GRNC Alert:
6 - 12 -09 |
Grass Roots North
Carolina
Forum for Firearms Education
P.O. Box 10684, Raleigh, NC 27605
(919) 664-8565, http://www.grnc.org
GRNC Alert Hotline: (919) 562-4137
hotline@grnc.org |
You Can't Be Trusted With Sharp Objects
(Printable {PDF} version here) |
We are
sharing the following alarming alert from The Firearms
Coalition and the Citizens Committee for the Right to
Keep and Bear Arms. This exactly the kind of steps
Great Britain took in their march to completely disarm
their subjects. Are you a subject or a citizen?
----------------
I don't usually do this, but letters need to be in the
mail within the next week or so.
The following alert from the Citizens Committee for
the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is urgent and time
sensitive.
It is a long letter so I'll summarize:
US Customs and Border Protection has decided to
reverse some past decisions and redefine what
constitutes a "switchblade." Under their new
definition just about any folding knife could be
considered a switchblade - especially knives designed
to be easily opened with one hand - like the one in
your pocket.
Most state and local laws base their own definition of
a switchblade on Customs' definition so if Customs
tightens up their definition it could easily result in
tighter state and local laws as well and you could
suddenly be committing a felony for crossing a state
line with that same handy little knife you've been
carrying for years. Domestic manufacturers could also
have their businesses seriously disrupted.
CBP was doing this kinda quietly and only allowed for
a 30-day window for comments from the public - written
on paper and sent to them through the US Mails. The
deadline for their receipt of comments is June 21
(which is a Sunday so the real deadline might be June
20.)
[By the way I am scheduled to guest-host Tom Gresham's
Gun Talk radio program on the 21st so be sure to tune
in.]
We are encouraging people to submit comments to CBP
telling them not to create all sorts of potential
problems by trying to solve a problem that isn't a
problem at all. We also ask that you start pinging on
your Senators and Representative demanding that they
rein in CBP and then fix the issue permanently by
repealing the useless ban on switchblades.
(Legislators just shouldn't be allowed to watch West
Side Story.)
KnifeRights.org is the lead organization in this and
they have sample letters at their web site - linked
below.
I think the hype in the following is a bit heavy, but
this is important none the less and I hope everyone
will take immediate action.
Jeff
The U.S. Government Is Trying To Take Away Your Pocket
Knives!
SAF and CCRKBA Joins with Knife Rights
The Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens
Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms have
joined with Knife Rights to help fight this
unwarranted knife grab by Customs. Alan Gottlieb
CCRKBA Chairman noted, "we stand with Knife Rights in
their support of Americans' right to own and carry the
knives of their choice."
And, just a reminder, the Second Amendment doesn't say
"Firearms," it says "Arms," and knives are clearly
covered.
The U.S. Government is after your Pocket Knives! In a
sneak attack, U.S. Customs has proposed revoking
earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not
switchblades. The proposal would not only outlaw
assisted opening knives, its overly broad new
definition of a switchblade would also include all
one-handed opening knives and most other pocket
knives!
U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) on May 21st
proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted
opening knives are not switchblades. The proposed new
rule would not only outlaw assisted opening knives,
its new broad definition of a switchblade could also
include one-handed opening knives and could be easily
interpreted to cover most other pocket knives, even
simple old-fashioned slip-joints.
At this point, one-hand opening and assisted opening
knives are 80% of U.S. knife sales. For most knife
companies, they represent all or the majority of their
product lines. These are the knives Americans take
with them to work and to play everyday.
Note, please, that CBP's interpretation of the Federal
Switchblade Act forms the basis for national, state
and even local law and judicial rulings in many cases.
This ruling by CBP is NOT limited to just imports.
This WILL affect virtually everyone who carries a
pocket knife, no matter the type!
CBP came up with this absurd proposal and then tried
slipping it into their regular notices, apparently
hoping nobody would become aware of until too late.
They provided for only the minimum 30-day comment
period, and there's no email comments allowed. Just
yesterday CBP rejected numerous requests for an
extension to the unduly short comment period.
