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How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

villagevoice.com

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Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#21

Post by arca_vorago »

This is a single symptom of a larger issue, namely an excess of laws to the point that any law can be arbitrarily used to prosecute you if you are of an unwanted class, race, etc. Add on top the police quota system and you have a recipe of this type of injustice that runs the gamut, from antiquidated knife laws to the drug war.

To me, this is largely a result of lawyers fucking ruining everything they touch, and then not giving a shit about the lives they ruin by extension (for example, congress and k-street). It's the lawyers that are out of control here. They are the ones who got the bad law passed, they are the ones who keep allowing prosecutions to happen, they are the ones who keep the law from being challenged, etc. It's like lawyers want to be the gatekeepers to the world, but only if you pay them hefty fees. Hell, I even had someone try to tell me I shouldn't talk about GPL licensing because only lawyers understand licensing! I know lawyers are a needed entity, but they seem to have far too much power of the daily lives of people in this sense. You know what really grinds my gears though, is that these lawyers who are often at the heart of almost every injustice (even if by silent acquiescence) always pretend to be such awesome pillars of the community. I think we should start throwing lawyers in jail for such bullshit laws until you hit one powerful enough and watch the bullshit law suddenly disappear.

For anyone who wants to see video of what a real gravity knife is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjXuiC8t1E

or a modern version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5IhZWyV0QI

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#23

Post by jowiar »

arca_vorago wrote: post #21

This is a single symptom of a larger issue, namely an excess of laws to the point that any law can be arbitrarily used to prosecute you if you are of an unwanted class, race, etc. Add on top the police quota system and you have a recipe of this type of injustice that runs the gamut, from antiquidated knife laws to the drug war. To me, this is largely a result of lawyers fucking ruining everything they touch, and then…

Lawyers aren’t the ones who propose the laws, or write them, or vote on them. Professionally, lawyers are the ones who represent people in disputes.

Arrogant jackasses like you are what give techies a bad name.

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#24

Post by huffmsa »

cchurch wrote: post #8
Terretta wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Switchblade that opens one handed by gravity or flick of wrist instead of a spring.

I believe that any knife that can be opened one handed would qualify, no? This would be a "gravity knife": https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Trekker-Pocket-Knife... For context, I carried one of these throughout college for random boxes, cutting wires, etc.

No, the opening needs to be done with some centripetal motion.

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#25

Post by leesalminen »

jowiar wrote: post #23
arca_vorago wrote: post #21

This is a single symptom of a larger issue, namely an excess of laws to the point that any law can be arbitrarily used to prosecute you if you are of an unwanted class, race, etc. Add on top the police quota system and you have a recipe of this type of injustice that runs the gamut, from antiquidated knife laws to the drug war. To me, this is largely a result of lawyers fucking ruining everything they touch, and then…

Lawyers aren’t the ones who propose the laws, or write them, or vote on them. Professionally, lawyers are the ones who represent people in disputes. Arrogant jackasses like you are what give techies a bad name.

I’m guessing you’re a lawyer? Are you salty about your student loan debt, poor job prospects, and declining respect from society? Ha. You did this to yourselves.

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#27

Post by huffmsa »

newsmania wrote: post #18

Cops get a bad rap, but the DAs haven’t come under fire. They knowingly ruin many many more innocent lives than cops. And unlike cops who may shoot in a poor split second decision, DAs knowingly and willingly destroy the lives of the innocent for their own personal gain. It’s time we put blame where it is due.

Meanwhile, all of the officers involved are probably carrying a fully automatic knife as part of their kit.

Parity

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#28

Post by huffmsa »

jowiar wrote: post #23
arca_vorago wrote: post #21

This is a single symptom of a larger issue, namely an excess of laws to the point that any law can be arbitrarily used to prosecute you if you are of an unwanted class, race, etc. Add on top the police quota system and you have a recipe of this type of injustice that runs the gamut, from antiquidated knife laws to the drug war. To me, this is largely a result of lawyers fucking ruining everything they touch, and then…

Lawyers aren’t the ones who propose the laws, or write them, or vote on them. Professionally, lawyers are the ones who represent people in disputes. Arrogant jackasses like you are what give techies a bad name.

Who are lobbyist for $500 like, Trebeck

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#29

Post by TomK32 »

nailer wrote: post #3

It's the Village Voice, which is a pretty bad source, but I've read most of the article anyway, expecting a definition of 'gravity knife' at some point and now given up.

You've give up far too early, the definition is in the article:

  "Courts have interpreted that to mean that any knife that can be opened
  with a “wrist flick” — a movement something like what a 
  fan dancer might do — qualifies as a gravity knife.
  A long list of court cases have turned on exactly
  that question, which seems straightforward enough."

Re: How a ’50s-Era New York Knife Law Has Landed Thousands in Jail

#30

Post by KGIII »

jowiar wrote: post #23
arca_vorago wrote: post #21

This is a single symptom of a larger issue, namely an excess of laws to the point that any law can be arbitrarily used to prosecute you if you are of an unwanted class, race, etc. Add on top the police quota system and you have a recipe of this type of injustice that runs the gamut, from antiquidated knife laws to the drug war. To me, this is largely a result of lawyers fucking ruining everything they touch, and then…

Lawyers aren’t the ones who propose the laws, or write them, or vote on them. Professionally, lawyers are the ones who represent people in disputes. Arrogant jackasses like you are what give techies a bad name.

0.6% of the population are lawyers. 41% of legislators are lawyers. Legislators propose, write, and vote on the laws. It's duplicitous to say that lawyers don't propose, write, or vote on laws.
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