Ryan McMaken
01/30/2017
The legislature of the State of Colorado is considering ending its longtime ban on switchblades. You read that right. In a state where pretty much anyone without a criminal record can purchase a hand gun — and where homicide rates are quite low, mind you — switchblades are verboten.
Meanwhile, in Congress, The Knife Owners' Protection Act has been introduced, an an effort to repeal federal laws against the manufacture or distribution for switchblade knives. Specifically, 15 U.S. Code § 1242-1243 currently state:
Whoever knowingly introduces, or manufactures for introduction, into interstate commerce, or transports or distributes in interstate commerce, any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Whoever, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country ... or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States ... manufactures, sells, or possesses any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
In other words, if you carry a switchblade over state lines, you may find yourself facing a potential prison term of five years.
Of course, once you arrive at your destination, you may still face state laws banning switchblades.
In Colorado, for instance, possessing "a blackjack, gas gun, metallic knuckles, gravity knife, or switchblade knife" (first offense) is a Class 5 felony, which can bring up to three years in prison. A second offense can bring up to six years in prison.
Moreover, many of these state laws are broadly defined, so they are often made by law enforcement officials to apply to any knife that can be operated with one hand. New York state has used laws like these to prosecute non-violent "offenders" for decades.
The whole affair helps to highlight the utter capriciousness and ignorance which are involved in passing laws, especially ones geared toward imposing prohibitions and draconian prison terms.
Why are these knives illegal?
All the evidence points toward lawmakers targeting these sorts of knives because of Hollywood movies and popular culture.
more:
https://mises.org/blog/right-own-and-bear-switchblades
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