Congrats to KNIFE RIGHTS - Ineffective & unfair IVORY ban FAILS in WA. State!

[Scrim]

Knife Rights Media Release

Washington State Ivory Ban Bills Fail
Another Victory for Common Sense

March 2, 2015 - Gilbert, AZ: Another irrational state Ivory Ban effort has failed, this time in Washington State. Once a bright light was shone on the lies and deceit of the Ivory- banners, the bills (HB 1131 and SB 5241) proved unable to move forward by legislative deadlines.

Working closely with key allies including the NRA and the
Legal Ivory Rights Coalition, as well as our knife industry members, Mike Vellekamp (FOX Knives USA) and Tim Wegner (Blade-Tech) who testified against the bills at our request, we were collectively able to beat back the proposed draconian ban on ivory, including mammoth ivory, in Washington.

Washington now joins Virginia this year in rejecting the emotionally charged, but factually deficient arguments put forth by promoters of these Ivory Ban bills.

Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said, "Knife Rights and all who we represent abhor the poaching of elephants in Africa. However, these ivory ban bills won't save a single living elephant, while taking hundreds of millions of dollars from millions of honest law-abiding Americans. It makes no sense to unfairly penalize Americans for the illegal and immoral activities that continue to threaten elephants, and which these proposed ivory bans do nothing to ameliorate. These ivory ban bills are Feel Good - Do Bad legislation at its worst." (Bold, Enlarged type added)

To all of you who made calls, wrote emails and came to testify, we are truly grateful for your help in defeating this misguided and irrational legislation.

ABOUT KNIFE RIGHTS
Knife Rights (http://www.KnifeRights.org) is rewriting knife law in America™, aggressively forging a Sharper Future™ for all knife owners. Knife Rights is dedicated to providing knife owners an effective voice to influence public policy. In the past four years, Knife Rights has passed pro-knife legislation in 11 states and prevented anti-knife legislation in six states. Knife Rights is also the lead plaintiff in a federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City."

For more information contact:

Doug Ritter
Chairman
dritter@KnifeRights.org

Todd Rathner
Director of Legislative Affairs
trathner@KnifeRights.org :

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

And right prevailed over the knee jerk statist control freaks.

 

[elbowroom]

If this is true, it's a sad day for innocent animals.
Please explain how the defeat of this bill will not further endanger and propel into peril these wild animals from poachers' slaughtering and murdering for their ivory tusks.

Knife Rights Media Release

Flaf Bar 499 pixels
Washington State Ivory Ban Bills Fail
Another Victory for Common Sense

March 2, 2015 - Gilbert, AZ: Another irrational state Ivory Ban effort has failed, this time in Washington State. Once a bright light was shone on the lies and deceit of the Ivory- banners, the bills (HB 1131 and SB 5241) proved unable to move forward by legislative deadlines.

Working closely with key allies including the NRA and the
Legal Ivory Rights Coalition, as well as our knife industry members, Mike Vellekamp (FOX Knives USA) and Tim Wegner (Blade-Tech) who testified against the bills at our request, we were collectively able to beat back the proposed draconian ban on ivory, including mammoth ivory, in Washington.

Washington now joins Virginia this year in rejecting the emotionally charged, but factually deficient arguments put forth by promoters of these Ivory Ban bills.

Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said, "Knife Rights and all who we represent abhor the poaching of elephants in Africa. However, these ivory ban bills won't save a single living elephant, while taking hundreds of millions of dollars from millions of honest law-abiding Americans. It makes no sense to unfairly penalize Americans for the illegal and immoral activities that continue to threaten elephants, and which these proposed ivory bans do nothing to ameliorate. These ivory ban bills are Feel Good - Do Bad legislation at its worst." (Bold, Enlarged type added)

To all of you who made calls, wrote emails and came to testify, we are truly grateful for your help in defeating this misguided and irrational legislation.

ABOUT KNIFE RIGHTS
Knife Rights (http://www.KnifeRights.org) is rewriting knife law in America™, aggressively forging a Sharper Future™ for all knife owners. Knife Rights is dedicated to providing knife owners an effective voice to influence public policy. In the past four years, Knife Rights has passed pro-knife legislation in 11 states and prevented anti-knife legislation in six states. Knife Rights is also the lead plaintiff in a federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City."

