More Fronts in The Second Amendment War: Todd Rathner, Knife Rights, and the NFAFA

ammoland ^ | 28 September, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Todd Rathner is a talented freedom fighter.  I have been impressed with his abilities for several years.  I met him again at the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Tampa.  Todd is the lobbyist for Knife Rights.  The accomplishments of Knife Rights for the last decade has been tremendous, impressive, a tiny organization fighting far above its weight class.  Knife Rights says they have opened a second front in the war to restore the Second Amendment.  They are correct, and they are winning significant victories every year.  I have written about Knife Rights before.  Doug Ritter is one of the founding stars of the Knife Rights success story, but Todd Rathner is another. It seems to be a near magical combination that has produced incredibly effective results.

Part of the reason is the knife laws are so stupid and indefensible that a talented persuader like Todd Rathner can easily show state legislators reforms are needed, are obvious, and have no political downside.

Todd is continuing with his role as the lobbyist for Knife Rights. I expect more great things from him in the future.

He has seen another opportunity that dovetails nicely with his current lobbying on the Knife Rights front in the war for restoring the Second Amendment.

He has opened another front.  It has many similarities to Knife Rights.  It is a unified lobbying approach to reform and ultimately repeal the National Firearms Act (NFA).  It is why he started the NFA Freedom Alliance.

The NFA restrictions at the state level are just as stupid and indefensible as the knife laws are. In the last legislative session in Texas (2015), Todd lobbied both for Knife Rights and the NFA Freedom Alliance.  A strong statewide knife preemption bill was passed.

[marktwain]

The bang for the buck from Knife Rights and the NFAFA is impressive. Todd Rathner was the lobbyist who got the Wisconsin legislature to do away with the switchblade ban, the ban on carrying concealed knives, and strong state preemption of knife laws, all in 2015.

These extremely effective organizations complement the NRA, GOA, SAF, and state organizations.

[556x45]

You can see it happening now. Many states are relaxing suppressor laws. Its just the tip of a larger melting iceburg.

[Wonder Warthog]

".....the ban on carrying concealed knives...."

What, in Wisconsin people can only carry sheath knives (fixed blade or folding)in belt holsters??

[zeugma]

This is a knife:

[IYAS9YAS]

What, in Wisconsin people can only carry sheath knives (fixed blade or folding)in belt holsters??

Have you noticed that most (if not all) folding knives today have a little clip on them? In many states, knife laws are vague, and the simple carrying of a folding knife in your pocket can be considered carrying a concealed weapon (New Mexico laws are such). That little clip is there so the knife can be clipped to your pocket, and with that little bit of clip showing, the knife is no longer considered to be concealed.

[marktwain]

The law used to be that it was illegal to carry “concealed weapons”. Many people were prosecuted for carrying pocket knives. One person was convicted of carrying a buck folder in its leather scabbard on his belt. The judge ruled that it was “concealed” in the leather scabbard. Many thousands of knives were confiscated. Each little township, village, city or county could pass their own bizarre knife bans.

That is all gone now. Carrying a concealed knife is no longer a crime, if you are not a convicted felon. Even convicted felons may carry knives openly, unless there is some sort of special order by a court.

Todd Rathner was the Knife Rights Lobbyist who educated the legislators to make it happen. They were not hard to convince.

[marktwain]

Yes, and it is legal to carry it in Wisconsin.

[itsahoot]

No, this is a knife.

[Elderberry]

In the last legislative session in Texas (2015), Todd lobbied both for Knife Rights and the NFA Freedom Alliance. A strong statewide knife preemption bill was passed.

Reform of the archaic Texas knife laws against carry of any knife with a more than 5.5″ blade was narrowly defeated by a Democrat committee chairman, who voted for the bill, then killed it by refusing to do the administrative action he had promised.

A lot more work needs to be done on Texas's knife laws.

"Illegal knife" means a:

(A) knife with a blade over five and one-half inches;

(B) hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown;

(C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stiletto, and poniard;

(D) bowie knife;

(E) sword; or

(F) spear.

[zeugma]

Unfortunately, I do not believe you can in Texas. I’d like to rig up a scabbard for it on my bike.

