Good news from Arizona

[goodeyesniper]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/02/03/20100203weaponbills0203.html

This story is mostly related to firearms, and firearms laws, but knife rights gets a mention there. With the Republican Gov. and Republican legislature, they are hoping to get most of these laws through. The key is stopping local governments from preempting state governments on things like prohibiting knife carry:

Rathner said Arizona's current political atmosphere is precisely why Knife Rights Inc. chose this time and this state to propose a bill that would pre-empt local governments from regulating knives.

Rathner for years represented the National Rifle Association in Arizona, but this year, he is lobbying for the national knife-owner advocacy group. Knife Rights, which Rathner said has a few thousand members nationwide, is based in Gilbert and was started in 2006.

"Guns have been pre-emptive for a decade, and there's been no problem with it," he said. "Knives are the next step."

Rathner said about 10 Arizona cities restrict knives, including Phoenix. Phoenix outlaws carrying knives, except for pocketknives. If the bill becomes law, Phoenix's ordinance would no longer be enforceable.

If successful, Rathner said, the group will push other states to pass the law.

Several Arizona cities oppose the bill, including Phoenix.

Frankly, we need more states like this. Not just pushing for their own freedoms, but pushing for other states to see it the same way. I'd love for some of this attitude of actually trusting their citizens to trickle down California's way.... Probably just dreaming on that one, though. :grumpy:

 

[Jesse B.]

Not to imply these initiatives are without merit, but linking knives to guns in such a public fashion only reinforces the notion that knives should be thought of first as weapons.
Also, I think Arizona and California are different enough so that what works for one might not work for the other. Perhaps if assault rifles were made available to the general public in certain sections of Los Angeles, things would be better -- but I don't think so.

What does make more sense is state law superseding local laws when it comes to things like transporting knives.

 

[artmichalek]

I'm not sure this is a good idea. Imagine if something like this came up in New York. NYC has strict knife restrictions, but very few places Upstate do. If the city was not able to restrict knives there would be an immediate push for state wide restrictions. And it would probably happen because the city has such a large percentage (over 40%) of the state's population and the political pull that comes along with it. While local ordinances can cause some confusion in terms of things like transportation, they are usually passed in direct response to local issues.