"Non-confrontational people who are not initiating trouble"? Yes. "Law-abiding" is the problem. Legislators, judges, prosecutors and LEOs in the applicable jurisdictions ignore (as usual) the fundamental human RKBA as well as their oath to adhere to the U.S. Constitution, including the Second Amendment which they adamantly refuse to abide by. In the opinion of such ethically-impaired creatures, the language in a mere statute inexplicably supersedes our supreme law of the land. If a LEO can, no matter the degree of difficulty or artfulness, get a knife with a lockable blade to open through centrifugal force, then the lowly private citizen possessing it is not "law-abiding" and merits arrest.
Maybe I'm just out to lunch, but I really don't think rational people look at pocket knives as weapons. They can certainly be used as weapons, but that is not even close to the primary reason they are carried. All sorts of implements might come into service as weapons if needed... screwdrivers, hammers, pencils, pocketbooks,etc. That does not imply they are carried as weapons.
Guns are completely different. A gun carried about on one's person has absolutely no other purpose than to inflict harm on another, or to so threaten. I'm not talking about transporting guns for sale, use as sporting tools, show, etc.; just about EDC guns.
Makes no difference what one's views are in terms of any "fundamental right" to bear arms, because a pocket knife is not necessarily an arm.
Like I say, maybe this has all evolved under my radar, as I've been living out in the relative middle of nowhere (Central Oregon) for the last 17 or so years. I carried a knife to school almost every day growing up in MD, going to school in PA, living and working in NY and CT. Traveled all over the country constantly carrying knives in plain view - almost every state in the lower 48.
I remember years ago, calling up our county sheriff to ask about auto carry. As you may know, OR allows this with the caveat that the knife not be concealed. I basically wanted to know if a visible pocket clip was considered 'not concealed'... pocket clip with a shirt over it, etc. We got about a minute into the conversation, and he stopped. "Wait a minute... you're just talking about pocket knives, right? Hell, everyone carries pocket knives."
I see people carrying pocket knives all over the place - all around the country. Many of them have 3"-4" blades, and they are often clipped in pockets. They are ubiquitous. I have never once seen a cop stop anyone and "flick" his knife. Not in Portland, Philly, NYC, Denver... nowhere.
Now, if this were a matter of there being some inherently malicious intent or appearance on the part of the knife carrier, I could totally understand that. That would not really be any different than a cop shaking down some suspicious looking guy and asking him what he was doing carrying a screwdriver around town. Doesn't mean screwdrivers are weapons.
I got pulled over by a state cop a few months back because one of my brake lights was out. We got to talking, and I jumped out of the car so he could hold the pedal and I could make sure I knew what needed replacing. I had a Large Sebenza and an orange-handled Game Warden sticking out of my pants, plain as day. He would have had to be blind to miss them. Didnt say a word. Granted, this is in a relatively agrarian area, but we were basically in the parking lot of a shopping mall.
Other than flying, the only place I ever consciously leave my knife behind is when going to the courthouse. People do it, but they have the building posted, and I dont want to ruffle feathers.
But in the real world, everything does not go down according to the written rule of law. You ask mom if you can be a half hour late for dinner and you get one result. Just show up a half hour late and you get another. Show up late, apologize profusely, make a clear effort to get washed up quickly and sat down, and do the dishes without being asked - and you get a third.
