Right to bear firearms only?

[Carol]

Carrying a gun near the presidential motorcade? I'm sure the people who matter cared plenty. Back in 2009 a man with a military style semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder showed up to protest outside the venue where the President was speaking here in Phoenix. He refused to leave and was allowed to stay since he was apparently correct in he assertion that he was violating no law. Being the first guy to pull a stunt like that he garnered a lot of media attention. Nowadays, sure he'd get less public attention, but I'm equally sure that in all such cases involving high profile political figures these guys are being watched like a hawk by the LEOs charged with security, especially after the Gabby Giffords shooting. And that's as it should be.

Good point and poor choice of words on my part. :Asian:

Now that bit about NH retracting restrictive laws against knives and swords is very interesting. Always did like NH. Not the cold winters or the blackflies that nearly ate me alive one June on Cannon mountain about 40 years ago, but in general it's a very cool place.

I think the state did the right thing. They kept the laws about not sticking the pointy ends where they don't belong...which is OK by me.

I like it here. The black flies aren't anywhere near as bad as they used to be...I don't miss them! I suspect your opinion of our winter is right up there with my opinion of a Phoenix summer...that being said, I hope to visit this year and see a Coyotes game...maybe when it gets below 90

 

[David43515]

A lot of the laws against carrying a blade or club came about because of the image of them versus the image of a firearm back when the laws were written at the the turn of the century. Our ancestors grew up with firearms around them, seen as tools and protectors of hearth and home. They were surrounded with advertizing about how "God made all men, Colenel Colt made them equal". Right or wrong a firearm was seen as a tool that honest men (and women) could use to level the odds against a larger, or more numerous foe. Knives and clubs (shilleighlies, sandbags, slung shot, etc) were seen as the preffered weapons of undesirable (at the time) minorities. Period propaganda from the late 1800's early 1900's always pictured european anarchists with a bomb in one hand and a stilleto in the other. Where people were against european immagrints they outlawed stilletoes. Where they were against mexicans or ex-confedrates they outlawed bowies.

Before the Civil War, firearms were unreliable and no sane man who wore a pistol went without a knife as back up. And the law gerally allowed open carry. Every man's right to be armed was unquestioned. However they generally looked down on concealled carry because it was thought that it showed some sinister motive. (The laws generally made allowances for people travelling far from home however. Such people usually had large amounts of cash (therefor were more likely to be attacked) and were seen as needing the added advantage of suprise. But as firearms became more reliable, it was generally thought that a man who carried a knife (when he could have carried a gun) showed more agression. A knife is a close-up weapon, and carrying one shows you aren't afraid to get into a fight at bad breath distance. A gun on the other hand was seen as the way a weaker person could defend against one or more larger agressors.

I don't know if I buy into that, but as far as I've read history that was the thinking behind many of the countries early knife laws. There's a good series of articles about the early history of the Bowie and how knives were seen by early Americans at the Alliance Martial arts website.

 

[Aiki Lee]

Clarify what you mean by "walk around"

I suppose I mean could you just walk down the street, into a store or restaurant, or other public area and not be fined or arrested. Thank you to everyone's replies.

 

[rickster]

I suppose I mean could you just walk down the street, into a store or restaurant, or other public area and not be fined or arrested.

In certain states/areas, one can "walk around" with a knife of a certain size"

It could be considered too menacing if someone walks around with a knife like "Crocodile Dundee" or a sword.

This would be in comparison of a firearm owner walking around with a rifle or shotgun.

Besides, if I were to see someone carrying a large knife or sword in any manner for weapon carry, this would alert me to have my gun ready

 

[chinto]

in my state you may NOT carry any weapon concealed except a pistol... the license is a "concealed hand gun license.." carry a non pocket knife concealed and you go to jail.. I have been told it is because in the past, especially after 1870 most uses of bladed or blunt weapons was considered to have been criminal, and so they decided that only a criminal would carry one..... ( the stupidity ) and then the hype on "martial arts killer ninja weapons" in the 1970's led to most 'martial arts weapons ' being outlawed as some kind of "thugs weapons"! If I had the money I might sue to challenge the law... but I do NOT have that kind of money.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Good point and poor choice of words on my part. :Asian:



I think the state did the right thing. They kept the laws about not sticking the pointy ends where they don't belong...which is OK by me.

I like it here. The black flies aren't anywhere near as bad as they used to be...I don't miss them! I suspect your opinion of our winter is right up there with my opinion of a Phoenix summer...that being said, I hope to visit this year and see a Coyotes game...maybe when it gets below 90

Carol I thought the same way until I moved to Vegas. Now I absolutley love 100 degree plus weather.

 

[jks9199]

Carol I thought the same way until I moved to Vegas. Now I absolutley love 100 degree plus weather.

In other words -- your brain's done been baked!

 

[chinto]

in my state you may NOT carry any weapon concealed except a pistol... the license is a "concealed hand gun license.." carry a non pocket knife concealed and you go to jail.. I have been told it is because in the past, especially after 1870 most uses of bladed or blunt weapons was considered to have been criminal, and so they decided that only a criminal would carry one..... ( the stupidity ) and then the hype on "martial arts killer ninja weapons" in the 1970's led to most 'martial arts weapons ' being outlawed as some kind of "thugs weapons"! If I had the money I might sue to challenge the law... but I do NOT have that kind of money.

I should note that the carry any knife but a pocket knife concealed and you go to jail. wear a knife openly is legal... but a lot of cops may hassle you.

 

[rickster]

I should note that the carry any knife but a pocket knife concealed and you go to jail. wear a knife openly is legal... but a lot of cops may hassle you.

Yes.

Some areas people wear it visibl on a belt/hoster/sheath