WRITE Congress and Customs TODAY!

[critter]

Per Sal's request to keep everyone abreast of what Knife Rights is doing in regards this Customs rulemaking action, I am posting a short version of the most recent News Slice newsletter below (edited to meet max forum message size). Don't kid yourself, pick nits or argue the fine points of a complicated federal act; if this was to go through, all one-hand openers would become illegal to one degree or another and that includes all your Spydies. It isn't just about assisted openers at all. This is serious stuff and no amount of posturing will change the reality of what this would mean. This represents a very, very serious threat to all knife owners. Please pass this along to all your knife owning friends.

A digital copy of the full text version of this News Slice newsletter can be found online at:

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... 1&Itemid=1

The U.S. Government Is Trying To Take Away Your Pocket Knives!

The U.S. Government is after your Pocket Knives! In a sneak attack, U.S. Customs has proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposal would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its overly broad new definition of a switchblade would also include all one-handed opening knives and most other pocket knives!

Knife Rights is geared up to help win this fight, but we cannot do it without your help, your emails, your letters. The fight can only be won if we raise enough **** that they are convinced they will not get away with this. YOU are the most effective arrow in our quiver, the most powerful cartridge in our gun.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) on May 21st proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposed new rule would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its new broad definition of a switchblade would also include one-handed opening knives and could be easily interpreted to cover most other pocket knives, even simple old-fashioned slip-joints. For most knife companies, these knives represent all or the majority of their product lines. These are the knives Americans take with them to work and to play everyday.

Note, please, that CBP's interpretation of the Federal Switchblade Act forms the basis for national, state and even local law and judicial rulings in many cases. This ruling by CBP is NOT limited to just imports. This WILL affect virtually everyone who carries a pocket knife, no matter the type!

CBP tried slipping the propsal into their regular notices, apparently hoping nobody would become aware until too late. They provided for only the minimum 30-day comment period, and there's no email comments allowed. Obviously, they'd just as soon not hear from us. We're intending to disappoint them in that.

CBP's proposal would have effects far beyond assisted operners, which would be bad enough even if it only did that. It would cost this country dearly in destroyed businesses, lost jobs and ruined families. Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars would be lost. CBP clearly appears to not have considered the consequences of this unnecessary, inappropriate and even illegitimate action. Since CBP is not required to consider the effects of their actions, only Congress or the courts can rein them in. If left to the courts, the industry and our rights will be devastated and America will lose much, regardless of who wins the legal fight.

The definition of what is a switchblade has been clear and settled for the most part since the Federal Switchblade Act was passed in 1958 and has been reaffirmed by many years of legal decisions. CBP's convoluted reasoning in their proposal to reach back beyond the law and to expand their regulatory purview by rationalizing "intent" as justification for this new interpretation is a stretch, at best, and illegitimate at worst.

CBP's reaching beyond the clear language of the Act in making this proposal is particularly questionable and irreconcilable because it flies in the face of virtually unanimous recent state court rulings (including several cases in California, Texas, Illinois and Michigan) where the issue of assisted-opening knives has already been decided in favor of the existing clear interpretation, that they are not a switchblade.

Beyond that, their significantly expanded interpretation of gravity and inertia knives, also included in the Act, would clearly make one-hand opening pocket knives illegal. Beyond even that clearly excessively broad seizure of authority, we know from past unfortunate experience in many cases over the years that this sort of misinterpretation leads to potential abuse by law enforcement where even the most simple and innocuous Boy Scout folding pocket knife can be opened one-handed by use of dangerous and unsafe tricks, so that these too would be covered under this expanded federal definition. This ruling would therefore make almost all pocket knives subject to being considered switchblades.

The impact of this CBP ruling would go far beyond just imported knives because this "agency determination" will be used by domestic courts and law enforcement to determine what is a "switchblade" under both federal and state laws. Many states do not themselves define switchblades and simply rely on the federal definition and interpretation, which is only found in rulings by CBP. Since interstate commerce in switchblades is prohibited, except under very limited conditions, simply driving across a state line with a pocket knife in their possession would make someone a federal felon.

Knifemaking in the U.S. has enjoyed a renaissance in the past decade or two as the genius and innovation of American knifemakers, designers and manufacturers has created a booming and vital American industry with thousands of exciting new knife designs that improve the function, utility and safety of the lowly pocket knife, one of man's oldest and most useful tools. Millions of Americans have responded to this innovation, creating a vibrant industry. For the most part these are family owned businesses that are American success stories, the core of America's economic strength. This proposal by CBP would destroy all that for no good reason. They don't need a bailout; they just need to be left alone to prosper.

The knife industry tells us they employ nearly 24,000 Americans and have a nearly 6 billion dollar annual impact on our nation’s economy. If this proposed ruling is allowed to stand, thousands of jobs will be lost at the direct cost of billions of dollars. That doesn't even begin to cover the enormous cost to the country of those that would become unemployed, the ruined businesses, foreclosed homes, years of litigation by both industry against CBP and who knows how many criminal trials and appeals as law-abiding Americans fight this abusive attempt to take away their knives, as well as many other devastating unforeseen effects of this ill-considered proposal. Thousands of American citizens’ lives would be ruined. Millions of Americans would be impacted. The cost would be tragically huge, more so because it is neither
necessary, nor desired by the vast majority of Americans.