Obviously, they'd just as soon not hear from us. We're
intending to disappoint them in that.
CBP's proposal would have effects far beyond that
suggested in the title of the proposal, "Proposed
Revocation Of Ruling Letters And Revocation Of
Treatment Relating To The Admissibility Of Certain
Knives With Spring-Assisted Opening Mechanisms," which
would be bad enough even if it only did that. However,
this proposal would likely make it illegal for the
estimated 40 million law-abiding Americans who own and
carry pocket knives to do so. It would also cost this
country dearly in destroyed businesses, lost jobs and
ruined families.
Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars would be
lost. CBP clearly appears to not have considered the
consequences of this unnecessary, inappropriate and
even illegitimate action. Since CBP is not required to
consider the effects of their actions, only Congress
or the courts can rein them in. If left to the courts,
the industry and our rights will be devastated and
America will lose much, regardless of who wins the
legal fight.
The definition of what is a switchblade has been clear
and settled for the most part since the Federal
Switchblade Act was passed in 1958 and has been
reaffirmed by many years of legal decisions. The Act
is very clear that a switchblade must have an
activating button on the handle. Without a button, it
is not a switchblade and this has been upheld by
numerous cases on many levels over the years. CBP's
convoluted reasoning in their proposal to reach back
beyond the law and to expand their regulatory purview
by rationalizing "intent" as justification for this
new interpretation is a stretch, at best, and
illegitimate at worst. It simply doesn't meet the
common sense test.
CBP's reaching beyond the clear language of the Act in
making this proposal is particularly questionable and
irreconcilable because it flies in the face of
virtually unanimous recent state court rulings
(including several cases in California, Texas,
Illinois and Michigan) where the issue of
assisted-opening knives has already been decided in
favor of the existing clear interpretation, that they
are not a switchblade. They cherry-picked a few
bizarre and untypical rulings from New York state from
some years ago to provide support for their proposal,
ignoring the many more recent rulings.
Beyond that, their significantly expanded
interpretation of gravity and inertia knives, also
included in the Act, would clearly make one-hand
opening pocket knives illegal and according to
industry sources, 80% of pocket knives sold today are
one-hand or assisted openers. Beyond even that clearly
excessively broad seizure of authority, we know from
past unfortunate experience in many cases over the
years that this sort of misinterpretation leads to
potential abuse by law enforcement where even the most
simple and innocuous Boy Scout folding pocket knife
can be opened one-handed by use of dangerous and
unsafe tricks, so that these too would be covered
under this expanded federal definition. This ruling
would therefore make almost all pocket knives subject
to being considered switchblades.
The impact of this CBP ruling would go far beyond just
imported knives because this "agency determination"
will be used by domestic courts and law enforcement to
determine what is a "switchblade" under both federal
and state laws. Many states do not themselves define
switchblades and simply rely on the federal definition
and interpretation, which is only found in rulings by
CBP. Since interstate commerce in switchblades is
prohibited, except under very limited conditions,
simply driving across a state line with a pocket knife
in their possession would make someone a federal
felon.
Knifemaking in the U.S. has enjoyed a renaissance in
the past decade or two as the genius and innovation of
American knifemakers, designers and manufacturers has
created a booming and vital American industry with
thousands of exciting new knife designs that improve
the function, utility and safety of the lowly pocket
knife, one of man's oldest and most useful tools.
Millions of Americans have responded to this
innovation, creating a vibrant industry. For the most
part these are family owned businesses that are
American success stories, the core of America's
economic strength. This proposal by CBP would destroy
all that for no good reason. That's a heck of a
stimulus package.
The knife industry tells us they employ nearly 24,000
Americans and have a nearly 6 billion dollar annual
impact on our nation's economy.
Those are very conservative numbers. If this proposed
ruling is allowed to stand, thousands of jobs will be
lost at the direct cost of billions of dollars. That
doesn't even begin to cover the enormous cost to the
country of those that would become unemployed, the
ruined businesses, foreclosed homes, years of
litigation by both industry against CBP and who knows
how many criminal trials and appeals as law-abiding
Americans fight this abusive attempt to take away
their knives, as well as many other devastating
unforeseen effects of this ill-considered proposal.
