Is it “Theatrical Purposes” if part of a religeous/cultural procession?
Knights of Columbus Parade
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954_701n.JPG
That picture does not depict Knights of Columbus from the United States.
Therefore, my initial guess would be they’re not in California.
Your question is still a good one – I just wanted the Adrian Monk moment of identifying the service baldrics as missing a blue stripe, which means they’re not US Knights.
I have heard that members of the Sikh faith are allowed have their knives in schools in L.A.
I was attending Mass in a RC church years ago involving KoC members…with uniforms and swords much like depicted.
Minnesota Statutes, section 624.61, forbids the formation of private armed groups with certain exceptions. One of the exceptions: “members of social and benevolent organizations are not prohibited from wearing swords.” I’ve always thought that was a KoC provisio, though I don’t know if the Knights of Columbus were active in Minnesota in 1897, when the provision was enacted.
I wonder how “social and benevolent organizations” are defined. Say a bunch of friends start up a club with a nominal charitable purpose as an excuse to wear swords. E.g. run around wearing a big-ass sword all week, then have a weekend ritual where at the end, each member provides one can of food to be donated to the food bank. Legal? Does the group have to be registered in some way or is the organization’s existence in a practical sense the most important thing?
RC?
It’s possible. The Order itself was founded in 1882, and I know at least one council in Minnesota with a founding date of 1904, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn of an 1897 presence.
Sure. I have regalia almost identical to that picture – white cape and chapeaux, which signifies that I am a Past Faithful Navigator, with a white-handled sword. The difference is in the colors of the service baldric, the sash that is worn from right shoulder to left hip and holds the scabbard.
Mine is white, with red and blue stripes – the colors of the American flag. Canadian Knights’ service baldrics are white with red stripes only.
Roman Catholic.