if I lose it. For backcountry fun, I have a Buck Spitfire and a Spyderco Endura (because 2 is 1).


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## 1895gunner (Sep 23, 2012)

Well it just needs to be said.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

It's all part of the agenda. The liberal leftist indoctrination. All talk the same, think the same, dress the same. No individualism or free thought. Big brother will not tolerate long those who speak out against the system or stand their ground. A castrated populace will be compliant and easily led to the slaughter.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

OrneryOldBat said:


> My purse knife is a Buck 112. It was my Dad's and has seen some heavy use, so I keep it now for light duty and where I'm not likely to lose it. My work knife is a Spyderco Delica. Good enough for most purposes, legal and won't break my heart if I lose it. For backcountry fun, I have a Buck Spitfire and a Spyderco Endura (because 2 is 1).


All good stuff. I would suggest at least one heavier use knife, although the 112 could do that. BTW, I never liked the 110, I always bought the FG112. I thought the front bolster made a good finger choil to keep your hand from slipping onto the blade.

Right now TOPS is Mil-Spie line is the best. Indestructible, easy to carry, and cobalt to boot.

When I need to carry something lighter but just s tough (like when I'm at the gym), I carry the Kershaw Barge.


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## modfan (Feb 18, 2016)

I'll tell you one of the funniest events in my life. Was watching my son in-law parents at my granddaughters 10th birthday. I bought my granddaughter a pink cricket .22 for her birthday. I thought all of the family on the other side was going to have a massive stroke. None of them had the b***s to say anything to me, but me and the wife had a great laugh on the way home.

I think it's one of the most used items my granddaughter has. She loves going out shooting and hunting.

I'm such a bad influence.


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## OrneryOldBat (Feb 10, 2017)

The Tourist said:


> Right now TOPS is Mil-Spie line is the best. Indestructible, easy to carry, and cobalt to boot.


Funny you should mention that - I've been eyeing the Mil-Spie 3 to replace on of my backcountry knives.


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

She likely would have been less offended if you had whipped out your pecker. The sheeple are certainly fragile these days.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

RedLion said:


> She likely would have been less offended if you had whipped out your pecker. *The sheeple are certainly fragile these days*.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

OrneryOldBat said:


> Funny you should mention that - I've been eyeing the Mil-Spie 3 to replace on of my backcountry knives.


I've had four of them. The bevels are even and uniform, and the cobalt polishes like a mirror. I do not remember if this Mil-Spi3 (one of my EDC knives in rotation) is polished to 500,000 grit or 3.2 million. Eh, you can eat a Subway sandwich with it, so that's what important to me...


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## jim-henscheli (May 4, 2015)

My general rule is, if I carry my favorite rifle(savage 111) into a friends house, African style and get more than a "hey bud", something's wrong. Now, I almost never walk around with a slung rifle, but when I do, I better not here about it.


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## User Name (Dec 18, 2015)

So which Kidy do you think have at least one knife in there pocket?











> Kids nowadays don't spend any time outside.


thats not true. Nowerdays the patrol truth the street and rip of other kids, sell drugs or destroy public thinks


> or shooting


WTF!


> a 10 day suspension


lol?! Here its impossible. How should learn a kid something?!


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