Knife Rights Update!

Knife Rights News Slice eBLAST – October 1, 2009

URGENT ACTION ALERT FROM KNIFE RIGHTS

“On September 16th Knife Rights participated in a lobby day on Capitol Hill, along with representatives of the American Knife and Tool Institute, the NRA and the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation.  Representing Knife Rights were Doug Ritter, Pete Brownell and Jason Kunkler (from www.knifecenter.com). While it was an exhausting, and at times frustrating, experience, it was clearly beneficial that House Committee and Member staff heard from us why it was so important to retain the Senate Amendment 1447 in the final Homeland Security Appropriations bill. I am confident that had we not made this effort, we might not succeed in the end.

As for that, we are all still waiting.  We remain cautiously optimistic, but it isn’t a done deal by any means.

UK’s Boy Scout Association Bans Knives

Bowing to intense political pressure, UK’s Boy Scout Association issued a “guidance” advising its members to no longer bring knives to camping events.

Troop leaders feel their leadership went too far with the outright ban. Prior to this ruling scouts were allowed to carry penknives with blades of less than 3 inches.

“It is health and safety gone mad.”

Shelia Burgin- Troop Leader

Knives have been a fundamental part of scouting for over 100 years. We all know their famous motto- “Be Prepared,” and knives were intricately involved in their preparation.

The UK’s Daily Mail reported the decision and stated it was a direct result of Britain’s anti-blade culture.

Thanks to Doug Ritter of Knife Rights for making us aware of this historic decision by the UK’s Boy Scout Association.

Photo credit:http://histclo.com

Does a knife qualify as a work of art?

Hope Diamond Est. Value- $350 Million

It used to be wealthy collectors could donate their works of art for a tax break.  Then the 2006 Pension Protection Act came along preventing donors from realizing the tax benefits on the appreciation of the art’s value and limited the time to complete the donation. So, with a stroke of a pen donations dried up.

The Weekend Edition of the Wall Street Journal in its article Restoration Work on Gifts of Art reports wealth advisers and estate lawyers stopped recommending the practice soon after the act became law.

Now, several in Congress are coming to the rescue by proposing changes in the 2006 law at a time when artwork is declining in value. In fact, the art market has dropped 30% so far this year and is approaching 2004 values, according to Mei Moses Art Indexes.

Is what we have here an art bailout?

With that said, is what we really have here an art bailout? The specifics get complicated, but real interesting. Did I tell you under the proposed changes the donor can make incremental donations of the piece of art over 20 years? This provides for the collectible to increase in value and provides increasing tax breaks to the donor as it appreciates. And then the one that got me- the museum is only required to exhibit the artwork proportionate to the incremental ownership interest gifted over every five year period, which means the donor can keep it for however much time not gifted. In other words, he can give it and then keep it- at least most of the time. I like that one.

My gracious, this sounds like a couple good ol’ boys got together one evening at their favorite Washington establishment and devised a tax break scheme for their ultra-wealthy hunting buddies.

The question we only care about is- Does a knife qualify as a work of art? I might be willing, as some of you, to gift a knife to the National Knife Museum if I can keep it for most of the allowed 20 year “gifting period” and account for its appreciation too by realizing additional tax breaks.

I am sure there is some limit on the initial value of the piece of art to like, a million dollars, or something like that, so even if our knife is ultimately accepted as art, it won’t qualify.

Guess I’ll just go cut something with mine then and let the uber-rich keep their gifts.

Success in the Senate to protect our knife rights follow-up

As promised, here’s a more detailed explanation of the Senate’s passage of Amendment 1447- the act removing the broadening of the Custom & Border Patrol’s definition of a Switchblade.

Instead of attempting to reword and characterize the action, please allow me to provide Doug Ritter’s detailed explanation. Doug is the founder and chairman of Knife Rights- an knife advocacy organization that has been at the forefront of this effort to prevent the proposed ban.

Explanation of Amendment 1447

If you’d like more information on Knife Rights and Doug, please dial into Cutlery News Journal’s exclusive Audio Interview Series featuring Doug (it’s a podcast and can be listened to directly off the web). CNJ Audio Interview Series- Doug Ritter of Knife Rights

BREAKING NEWS- Knife ban blocked

We have confirmed reports of success in the effort to stop the broadening of the definition of a switchblade. I’ll save all the legal mumbo jumbo and maneuvering for an update coming later today.

This combined effort to move quickly and squash the move by Customs was most impressive. Kudos to all you who made phone calls and sent letters to Customs and the members of Congress. More details to follow.

Washington’s end-around is a national knife law

The end-around is one of the more tricky plays in college football. If done correctly, the offense typically makes a big yardage gain, as the defense is caught totally off guard. Basically, it keeps the opponent focused on the wrong player or part of the field.

