Changing a Flawed Court Case in Florida.

D

drshame

Joined
Oct 4, 1998
Messages
100
RE: Florida Appeals Court Rules Auto-Knives Banned

IF YOU THINK IT'S WRONG, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!

There are enough Florida members on the forums to start an "Information " campaign with our state lawmakers.

Lets get the information about the Florida Knifemaking Industry, it's national reputation, estimated annual sales, and numbers of professional-nationally prominent makers here into the hands of the lawmakers...State Reps and Senators.

Let them know about this industy, and it's national prominence, and educate them about the difference between a knife that is assisted-opening, rather than a clandestine weapon capable of propeling a projectile.

That's all the difference we're talking here to get this ruling nulled out.

We need to convince Florida lawmakers about the economic value of this product, along with the facts, if available, showing that so-called "auto knives" are not being used in crimes arond the state and punk kids are not using them to rob senior citizens.

And if you think letters and e-mails won't do any good, remember Florida just passed a law prohibiting municipla lawsuits againt gun companys, so reason can prevail!

Go to : http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Welcome/index.cfm

Find your state Representative and Senator, and DO SOMETHING POSITIVE.

Work on a factual, intellegent letter..or lets develope the FACTS ourselves, make
a proposed e-mail letter, and distribute it thru this board.

It's called lobbying kiddies, and the side with the most letters, e-mails, and phone calls usually WINS!

Off my soap box right now!
 
drshame,

I think you have a great idea. I can not tell you the number of emails I get in a week that ask why knife XYZ cannot be sold in their state or why they got arrested for carrying knife ZYX. I always tell these customers that the first thing they need to do is contact their state representatives.

The power of the American political machine dictates that if a high percentage of voters in a congressional district lobby for this or that law that the representatives will listen. This is mainly due to the fact that they want to protect their jobs.

This forum has enough members in the various areas of the country to really make a difference but I also agree that it needs to be done in an intelligent, reasonable manner.

Good luck and keep us posted.

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Jason Cadden
jc.gif

Webmaster
Smoky Mountain Knife Works, Inc.
jcadden@smkw.com
 
Just for the information of those who don't know my good friend Dr. Shame...

The man knows of what he speaks. He is a well known TV journalist down this way and his regular broadcasts concerning corruption, malfeasance and consumer ripoffs get lots of attention from both the public and the politicos.

Just so you know.

Now back to your regular programming.
wink.gif


Blues

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Live Free or Die

Blues' Knife Pix
 
I think that changing these laws in most states is an almost 90 degree uphill battle. You've got to convince the majority of lawmakers that there is a good reason to reverse the trend of these laws in an age where violence is such a concern in schools and workplaces. Not many politicians, conservative or liberal, want to be associated with a bill that makes it easier to obtain something that the public perceives as so potentially dangerous.

I think for most people it would be a matter of priorities. How many voters are you making happy by sponsoring a bill legalizing "switchblade" knives? I would think that voteswise, (and lets face it...thats what politicians are about), its not worth the time of the average politician. Perception is reality in politics and regardless of the reality of whether or not automatic knives lead to more knife violence your average spare guy out there who knows very little about blades sees autos as unnecessary and potentially more dangerous than other knives.

That being said....we've got to get involved...because one handed folders are next.....then all knives....then rocks and tree limbs I guess.



[This message has been edited by Roj Avon (edited 06-05-2001).]
 
If I understand the situation correctly, the problem in FL is not that switchblades are prohibited by law, but that a judge misunderstood a law that didn't apply to switchblades at all, and thought it did. If this is the case, legislation is not necessary. What is necessary is another court case that will overturn the mistaken one. You don't need to write your Congressperson, you need to get arrested for carrying a switchblade, and prove in court that the law you "broke" isn't about switchblades at all, but ballistic knives, which are a whole different story.

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"Is not giving a need? Is not receiving mercy?" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
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