We are in for the fight of our lives to save our Pocket Knives and our essential Knife Rights. We can only win if you do your part. You have to write!

Our first step is to convince CBP that we deserve more time to respond. Knife Rights has sent a letter to CBP requesting an extension to the ridiculously short 30-day comment period:

http://www.kniferights.org/CBP-extentio ... _FINAL.pdf

We need your help to make an impression on CBP. They figured that they could slip this by everyone with little notice. We need to let CBP know that they are not going to get away with it; that we noticed and we are not happy and that we will not stand by while they take away our pocket knives.

We need you to write CBP NOW! Their 30 day deadline is fast approaching and these letters must go via postal mail (or Fedex/UPS). Click below for a Model Letter you can send to CBP. You MUST write TODAY!

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=29

However, the reality is that CBP isn't required to listen to our demands, but they do have to answer to Congress. After you send a letter to CBP, giving them notice they are not going to sneak this by us, the next step is to inundate Congress with emails and letters.

If you want to be free to carry your pocket knives in the future, you need to write your Senators and Representative TODAY!

Click below for a Model Letter you can send to Members of Congress. Only your efforts will stop this and save our Knife Rights!

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=29

We have prepared a Communicating with Congress page that includes tips to maximize the effect of your letters. We have also included easy links to find your Representatives, if you don't know who they are or the best way to reach them. PLEASE, click the link below and take a few minutes to review our Communicating with Congress page BEFORE you act.

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=29

Help us stop this ill-conceived effort by CBP before it puts thousands of more Americans out of work and destroys one of America’s oldest industries, causing great harm to our nation and many American families. Help us stop these faceless, heartless bureaucrats from destroying our essential American freedoms.

Write Customs & Border Patrol NOW!

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=29

Write your Senators and Representative TODAY!

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=29

DO IT NOW! DO IT TODAY! DON'T WAIT!

[bh49]

Doug ,
Thank you for standing for us.
e-mail sent to Joe Liberman and Rosa DeLauro.
Letter to customs will be send tomorrow.

I think this thread should be Sticky

[Brad S.]

Going out Tomorrow as well!!!! As well many of my friends and roomates!


Can we sticky this!

[Fred Sanford]

Already done with the first one. Gonna start doing the rest right now. They'll go out in the postal mail tomorrow.

Thanks Doug!

[AnimalHousePA]

I just completed the letter to customs...will be mailed tomorrow...Thanks Doug!

[araneae]

Got a letter in to my congressman just now. The customs letter should go out tomorrow. I also emailed some friends urging them to do the same.

[tonydahose]

done.

[Lord vader]

I`m sending my letters tomorrow,My wife also works for a law office and she has several attorney friends there who will be writing to them also.

[Fred Sanford]

Sent one via email just now also to Senator Brown.

We can make this happen.

[bh49]

Letter went to customs

[critter]

Thanks to all who have responded, but we need EVERYONE on this forum to send letters and emails. If only a handful of letters trickle in, then it won't be taken seriously. We need to overwhelm them with response. If everyone here and on the other online forums participates, it WILL make a difference.

Thanks for your support. It's YOUR KNIVES we are trying to protect. We cannot do it without YOUR Help.

Write NOW and spread the word

[Hannibal Lecter]

My Dear Friends,

Letters submitted to both of my Congressmen. Letter to Customs going out today.

--------
Hannibal

[jdsmith02115]

Last week in a trip to a federal building in Boston to renew my passport, I tossed all of my pocket's contents, including my Spyderco JD Smith C58G, into the tray, never imaging that the following would happen; It was confiscated with explanation that I was bringing a dangerous weapon onto federal property!!!
All protests fell upon deaf ears, even though I was even tempered, modulated my voice to be calm and rational and generaly deferential and respectful. I have passed through the doors of other official buildings and my EDC's were simply held for me until I'd concluded my business in these places.
Never this kind of outrageous confiscation. We are losing this battle peolple; WRITE THOSE LETTERS!!!

[Shenmue728]

I have my letter in the mail today. AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE MANIX PILOT CONTEST, WHY HAVEN'T YOU?!?!?!?!? WE HAVE TO DO IT! TODAY! NOW! DON'T LOSE OUR KNIVES!!!!

[ChapmanPreferred]

This is very important to me. Thank you all for making it as easy as you have to take part!

Doug

[jezabel]

While I live half way round the other side of world to most of you, this matter needs to taken seriously. Don't rest on you laurels and think that it will never happen. Speak up and be heard, know that you've done all you can.

I know it's only matter of time before before similar laws will find their way in downunder, I can only hope that we get a chance to be heard.

Jez

[christopher]

I've written to the Senators, the Member who represents us and Customs.

What's up with the rest of you? You do know that congress responds to numbers (meaning voters.) Every one of us needs to do this.

NOW!

Chris :) :) :)

[Daniel]

I believe that sending letters to CBP is a waste of time. They either cannot read or they do not pay attention to letters.

The focus should be on the Senate and House who will then put pressure on CBP. The most influential will be the representatives with oversight of CBP.

I sent out my letters to Senators Kyl and McCain as well as my little known and freshman Rep. Kirkpatrick.

[Detdaddy]

I have written both Senators and my Congressman. I think a follow up phone call would be good, in addition to these letters.

This is so insane. I'm getting so fed up with these politicians and policy-makers! They are going to destroy this country!

I will not standby and allow this type of CHANGE.

[5.56]

Letters went out today