Right now, we may be set up for the end-around by the folks up in Washington on this knife ban issue all of knifedom is worked up about.

A Radical Thought in a Civilized Society

We’re a civilized group of folks. We don’t eat dogs, or worse, people. We brush our teeth. We don’t go ’round shooting or beating people up, just cause we can- like they did in the early days of the Wild West. No, we are now a civilized society.

We have come of age. We have our daily routines- all of which are very civilized. We wake up in our nice house, have our morning cup of coffee, go to work to earn a day’s pay, come home and then enjoy the fruits of our labor. (I won’t even get into how we allow ourselves to be hypnotized, or better yet- propagandized, watching TV each evening as we “unwind from a hard day’s work.”) When we aren’t at work, we enjoy our recreation. These are civilized activities of our civilized lives in a civilized nation.

Over the recent years we have witnessed our rights being taken away. Each time a little more is taken, it is all supposedly in the context of- the right thing to do for our country. Sometimes, the taking of these rights is so subtle we can’t see it until many years later. Other times, we can see it clear as day, right before our eyes. And right now we are faced with a clear one- our government is attempting to take more rights away and this effort is so blatant it turns my stomach.

Today, we are approaching a monumental crossroad in the history of our country. This moment is disguised as a step forward in our civilized nation.

Our government is taking overt steps to disarm its people. Forget the reasons, for they don’t matter. I think they are trying to keep us from hurting ourselves, or anyone else. They have deemed us civilized, therefore we don’t need knives and guns. Plus, these weapons kill people.

We are in the process of being violated. Plus, the majority of the “We the People…” are too civilized and comfortable. We are allowing this “ruler” to take away the rights given to us by our founding fathers. And these rights are the basis of our identity. We also know knives and guns don’t kill people- people kill people. But civilized people don’t kill people, so, says the government, the weapons must go- one at a time. First it was the easy ones, the switchblades. Now it is the majority of the others.

So, you want to hear a concept that will stir up this civilized nation of ours? It is one that strikes me as a really radical thought, and yet is a foundational principle of our great country.

Thanks to orions7s for reminding us in his recent post on CutleryNewsJournal’s YouTube Channel in response to Help Us Defend Your Rights video-

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”

Thomas Jefferson

Thought for the Day

“Those who would trade liberty for the illusion of security deserve neither.”  Ben Franklin

The latest news on our effort to fight for our knife rights

Breaking News from Doug Ritter of Knife Rights

Our representative in Washington reports he was told that CPB has received 8 Postal Service tubs containing an estimated 2,000 comments. Knife Rights was told to expect an opportunity to inspect the comments during the second week of July after CBP has had the opportunity to open and classify the comments. Thanks to everyone who made the extra effort to mail in their comments to Customs. One must assume that this is about 7.9 tubs more than they expected.

As you may have heard, the effort to attach an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill in the House failed to get out of the Rules Committee. It appears to have been killed over procedural issues. We now move to the Senate side where we hope for better luck and have more time to prepare, coordinate with other groups and marshal our forces.

The fight to protect our Knife Rights and a Sharper Future continues…

If you were following us on Twitter, you’d already have received this news.  Get the latest news as soon as we have it:  http://twitter.com/KnifeRights

Join or Donate to Knife Rights

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PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT THIS FIGHT FOR YOUR KNIFE RIGHTS!

Doug Ritter
Chairman and Executive Director
Knife Rights, Inc.
a 501(c)(4) Member Organization
dritter@KnifeRights.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KnifeRights

Members of Congress Join The Knife Fight

The knife fight is now on Capital Hill. Earlier today, Knife Rights‘ Doug Ritter provided us with an update on the fight to keep one-handed openers and assisted openers from the definition of a switchblade. Knife Rights is working with members on Congress to fight the Custom and Border Patrol’s (CBP) proposed rule.

Doug stated “This is just the first step in a complicated process, but it is important.” Accompanying this update was a link to a letter to Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security to withdraw the CBP proposal. This important letter is signed by 80 members of Congress.

Also, two Representatives- Bob Latta (R-OH) and Walt Minnick (D- ID) have co-sponsored an amendment to the Homeland Security’s appropriations bill to restrict funds to implement CBP’s proposed rule.

So, what does all this mean? It means we have initial support from Members of Congress to cut off funding needed by the Department. I’m sure it is more involved, however, the bottom-line is support to champion the cause is taking hold.

As we are updated by both Knife Rights and American Knife & Tool Institute, we’ll pass them along.  In the meantime, take a gander at this official Congressional letter to the Ms. Napolitano.

I don’t know how often Breaking News will occur about this fight, but if you are into Twitter- Knife Rights is providing live updates. Follow them on Knife Rights Twitter.