Thousands of American citizens lives would be ruined.
Millions of Americans would be impacted. The cost
would be tragically huge, more so because it is
neither necessary, nor desired by the vast majority of
Americans.
Knife Rights www.KnifeRights.org is the organization
that is heading the grassroots effort to stop Customs'
pocket knife grab. We are supporting their efforts to
safeguard our rights. As they point out, the Second
Amendment doesn't say "Firearms," it says "Arms."
Clearly the founding fathers expected that knives
would be included.
Knife Rights has provided Model Letters to make it
easy for you to make your feelings known. We are in
for the fight of our lives to save our Pocket Knives.
We can only win if you do your part. You have to
write!
We need your help to make an impression on CBP. They
figured that they could slip this by everyone with
little notice. We need to let CBP know that they are
not going to get away with it; that we noticed and we
are not happy and that we will not stand by while they
take away our pocket knives.
We need you to write CBP NOW! Their June 21, 2009,
deadline is fast approaching and these letters must go
via postal mail (or Fedex/UPS) and be RECEIVED (not
postmarked) by that date. Click below for a Model
Letter you can send to CBP. You MUST write TODAY!
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=29
or
http://tinyurl.com/q7w8tm
However, the reality is that CBP isn't required to
listen to our demands, but they do have to answer to
Congress. After you send a letter to CBP, giving them
notice they are not going to sneak this by us, the
next step is to inundate Congress with emails and
letters.
If you want to be free to carry your pocket knives in
the future, you need to write your Senators and
Representative TODAY! Click below for a Model Letter
you can send to Members of Congress. Only your efforts
will stop this and save our Knife Rights!
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=29
or
http://tinyurl.com/qqvmns
Help us stop this ill-conceived effort by Customs
before it puts thousands of more Americans out of work
and destroys one of Americas oldest industries,
causing great harm to our nation and many American
families. Help us stop these faceless, heartless
bureaucrats from destroying our essential American
freedoms. This nation has many more important issues
that need our attention and energy in this time of
crisis.
NOW IS THE TIME WE MUST DO BATTLE! WE
HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE.!
GET ON YOUR COMPUTERS AND SEND THESE LETTERS and
EMAILS.!
Write Customs & Border Patrol NOW!
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=29
or
http://tinyurl.com/q7w8tm
Write your Senators and Representative TODAY!
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=29
or
http://tinyurl.com/qqvmns
DO IT NOW! DO IT TODAY! DON'T WAIT!
You may find your NC representative by going
here:
http://www.grnc.org/contact_reps.htm
You may write your federal congressman by going here:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
You may write your FEDERAL senators by going here:
http://www.senate.gov/ |
Support these PRO RKBA merchants who, as GRNC
sponsors, are supporting your Second Amendment rights:
 | Hyatt Coin & Gun Shop, 3332 Wilkinson Blvd.,
Charlotte, NC 28208, 704-663-5656,
www.hyattguns.com |
| Duncan Gun & Pawn, 414 Second St., North Wilkesboro,
NC 28659, 336-667-6303,
www.duncangun.com |
| Shooter's Express, 2 Caldwell Dr., Belmont, NC 28012,
800-358-GUNS,
www.shootersexpress.com |
| The Aisle Pawn Shop, 216 N. Main St., Mooresville, NC
28115, 704-663-5656
Gunner's Alley, LLC, 200 Parkthrough St., Cary, NC
27511,
www.gunnersalley.com, 919-388-1991, contact: Ed Gurearo, ed@gunnersalley.com |
|
|
Copyright © 2009 Grass Roots
North Carolina P.O. 10684, Raleigh, NC 27605
Non-commercial reproduction and
distribution is permitted so long as this statement is included. All other
uses prohibited.
|
|
Every 13
seconds
an American gun owner uses a firearm in defense against a criminal. |
|
|
Criminal Attacks
Stopped By Guns This Year: |
|
|
|
|
|
| | |