[zeugma]

That’s a classic scene.

[marktwain]

All of those definitions of “illegal knife” would have been done away with in the Texas bill. It passed both houses, and only needed to be referred to a committee list to be rubber stamped as a non-controversial bill.

That is when the Democrat committee chairman killed it after voting for it, by refusing to send it to the committee.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2015/05/tx-knife-preemption-to-governor-abbott.html

[Mollypitcher1]

Thanks for the info.

[Mollypitcher1]

The Democrat was probably brainwashed by the English anti knife laws. Can’t have a knife in England over 2 inches.

[Elderberry]

All of those definitions of “illegal knife” would have been done away with in the Texas bill.

I read the bill. Bill Text: TX HB905 I couldn't find where it changed the definitions of illegal knives in the statutes.

Could you point it out to me?

[Wonder Warthog]

Cheez Louise....I own ONE knife with such a clip out of “a whole bunch”, and it was a freebie giveaway. The majority of them are Swiss Army knives of various sizes, and if I am awake and wearing pants with pockets, one is in a pocket.

Sounds like a bunch of politicians had their heads totally up their asses.

[Wonder Warthog]

In———credible.

Still some dumb aspects, though...seems to me that even a felon ought to be able to carry a pocket knife. Put a blade length limit on it for felons.

[IYAS9YAS]

Sounds like a bunch of politicians had their heads totally up their asses.

Well, in NM, they do. Other state laws may vary. Check local laws. New Mexico laws are wacky with respect to knives.

Butterfly knives are illegal here because they are considered to be kin to switchblades. Here is New Mexico law on that:

" 30-7-8. Unlawful possession of switchblades.
Unlawful possession of switchblades consists of any person, either manufacturing, causing to be manufactured, possessing, displaying, offering, selling, lending, giving away or purchasing any knife which has a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife, or any knife having a blade which opens or falls or is ejected into position by the force of gravity or by any outward or centrifugal thrust or movement.
Whoever commits unlawful possession of switchblades is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.

[marktwain]

It is not in HB 905. That was the preemption bill.

The bill that was defeated by the Committee Chairman Senator Whitmire was HB 3884.

https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3884/2015

Here is how it was done:

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2015/05/tx-knife-preemption-to-governor-abbott.html

[IYAS9YAS]

New Mexico definition of "Deadly Weapon":

B. "deadly weapon" means any firearm, whether loaded or unloaded; or any weapon which is capable of producing death or great bodily harm, including but not restricted to any types of daggers, brass knuckles, switchblade knives, bowie knives, poniards, butcher knives, dirk knives and all such weapons with which dangerous cuts can be given, or with which dangerous thrusts can be inflicted, including swordcanes, and any kind of sharp pointed canes, also slingshots, slung shots, bludgeons; or any other weapons with which dangerous wounds can be inflicted;

That "included but not restricted to" bit is the kicker.

It is illegal to carry any of them concealed without a CC permit.

Here is "Carrying a Deadly Weapon":

"Carrying a deadly weapon" means being armed with a deadly weapon by having it on the person, or in close proximity thereto, so that the weapon is readily accessible for use.

Here is unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon for New Mexico:

30-7-2. Unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon.
A. Unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon consists of carrying a concealed loaded firearm or any other type of deadly weapon anywhere, except in the following cases:
(1) in the person's residence or on real property belonging to him as owner, lessee, tenant or licensee;
(2) in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance, for lawful protection of the person's or another's person or property;
(3) by a peace officer in accordance with the policies of his law enforcement agency who is certified pursuant to the Law Enforcement Training Act [29-7-1 NMSA 1978];
(4) by a peace officer in accordance with the policies of his law enforcement agency who is employed on a temporary basis by that agency and who has successfully completed a course of firearms instruction prescribed by the New Mexico law enforcement academy or provided by a certified firearms instructor who is employed on a permanent basis by a law enforcement agency; or
(5) by a person in possession of a valid concealed handgun license issued to him by the department of public safety pursuant to the provisions of the Concealed Handgun Carry Act [29-19-1 NMSA 1978].
B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the carrying of any unloaded firearm.
C. Whoever commits unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.