From Doug Ritter:
PROPOSED U.S. RULE WOULD MAKE MANY POCKETKNIVES ILLEGAL
This email is just a heads up to Knife Rights members and supporters about a very critical and important development that jeopardizes your right to own and carry pocket knives. PLEASE DO NOT ACT YET! Word is reaching the street via forums and other means and we want to make sure the true facts are known as there are many inaccurate rumors circulating. Many of the emails we have received are inaccurate or full of hyperbole. Any knee jerk or inappropriate reaction will endanger our cause, not help it. Please wait until your organization has developed appropriate and effective responses in order that you are taken seriously by the relevant authorities. I cannot overemphasize how critical this is, DO NOT WRITE YET, PLEASE!
Now, on to the issue:
U.S. Customs just about a week ago proposed revoking earlier rulings and years of precedence that assisted opening knives are not switchblades; that, in and of itself is bad enough. However, the proposed new rule would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its overly broad new interpretation of what is a switchblade (automatic) knife could also easily be interpreted to include all one-handed opening knives and even most other pocket knives. All knife owners could be impacted by this ill-conceived change to existing policy. We will have much more information on the historical issues and the like in coming days as we organize our response.
Please note that Customs' interpretation of the Federal Switchblade Act forms the basis for national, state and even local law and judicial rulings in many cases. The effect is NOT limited to just imports. This would be a devastating blow to our rights and to the entire knife making community. It has the potential to make criminals of millions of law-abiding citizens and put thousands of workers on the street. This is no joke, this is not just hype, and this is the real thing.
Knife Rights, in cooperation with AKTI and the affected knife manufacturers, is formulating a well-reasoned and effective response. We will all be asking for an extension to the ridiculously short 30-day comment period. We anticipate that some extension will be granted, hopefully for a meaningful period. Part of the reason for the extension is to allow us to adequately inform and advise the millions of knife owners who might be affected. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND JUST YET. This would be extremely counterproductive. We still have plenty of time to do this right and stop this travesty, but we must proceed intelligently and at the correct time with the best possible arguments. DO NOT JUMP THE GUN!
Within the next week we will post a sample letter and talking points for your use. At that time we will ask you to write and MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD! Please, do not respond earlier, it will be extremely counterproductive.
In the meantime, we are making the full 63 page document available to you to read for yourself. Again, while we understand your frustration, please do not write just yet.
http://www.kniferights.org/U%20S%20Customs%20Proposed%20Ruling%20-%20Assisted%20Opening%20Knives.pdfThis is the reason why Knife Rights exists; this is why we formed the organization. We didn't know where or how the attack would come, but we knew it was only a matter of time. We are here for you and will keep you informed.
Doug Ritter
dritter@KnifeRights.org
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