Archie stands, clears his throat, and by force of habit takes his hat off. He turns it absently in his hands as he speaks, hesitantly but clearly.
“Ma’am, I would respectfully suggest that the concern of those in favor of the weapons ban may be partially misdirected. I understand that there is a certain fear of students violently turning on each other, but if I may say so, this concern is relatively minor. We all know that this school is . . . unusual. Strange things happen: I point to locker 327 as an example. As another example, it’s my understanding that Edward Elric opened what appeared to be a closet door in the common room and found himself in a desert; who knows how soon it will be before another student is inadvertently displaced, and whether or not the situation is less benign? And I don’t feel I need to point out the weekend’s events. Therefore, I respectfully submit that, by and large, what we wish to defend ourselves against is the more dangerous aspects of the school’s capricious nature -- not each other.”
He pauses and takes a long, slow breath, then begins to pace back and forth in front of his desk. “I have lived the past few years of my life in close quarters with many other men in conditions that are far from luxurious, in situations that would try the patience of a saint. If anyone is likely to lose their temper and lash out at his fellows, it would be in that situation. Our straits are nowhere near so dire here.”
Agitatedly, he twists his hat in his hands, quite unconscious of the damage he’s doing to it; he stares down at his feet as if collecting himself, then draws another breath and looks up at Principal Connor. His face is flushed and he is trembling, though it’s barely perceptible. “I’ve seen what happens when one man chooses to unleash the maliciousness of his nature on his fellows. I have been the victim of it many times. It may seem odd that among so many able-bodied men, one might be allowed to exercise ill will so freely on the rest, but madam and fellow students, this is what happens when we allow fear to keep us from taking a stand. We were all terrified of being punished further for it, and our captain was not a man who commanded authority. I don’t think that the latter is the case here.
“My suggestion is this: we establish neutral parties to whom we can report situations of feeling threatened without fear of retribution. How matters would be dealt with from that point on I’m not sure, but it would be worth putting on the table so that everyone is comfortable with the proceedings. I agree with those who have emphasized the need for clear accountability measures; should any one student demonstrate an inability to behave responsibly with a weapon, let actions be taken against that one student individually. Further, we make sure that for all of our students who are not versed in martial skill and wish to learn, the options are available for them, as it’s only fair. I would even go so far as to suggest that those of us with weapons skill volunteer to teach them; it would demonstrate that we can be trusted with our weapons, as well as build their confidence.”
Re: Weapons Ban
“Ma’am, I would respectfully suggest that the concern of those in favor of the weapons ban may be partially misdirected. I understand that there is a certain fear of students violently turning on each other, but if I may say so, this concern is relatively minor. We all know that this school is . . . unusual. Strange things happen: I point to locker 327 as an example. As another example, it’s my understanding that Edward Elric opened what appeared to be a closet door in the common room and found himself in a desert; who knows how soon it will be before another student is inadvertently displaced, and whether or not the situation is less benign? And I don’t feel I need to point out the weekend’s events. Therefore, I respectfully submit that, by and large, what we wish to defend ourselves against is the more dangerous aspects of the school’s capricious nature -- not each other.”
He pauses and takes a long, slow breath, then begins to pace back and forth in front of his desk. “I have lived the past few years of my life in close quarters with many other men in conditions that are far from luxurious, in situations that would try the patience of a saint. If anyone is likely to lose their temper and lash out at his fellows, it would be in that situation. Our straits are nowhere near so dire here.”
Agitatedly, he twists his hat in his hands, quite unconscious of the damage he’s doing to it; he stares down at his feet as if collecting himself, then draws another breath and looks up at Principal Connor. His face is flushed and he is trembling, though it’s barely perceptible. “I’ve seen what happens when one man chooses to unleash the maliciousness of his nature on his fellows. I have been the victim of it many times. It may seem odd that among so many able-bodied men, one might be allowed to exercise ill will so freely on the rest, but madam and fellow students, this is what happens when we allow fear to keep us from taking a stand. We were all terrified of being punished further for it, and our captain was not a man who commanded authority. I don’t think that the latter is the case here.
“My suggestion is this: we establish neutral parties to whom we can report situations of feeling threatened without fear of retribution. How matters would be dealt with from that point on I’m not sure, but it would be worth putting on the table so that everyone is comfortable with the proceedings. I agree with those who have emphasized the need for clear accountability measures; should any one student demonstrate an inability to behave responsibly with a weapon, let actions be taken against that one student individually. Further, we make sure that for all of our students who are not versed in martial skill and wish to learn, the options are available for them, as it’s only fair. I would even go so far as to suggest that those of us with weapons skill volunteer to teach them; it would demonstrate that we can be trusted with our weapons, as well as build their confidence.”