Knives under the gun (knives are 'tools of death')

The Ottawa Sun ^ | September 21, 2006 | By LAURA CZEKAJ

[Grig]

KNIVES are no different than guns -- they both are "tools of death," says the mother of stabbing murder victim Andrew Moffitt.

Paulette Moffitt has not failed to notice that knives have been used in two major crimes making headlines this week -- the brutal attempted murder of Karen Parker who was found in Britannia Park and the slaying of Sami El-Ghazal in a parking lot.

"A knife and a gun, the only difference is that the gun makes noise. They both take lives," she said, yesterday during a dedication ceremony of a plaque to honour her son.

The Moffitt family has long advocated on behalf of tougher penalties for knife crimes. They want a 10-year minimum sentence for anyone wielding a knife while committing a violent crime and a 25-year minimum sentence for anyone convicted of murder involving a knife.

MINIMUM SENTENCES

"If a gun would have been used, Andy's killer would still be in jail," she said. "He is out after serving three years of his light five-year sentence."

Andrew Moffitt, 23, was killed on Dec. 23, 1998, while at an Ottawa bar. His killer, Henry Danninger, had gone to the bar with a knife to confront a friend whom he believed had taken his drug stash.

Leeds-Grenville Tory MP Gord Brown will put forward his private member's bill this fall seeking to have mandatory minimum sentences handed down to killers who use knives.

Moffitt said politicians have to start listening to the victims and families of victims.

"We want to be treated the same as victims of guns," she said.

"Our sons deserve the same justice and the penalties should be the same."

The Moffitt family was present at the plaque unveiling held in front of the University of Ottawa's School of Information, Technology and Engineering at 800 King Edward Ave.

The plaque recounted the tragic death, but also the heroics of Moffitt whose death was brought about by his efforts to intervene in a brawl. He was posthumously honoured with the Governor General's Medal of Bravery.

END OF EXAMS

Moffitt was an engineering student at the university. On the night of his death, he was celebrating the end of exams.

"I am just touched so much by it. Every person and student who walks by here will see Andy."

[Grig]

You know where this is going.... "Oh yes, we must register every knife, especially 'assult knifes' specially made for cutting meat. And if you lose a knife you better report it. Nobody really needs a hunting knife and certainly not a sword (which should be banned)...."

I think we can accomodate these people who want to be really really really safe. All we have to do is lock them in a rubber padded room with no sharp objects and put them in a straightjacket and tell them that everyone else in the country (except carefully screened and duly authorized caregivers) are in other rooms just like theirs. They should feel very safe then.

[HEY4QDEMS]

KNIVES are no different than guns

Wanna bet?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Never bring a knife to a gun fight! ;)

[Gotterdammerung]

Everybody should carry a knife and a gun

[vikingd00d]

>> You know where this is going.... "Oh yes, we must register every knife, especially 'assult knifes' specially made for cutting meat. And if you lose a knife you better report it. Nobody really needs a hunting knife and certainly not a sword (which should be banned)...."

And then we'll start reading headlines like "Rocks are 'Tools of Death' no different than guns and knives". With the inevitable calls for registering every 'assault rock'.

[Little Ray]

Make 'em eat with chop sticks, and buy pre-cut up food. Or maybe only cold soup.

[P-40]

They want a 10-year minimum sentence for anyone wielding a knife while committing a violent crime and a 25-year minimum sentence for anyone convicted of murder involving a knife.

It sounds like a call for mandatory minimums...and those are not necessarily a bad thing. I'm certainly for them for gun crimes. There are just too many liberal judges and juries these days that want to sentence someone to counseling instead of a good hanging.

[mbynack]

KNIVES are no different than guns

Apparently she has never tried to cut a steak with a Glock pistol.

[USS Alaska]

Anyone who intentionally murders someone with a gun, a knife, a rock, a hammer, poison, a rope, bare hands or any other device should either be put to death or serve life in prison.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

Deadly assault knives and cop killer swords must be banned - for the children's safety.

[Disambiguator]

I don't know...baseball bats scare the heck out of me. Ban 'em.

[pax_et_bonum]

Love your tagline!

[BIGZ]

"A knife and a gun, the only difference is that the gun makes noise. They both take lives,"

A knife does not kill, a gun does not kill, PEOPLE kill. The person who does no understand this is just an Ostrich.

It is not the sword that does the beheading.

[B Knotts]

I was prepared to ridicule this article, but having read it, there really is nothing here to ridicule. This isn't about banning knives; it's about punishing criminals who happen to use knives for their crimes.

[Toby06]

Make 'em eat with chop sticks, and buy pre-cut up food. Or maybe only cold soup.

Soylent Green

[Mr. Jeeves]

Maybe Williams-Sonoma will join the NRA to set up a "Chef's Defense Fund", to demand that our Second Amendment right to individual cooking utensil ownership be preserved. ;)

[Alouette]

Does this mean I have to register my JA Henckel kitchen tool set?

[Shimmer128]

Smack this woman, she needs a good smacking.

[shekkian]

Jeez, more hyper-emotional hysterics from the loony left.

