Isn’t that just typical? Just as soon as I get done venting my spleen about cluelessness on the far side of the pond, I discover that — as usual — when it comes to home-grown idiots, the good old USofA takes a back seat to no other village world-wide.
*sigh*
Sometime in the mid-1950’s, someone parasitizing the United States Federal Government (but I repeat myself) saw one too many showings of West Side Story, The Wild One, and/or Rebel Without A Cause and decided that switchblade knives were the weapon of choice for disaffected youths and uppity ethnics.
So, we wound up with the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958 in all of its illogical, racist glory.
Fast forward to 2009 and some clueless pencil-pushing smacktard at the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection decides that the Switchblade Act of 1958 doesn’t ban enough things.
Yes, Gentle Readers! In their part to help in this time of financial instability and general nervousness, the CBP has decided to unilaterally invoke a rule of their own and potentially make any knife that can be opened one-handed unlawful.
A light must be shined upon this outrage; CBP must understand that the American public knows what they’re trying to do and Does Not Approve Of It.
Blog this; write letters; inform your kith and kin; and (politely) demand that your Congresscritters firmly bring the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to heel.
For further information, including pre-written letters, contacts, updates, and various banners such as the one above, scoot over to KnifeRights.Org
LawDog
I've been following this for awhile and wrote to my Congressman (my Senators are useless.)
The tactic I used in my letter was discrimination against handicapped. There are some in this world who don't HAVE two hands with which to open the silly thing.
Pops
I'd like them to explain to me why a knife that can be opened one-handed is any more dangerous than a straight knife.
That, and how a knife that needs two hands to open it is going to be much help in most any emergency.
Do these folks think the only thing knives are used for is something illegal?
Too late for the letters and calls. 6-21-09 is the drop dead date.
Bloody morons. We must unarm the sheep so they can be controlled.
While my preferred knives are mostly Victorinox (requiring three hands to open certain blades), I do own a few Opinels that require just the slightest flick to open. The ring-lock system is unique, and ingenious.
I've also owned several other brands, including a Buck Lite sitting beside me, which won't open by holding the handle and flicking the blade, but which will open by pinching the blade 'twixt thumb and forefinger, and flicking the handle (which opens quite nicely right into one's palm, quite ready for use).
Let's see, the want to make me a felon by declaration?
They wanna take five to ten years of my life for owning something they don't like.
Yet the unintended consequences of making felons of armed citizens doesn't scare the hell out of them?
We must not be doing our jobs.
Glad I already got my Micro-Tech and Lone Wolf…
Yeah… 'Cause THIS is gonna work.
How long before we have a ban on everything that can potentially harm someone, like, say GRAVITY?
Unfortunately, my representative is Steve Cohen of Tennessee's 9th district (Memphis), so I doubt it'll do much good.
As someone who has been fighting gun controls for over forty years….
Please, please, please do not send your CongressCreature a form letter. Letters are good – in your words. Letters are BAD in someone else's words.
Best of all is a telephone call to the Creature's office. House.gov and senate.gov will give you the Creature's number.
Congress can rein in Customs. And will if it causes their staff enough pain in the ears.
At the price of postage, a call is probably cheaper. And a call carries ten times as much punch as a letter, which carries more weight than 50,000 E-mails.
So write your own, or make the call. It's your call.
Stranger
Saw that, set a letter, but with this administration I'm not hoping for much… All the changes I see are negative!
Unless I'm mistaken, the Papal edict outlawing the crossbow several centuries ago has never been rescinded…..
LawMom
LawMom: They were only outlawed against Christians. You could use them on heathens all you liked.
as a blacksmith I can tell you nothing is as safe in the hands of a american as a knife..
you aim and cut, not cut and aim. thats the trick dummies
http://elmtreeforging.blogspot.com/
I sent letters on this matter to CBP, both senators, and my Congresscritter. About a month ago.
None of them "form letters".
Haven't even gotten the obligatory form letter responses informing me that my elected representative is fully aware and shares my concerns, blah, blah, blah. . .
retiredmaj-
Which leads us to the definition of 'heathen,' doesn't it?
LawMom
keep it legal!!!
elmtreeforging@blogspot.com
FInally heard back from one of my senators (Jim Webb, D-VA).
I go a nice form e-mail letter about. . . IMMIGRATION REFORM.
Nice to know exactly how important my senator thinks having some staffer read constituent mail is.
The movie cited frequently was Blackboard Jungle (1955).
The federal switchblade law was in 1958, P.L. 85-623.
Shootin' Buddy
Well wonders of wonders, Our Senatorial people sometimes actually get things right.
Senate Passes Amendment Protecting Knife Owners