If you want to really read as RAW: reading is not "using it" .. I read newspapers, dogs use newpapers. I read bathroom doors, I only use them if the gender matches.
Reading it to cast a spell is using it. Just like reading a teleprompter is using it.
But expanding to the whole phrase: use a magic item that requires that action. A scroll lets you cast a spell. The scroll does not require anything. It enables you. The spell you cast uses the magic action.
And Fast Hands specifically lets you take the "magic action" as a bonus action.
"reading a magic item that enables you to take a magical action as a bonus action"? THAT is not "as written".
yes it is. Moreso than the post I replied to. Nothing in Fast Hands talks about "activating" a magic item at all and in defending that intepretation you are breaking the magic action into three distinct different application then saying only one of them applies to Fast Hands when Fast Hands itself does not say that.
(this semantic difference is not just crazy... it is represented by the word "activate" which is what the creator was trying to explain).
The word activate is actually in the definition of the magic action. If the creators were trying to explain this they would have done it inside Fast Hands and they didn't.
JC meant what he was saying - you can use FH to activate a magic item that requires the magic action. That is ONE use of FH. I personally think "reading a scroll and casting a spell" is "activating" a magic item, but even if it is not it is still "using" a magic item and the latter is required for fast hands.
But your last statement summarizes how to intemperate the rule: Crawford's statement of intent does not conflict with anything that is RAW.
Crawford did not make a statement of intent. He provided an example of how it is used.
What Crawford said does NOT conflict with using FH to drop Caltrops and what Crawford said does NOT conflict with using FH to "read a scroll and cast a spell" even though he did not state either of these in his example.
That is how he meant it to work.
In most minds: Crawford + RAW >> your intent + iffy RAW + potential for abuse
There is no harm to the game if you fall into the Crawford intent camp. The other camp has spawned a bunch of vidoes and statements about "here is a broken build..", If you are just being sympathetic to underpowered Thieves.. just give the Thief stuff that does work.
I think Crawford intends for FH to be used with scrolls that have a spell with an action casting.