[VOA]

Everybody should carry a knife and a gun

And a couple of sharpened lead pencils.
(G. Gordon Liddy mentioned those as unobtrusive, but useful impromtu weapons)

[Himyar]

Back in the 90's I worked in a distribution center for a major retailer. They got nutty about "weapons". No one could bring a sharp knife or gun on site. We confiscated all the sharp knives from the lunch room and kept them locked up in the Human Resources office. Employees could check them out for lunch. Then they would return to work where each of them had a box cutter-nuts or what?

[LexBaird]

This comes from the typical Lib approach of punishing the peripheral and incidental, as opposed to the underlying act. Murder is murder, whether done with a gun, knife, poison, or a lead pipe by Miss Scarlet in the Ballroom. It is murder whether the motive is money, bigotry, envy, rage or a gang fight. Assault with a weapon is the same with gun, knife or automobile. What matters is the intent and the act.

You can blame the tools all you want, and pass a billion laws aimed at controlling them, but you won't stop killers from finding a tool. You can define all the "special circumstances" you desire, you won't stop killers from exercising their desire. There is only one, sure fire way to stop them. Identify them, convict them, and punish them promptly. For murderers, this means execution. For violent offenders, such as rape, assault, etc., it means severe and consistant penalties for the crime, not the tool used.

[absolootezer0]

to cops, blades are more dangerous than many guns. any cop can put on a vest rated for .44mag, and will still be in danger from the 12 year old kid with an ice pick, who can stab right thru that kevlar.

[Wonder Warthog]

"They want a 10-year minimum sentence for anyone wielding a knife while committing a violent crime and a 25-year minimum sentence for anyone convicted of murder involving a knife."

The problem isn't the implement used in the crime, the problem is the criminal (and the overly lenient "justice" system that coddles them).

This line from the article tells the whole story:

"....Andy's killer would still be in jail," she said. "He is out after serving three years of his light five-year sentence.""

A FIVE-YEAR sentence for someone who has committed murder??? Heck, even "manslaughter"??? And OUT AFTER THREE YEARS??

[P-40]

The problem isn't the implement used in the crime, the problem is the criminal

True, but some criminals are more threatening because of the weapons they choose and a mandatory minimum sentence will ensure that a judge can't sentence them to a light jail term. Criminals that threaten people with gun, knives, and whatnot are trying to terrorize their victims as well as steal from them...and they need to be sentenced harshly for both acts.

[Robert357]

P.S. Don't forget, rocks, baseball bats, tire irons, brass knuckles, abortion clinic....(sorry, that was not PC.)(/sarcasm)

As the old saying goes, guns don't kill people, people kill people. Society needs to focus on holding people responsible for their actions rather than making excuses for people and trying to ban objects.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I have been forbidden to bring my pocket knife to work from now on starting this year. Someone complained.

[Veggie Todd]

Stop joking around. This thread is series.

[WildBill2275]

Two choices:
1. Everyone goes naked since even your cloths can be used as weapons… not very practical…. or in most cases very pretty….. darned cold up north
2. Public hangings for murder…. Doesn’t deter real “scum bags”…. Does insure no repeat offense….. Good civics class field trip….

“Whiskey for my men – beer for my horses”

[gridlock]

I use knives in the kitchen every day.

I have never found a use for a handgun in the kitchen, except for using the butt as a meat tenderizer. Probably not the smartest thing anybody has ever done, I'll admit. Alcohol was involved, OK?!?

[Grig]

I had a small pair of scisors on my keychain (made to look like a key too). I had to toss it in the trash when visiting a government building. They could cut paper, but not much else, they weren't even pointy.

[Grig]

"A FIVE-YEAR sentence for someone who has committed murder??? Heck, even "manslaughter"??? And OUT AFTER THREE YEARS??"

Yup, thats our 'justice' system up here. It's going to change before long though.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

Good point - B all ice picks! Butter knives must be registered.

[ansel12]

There was a time in America, in some jurisdictions, when you could carry a pistol but the bowie knife was restricted as a too effective, and brutal weapon.

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

This woman should focus her attention on truth-in-sentencing legislation and proper prison terms. Knives and guns have nothing to do with it.

~ Blue Jays ~

[Wonder Warthog]

"Criminals that threaten people with gun, knives, and whatnot are trying to terrorize their victims as well as steal from them...and they need to be sentenced harshly for both acts."

True, and that's why they get charged with "assault with a deadly weapon" in addition to "felony robbery". But it shouldn't make any difference WHAT the weapon is---gun, knife, or baseball bat. A deadly weapon is a deadly weapon, and it is the USE of such that should be penalized, not a class of hardware.

"Plea bargaining" away the "ADW" charge to get a plea of guilty to robbery (and save the court money to avoid going to trial) is a BIG part of the problem.

[absolootezer0]

There was a time in America, in some jurisdictions, when you could carry a pistol but the bowie knife was restricted as a too effective, and brutal weapon.

that's why he made it. Bowie opined that you have one shot, then a gun is of not much more use than a club.

[RobRoy]

Screw drivers.

[RobRoy]

Baseball bats

[RobRoy]

pens and pencils.

[RobRoy]

forks

[RobRoy]

Tactical nuclear missles.

[RobRoy]

Am I spamming?

[Just another Joe]

Guns don't kill people, knives don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people, animals kill people, accidents kill people.

An armed society is a polite society.

[ansel12]

"that's why he made it. Bowie opined that you have one shot, then a gun is of not much more use than a club."



Exactly, and a well designed Bowie is more than a large knife, it is a true fighting weapon.