For more information contact:

Doug Ritter
Chairman
dritter@KnifeRights.org

Todd Rathner
Director of Legislative Affairs
trathner@KnifeRights.org :

 

[Scrim]

Modern "fresh" ivory is already banned in the U.S. and has been. It has been extremely effective if you look at real F&W stats and records put out just prior to the Obama administration jumping on this bandwagon. Also, Fish & Wildlife claim they have no way to tell the difference between modern and antique. That is ridiculous and "convenience" on their part. There are MANY experienced, knowledgeable aficionados & experts that CAN tell the difference and have offered help to the government with doing so. We are also talking about the constitutional property value & commerce rights of Americans being able to conduct commerce in LEGALLY acquired, vintage, antique and ancient ivory products which in no way endanger modern day elephants. EVERYONE I know that utilizes and or owns these very old to extremely old materials respects & desires the preservation of the species. But you don't (ethically) throw out the baby with the bath water and destroy culturally important art (or its value). You don't trample on people and their rights, especially when what we ban here (in the U.S.) will, in reality, have ZERO effect on African poachers or the enormous Chinese market for fresh ivory. This issue is just not solved that simply or ineffectively. We all (here in the U.S.) want to protect elephants & rhinos, etc. but it needs to be done surgically so as to be effective and fair to all...and to actually accomplish the stated goals...to stop illegal poaching of elephants & rhinos. Pretty simple really. Be smart, thoughtful and effective in saving modern day animals AND fair to modern day Americans. Is that not possible in the minds & hearts of the emotionally charged "BAN IT ALL" contingent? If not, it should be. I know, few care about banning commerce in "other people's property". They only care when it comes to a ban on commerce effecting something THEY own. Then the BAN IT ALL folks cry foul. It's human nature, I know. But it doesn't make it right OR effective in actually saving elephants or rhinos.

 

[Twindog]

Big money and corrupt special-interest groups -- including Knife Rights -- have won yet again. Money talks: That's why we have Citizen's United.

And elephants lose, yet again. They are going extinct in Africa, being slaughtered by the tens of thousands, with much of the money going to terrorist groups who are using the money to kill American soldiers and innocent civilians around the world. There is no credible way to stop the slaughter of elephants without killing the demand from rich knife makers and gun makers and trinket salesmen who have a "right" to drive any and all species of animals into extinction.

No credible, independent organization believes the lies that Knife Rights and Doug Ritter have put forth, as proven many times in previous threads.

This is not a knife rights issue. This is a money issue. Doug Ritter has chosen to be part of the problem, not the solution. We'll all suffer in the end.

Even China has acknowledged that elephants cannot be saved without a total ban on ivory, but China is too corrupt to enforce its new importation ban. Sad to see America is following China's lead in succumbing to political corruption.

 

[crom]

We've got the best government money can buy.

 

[craytab]

Time for the monthly fight over ivory bans!

 

[marcinek]

Time for the monthly fight over ivory bans!

Not sure whats worse...starting a thread on the subject and immediately closing it and not letting anyone respond, like happened earlier today....

or starting a thread on the subject and leaving it open!

 

[craytab]

Not sure whats worse...starting a thread on the subject and immediately closing it and not letting anyone respond, like happened earlier today....

or starting a thread on the subject and leaving it open!

Now that is a conundrum.

 

[Skimo]

Polarized views.

Being an Eskimo and growing up with Ivory and baleen, I see currently legally obtained ivory in the same way that I see legally obtained rare woods. Legal, end of story, passing ex post facto laws is inane. I fully support legal enterprise.

You can't help starving kids in Africa by banning food bought from Africa 50 years ago any more than you can keep elephants alive by banning walrus, whale or mammoth ivory. Not only would it be a crime against US citizens, it would be especially abhorrent to natives who utilize it for art, sale and traditional craft.

Also, in before the lock/move.

 

[RedLynx]

While I've already expressed my views ad nauseum in the other thread from last month (ish),--and there is apparently another thread already closed about this--I do think it is unfair to say that "the light of truth was shone on the lies and deceit of the ivory-banners." I realize this is an emotional subject but, that's pretty strong language there.

