Stupid Government Tricks

For those who argue that the gun grabbers will stop when they get all the firearms, think again. They are trying to ban swords in Tacoma. That’s right — swords!

For more than a year now, Tacoma city officials have quietly struggled to find a way to regulate the sale of ancient weapons.

Swords. Throwing stars. Daggers. Knives. Crossbows.

Medieval stuff that freaks out average law-abiding citizen-types when they see it for sale at the corner store alongside candy bars and gum.

So far, the attempt has produced little in the way of results. Stanching the sale of drug paraphernalia proved easier.

The challenge for the city’s lawyers is figuring out how to update Tacoma’s “dangerous weapons” ordinance to stop a convenience store from selling a giant collectible sword, but not also make it illegal for Fred Meyer to sell a bread knife.

What’s the next thing to outlaw, Bic lighters or nail clippers? I forgot, TSA has already started that process for both.

Props.

posted Apr 19th, 2006 by Stephen Gordon
  • http://www.libertyfilter.com putrimalu

    I’ve always wondered why swords, knives, brass knucks, maces, blackjacks and whatnot weren’t covered by the 2nd amendment.

  • http://blog.dankim.com Adrift at Sea

    As I’ve said before, banning butane lighters wouldn’t really be all that necessary if the TSA could prevent plastic explosives from getting on the plane. Banning swords, crossbows and guns, will only leave the weapons in the hands of criminals, who don’t really care that they’re breaking the law.

  • Lenny Zimmermann

    The worst part of this is that there has been a revival in recent years of “Western Martial Arts”, effectively the study of European combat arts mostly of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, but including some other times frames as well. There are many types of simulators used in working to recreate those styles working directly from existing manuals of the time period. Those simulators include things like PVC-style tubing with foam exteriors (properly made these work realy well and a relatively inexpensive will requiring very little armor), wooden “wasters” (swords made of wood), flexible steel simulators (that look exactly like a REAL sword, but with blunted edges primarily used for thrusting) and blunted steel weapons (heavier than the real thing would be and requiring more armor and slower attack speeds.)

    In all the many people who have gained na interest in these martial arts are greatly expanding our knowledge and understanding of these very important historical texts.(cont)

  • Lenny Zimmermann

    (cont.) It is throuogh all of these folks practiticng and trying out these techniques to provide us with a much greater understanding not only of the texts themselves, but also the cultural context of those martial arts. Bans like this will only prevent that kind of important historical research from being performed. Not sure how big of a WMA community they have in Tacoma, but I sure hope those folks are mroe than a little “up in arms” over rubbish legislation like this.

  • Julian (a Vietnam Vet)

    About the time I finally agree we should all give up firearms and use swords, now they want to ban swords, too? Now what for personal protection, sticks and stones? Are they too going to be banned? We better start collecting all those too, no matter the cost or effort. We will surely be a safer society if there are no sticks and stones.

    What has become of reason and rational thinking by our “lawmakers”? Oh, that’s right, the politicans never have been rational about any issue.