Thursday, September 15, 2011

Legislation of the Day

Massachusetts law (Chapter 269, Section 10(b)) already bans possession of any:
stiletto, dagger or a device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to be drawn at a locked position, any ballistic knife, or any knife with a detachable blade capable of being propelled by any mechanism, dirk knife, any knife having a double-edged blade, or a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches.
As I read the law, steak knives are ok, though nunchakus (a "weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of rope, chain, wire or leather") and throwing stars ("a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person when thrown") are verboten.

That's not enough for Boston, where the city council last week held hearings on a proposal to require licensing of businesses that sell knives. The idea was to stem a supposed crime wave of stabbings. Ultimately, the council delayed action until an ordinance was drafted, but proponents' testimony included:
"Why would we allow any corner store to sell these dangerous weapons (knives)?"

"Selling knives does not support families."

"We must do everything we can to restrict access to these dangerous weapons."

"Why would anyone need a knife with a blade more than two inches long?"
Uh, perhaps to butter some toast?

It can't be too long before Boston bans blunt instruments, to the delight of NY Yankee fans (and Dice-K). After that, maybe Beantown will suppress sporks. The future of the nanny state: only spoons.

(via Maggie's Farm)

4 comments:

Warren said...

I think Boston should ban whole dried cod. Hitting somebody over the head with one could cause some serious damage.

May_K said...

And what about scissors? The children's variant looks more stylish anyway ;).

OBloodyHell said...

These are the people whose ancestors fired the Shot Heard Around The World.

The mind boggles.


Hey, Alanis: THIS would be "irony".

Anonymous said...

May_K, I agree they're more stylish, but you can't run with them or your Mom will get mad.