 

[Screwdriver]

I am so glad for all the knives that had "ancient ivory" can still work as knives. I was wondering what the knife would turn into if the ban went through....maybe an iPod or Toaster.

 

[MTURBO]

GOOD!! I love my ivory stocked hand guns!

 

[marcinek]

While I've already expressed my views ad nauseum in the other thread from last month (ish),--and there is apparently another thread already closed about this--I do think it is unfair to say that "the light of truth was shone on the lies and deceit of the ivory-banners." I realize this is an emotional subject but, that's pretty strong language there.

It also seems unfair to to call it "....Feel Good - Do Bad legislation at its worst..." and then shut the thing down before anyone else with a differing opinion has a chance to respond. If it was intended to be "news", I can see not wanting to open a can o' worms (or elephants) and locking it. But it doesn't seem right to editorialize and then lock it.

But that's off-topic. Sorry. Just has been a bee in my bonnet, as it were.

 

[Mark Knapp]

Polarized views.

Being an Eskimo and growing up with Ivory and baleen, I see currently legally obtained ivory in the same way that I see legally obtained rare woods. Legal, end of story, passing ex post facto laws is inane. I fully support legal enterprise.

You can't help starving kids in Africa by banning food bought from Africa 50 years ago any more than you can keep elephants alive by banning walrus, whale or mammoth ivory. Not only would it be a crime against US citizens, it would be especially abhorrent to natives who utilize it for art, sale and traditional craft.

Also, in before the lock/move.

This is one of the best arguments I have seen on this issue.

 

[RedLynx]

It also seems unfair to to call it "....Feel Good - Do Bad legislation at its worst..." and then shut the thing down before anyone else with a differing opinion has a chance to respond. If it was intended to be "news", I can see not wanting to open a can o' worms (or elephants) and locking it. But it doesn't seem right to editorialize and then lock it.

But that's off-topic. Sorry. Just has been a bee in my bonnet, as it were.

No, I very much agree (and we've talked a bit so you know my views on the whole thing, and I guess anyone who cares to can go back and read it all).

I've seen a lot of Feel Good, Do Bad stuff (or at least Feel Good, Do Nothing stuff) and this just really is not it at all, in my opinion. I'm not a licensed expert in Feel Good Do Baddery, but this piece wasn't actually trying to promote the "do bad" side of the equation.

But, if this helps the ol' gran who may for whatever reason need to pawn her stuff, I guess that's alright, I don't want anyone like that to be hurt financially, doing something like that.

That's (probably) all I'll say about it.

 

[stabman]

Not sure whats worse...starting a thread on the subject and immediately closing it and not letting anyone respond, like happened earlier today....

or starting a thread on the subject and leaving it open!

Judging from other threads, leaving it open may be worse.
A lot of people added each other to ignore lists in the big, knock-down, drag-out thread everyone remembers.

 

[RedLynx]

Judging from other threads, leaving it open may be worse.
A lot of people added each other to ignore lists in the big, knock-down, drag-out thread everyone remembers.

I don't engage in this practice so it seems bizarre to me, but it seems to be happening in threads more and more. The "well, glad this is all coming out, more people for my ignore list!" sentiment seems to be popular. Or I am just noticing it more. Either way I don't get it. I've never added anyone to my ignore list here and I don't plan to start.

But to each their own.

 

[egally08]

Big money and corrupt special-interest groups -- including Knife Rights -- have won yet again. Money talks: That's why we have Citizen's United.

It's delusional to think that Pro Ivory has more funding and backing than Anti Ivory.

Money and backing plays a part in some legislature and elections, where the deeper pockets usually prevail. Clearly this wasn't one of those times since the Pro Ivory stance is such a minority opinion.

 

[Scrim]

It's delusional to think that Pro Ivory has more funding and backing than Anti Ivory.

Money and backing plays a part in some legislature and elections, where the deeper pockets usually prevail. Clearly this wasn't one of those times since the Pro Ivory stance is such a minority opinion.

Unfortunate, but also 100% correct.