Ladies and gentlemen of XMarks:

The moderating staff would like to inform everyone of a minor revision in Rule #11 of the forum rules. All the moderators had a chance to discuss and vote on this amendment, and it has passed with a majority vote; XMarks owner, Steve Ashton, abstained from voting and the moderators' discussion, although he being the site owner, held (and granted) the ultimate approval after the moderators had voted.

The OLD version of Rule #11 said:
Whenever someone brings up the subject of weapons the discussion has always gone downhill rapidly. Because of this, we must insist that there will be no discussion, posting or photos of, weapons not traditionally or historically associated with the Kilt or Scottish Regiments.
The NEW version of Rule #11 now says:
(Bold=NEW text)

Whenever someone brings up the subject of weapons, the discussion has always gone downhill rapidly. Because of this, we must insist that there will be no discussion, posting about, or photos of, weapons.
(We define 'weapon' as anything that is used to inflict damage or harm on living beings. Weapons as components of traditional or historical kilt attire, or as components of a prescribed uniform, may be exempt as long as the discussion does not become about the weapon itself or its use.)
As always, the forum rules are accessible through the link at the top of of the webpage, or here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...q=xmarks_rules

Answers to some questions you may have about Rule#11:

Is this a change on the policy dealing with weapons?

No. This is simply a clarification of how the moderators will interpret what constitutes a "weapon" when the topic comes up.

Does this change what we may/may not post on XMTS?

Maybe a little. Topics that were disallowed previously, such as: holsters to be worn under the kilt, photos of members' gun collections, posing with a rifle and trophy elk, will still be disallowed with the new wording of this rule. Since the overall definition of "weapon" has been clarified however, a discussion of samurai swords or archery will similarly be disallowed.

On the other hand, with the new wording, a photo of a kilted guard at Edinburgh Castle, holding a modern rifle could be permitted, as long as the discussion didn't veer towards the rifle.

What was the reason for this revision?

The moderators wanted to be consistent with their decisions when asked to decide on whether a particular thread or post violated Rule #11. Several members expressed that the rule could use clearer phrasing, and the moderators agreed that it may benefit everyone to make such a clarification.

What are some examples of threads/posts that will or will not be allowed?

A post about a leg holster for under the kilt: will not be allowed.
A posting about Japanese martial arts: will not be allowed. (Because this is a kilt forum and Rule #12 still applies)
A post of a Modern Black Watch Soldier in Afghanistan with his weapon: will not be allowed (as the kilt is not the prescribed uniform for that soldier).
A thread on kilted crossbow shooting: will not be allowed. (As the focus really is on the shooting aspect -- the fact that it's being done kilted is merely coincidental).

BUT:

A post about a ceremonial Guard at Edinburgh Castle: COULD be allowed as the weapon carried is an incidental component of a uniform. This emphasis on the kilt outfit would also allow a Pipe Major with a Dirk and Sgian.

A post about stalking in Scotland will not be allowed (Because this is a kilt forum and Rule #12 still applies). Nor will a thread on kilted hunting.

BUT:

A post about a kilt outfit that was worn while on a stalk COULD be allowed (at the discretion of the moderators) even if there were an incidental weapon in the photo, as long as the discussion stayed on-topic to discuss the outfit rather than the hunt or the weapon(s) used.

A post about a Kilted Storm Trooper at a Si-Fi convention COULD be allowed if he were carrying a toy gun (at the discretion of the moderators).
A post about the Kilted Military units where weapons are incidental to the outfit COULD be allowed even though the uniform were trews (at the discretion of the moderators).

Does this mean that as long as there is a kilt in the photo, the weapons are OK?

No, no, and no. This clarification is not intended to open the doors to depicting armed kilt-wearers.

What if I'm unsure? Is there a way for me to know whether something will be allowed or not?

If you are unsure if your post will be allowed, the Forum Moderators will be happy to review your post and advise you before you submit it.

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Above all everyone, as always, remember this site's mission statement before posting.

This is a Kilt Forum. Our members come here to learn about, discuss and share a love for the kilt. This is not a Scottish specific forum nor is it a highland wear specific forum, just as it is not a modern wear specific forum. We keep our focus on the kilt. It is what brings us here and what makes this forum unique in the world.

While neither the owner nor staff of XMTS have an issue with weapons, we need to ensure that we retain the primary focus of the site, which is the kilt. There are plenty of sites on the Internet that do deal with martial arts, weapons, hunting, and Scottish culture and history in general that would be better-suited for such threads.

Thank you for your continued understanding.

A complete copy of the rules is available here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...q=xmarks_rules

The XMTS Moderating Staff