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Knife Control
humaneventsonline.com ^ | Jun 01, 2005 | Mac Johnson

Posted on 06/02/2006 1:46:59 PM PDT by paltz

Consider the following domestic scene and see if you can spot what might be wrong with it:

Husband: “I think I’ll add a little more oregano to the sauce.”

Wife: “No, I think it has enough already.”

Husband: “DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!” [while stabbing wife to death]

Did you catch how wrong that was?  There was a knife in that kitchen. That is pretty much the conclusion of a British physicians’ group regarding “knife crime” in Britain, as reported by the BBC last week.

According to the report, many stabbings appear to involve pointy objects, at least some of which may be knives. Disturbingly, many of these knives can be found in unsuspecting kitchens throughout Britain, having slipped past existing weapons laws under the beguiling title of “kitchen knives.”The madness of kitchen knives, the enemy within, does not stop there, however. The report also noted researchers’ belief that: “many assaults are committed impulsively, prompted by alcohol and drugs, and a kitchen knife often makes an all too available weapon.”

Now, when an impulsive person can’t even get whacked out of his mind on drugs and alcohol without getting into trouble in the kitchen, clearly something needs to be done. But what? Is there some sensible and practical measure we could take that might remove this threat from society? Why, yes, there is. The physicians group stated, and I quote:

“We suggest that banning the sale of long pointed knives is a sensible and practical measure.”

Of course!  Long, pointed knives are exactly the kind that might get stabbed into people.  No wonder those Doctors got into medical school.

With this single report, the modern safety police have done more to parody themselves than opponents could do in a lifetime. Gun ownership in the United Kingdom having been practically banned, “Knife Control” has now come of age. The idea of knife control was once a joke proffered by opponents of gun control in an attempt to show where the anti-gun mentality could lead, if taken to its illogical conclusion. It has now been taken to its illogical conclusion.

In the world of the left, the fact that some men and women are violent, irresponsible, impulsive, drug-addicted, or evil is not a problem. The problem is simply that any of us have the power to act. It is OK to want to kill. It is OK to be a drug addict. It is OK to have little control over your emotions. It is OK to be an evil 200 lb. child, essentially. It’s just wrong that somebody gave you access to solid food and sharp objects.

So, rather than enforce laws that remove from society those people that have a demonstrated inability to behave acceptably, and lock them away in an environment where they can be treated as evil or stupid, the better solution is to pass laws treating every citizen as though he might be evil or stupid.

Modern society is being turned into one grand minimum-security institution –an institution where experts can decide what we really need; and keep us safe from ourselves.

Experts such as physicians, or the 10 “top chefs” cited by the physicians in their call to knife control: “None of the chefs felt such knives were essential, since the point of a short blade was just as useful when a sharp end was needed.” Only Chefs should be trusted with Chef’s knives. The rest of us should have only short little blades when we need a point, or else have knives with blunt round tips for those times when a longer blade is needed –rather like those little blunt-tipped scissors we all had in kindergarten.

Sure, it’s possible to still carve up someone’s face with the sharp edge on a blunt “safety” knife, but that’s acceptable --since you’ll probably survive having your ears lopped off in anger by the impulsive imbecile your government failed to protect you from.  Compare such minor slashing wounds with those caused by a pointed big-boy knife, which, it was said “pierces the body like ‘cutting into a ripe melon’". The report did not suggest how, after such knives are banned, one might cut into ripe melons. Perhaps you could ask an expert to do it with his properly licensed Chef’s knife.

If you have any doubt as to the elitist nature of such nanny state nonsense, designed to protect the little man from his little brain (or at least the little brain of his paroled neighbor, whom the elite need not live near) consider one of the examples the physicians group cited to show what a sensible and practical idea the proposed ban on long pointed knives is: “French laws in the 17th century decreed that the tips of table and street knives be ground smooth.”

The standard for proper government of the masses is again, apparently, the reign of the autocratic Sun-King of France circa 1650. 

It’s good to be the King –he can have a pointy knife if he wants.

Mr. Johnson, a writer and medical researcher in Cambridge, MA., is a regular contributor to Human Events. His column generally appears on Mondays. Archives and additional material can be found at www.macjohnson.com.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: banglist; donutwatch; england; libertarians; uk
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To: Sender
At my former office, I had a very tiny NRA folding knife on a display stand. I was told to remove it as it could be used as a weapon. I then picked up two 18" long phillips screwdrivers off my bench and looked at the HR person. I said, I need to keep these, OK? She left.

Exactly.

When the idiots in DC were debating their Assault Weapon Ban, I was working construction, and besides the usual power & hand tools ( including a hatchet and machete ) I had a nice bush hook in the trunk, and was fond of asking rhetorically, "how much damage do you think I can do with my Assault Bush Hook?"

41 posted on 06/02/2006 4:14:58 PM PDT by backhoe (Just an Old Keyboard Cowboy, Ridin' the Trakball into the Dawn of Information)
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To: paltz

Compare such minor slashing wounds with those caused by a pointed big-boy knife, which, it was said “pierces the body like ‘cutting into a ripe melon’". The report did not suggest how, after such knives are banned, one might cut into ripe melons.

Obviously, you would have to take to an authorized Government Melon Slicing Station, where, as long as you
can provide documentation that the melon entered the country
legally and that no illegal undocumented workers were harmed
in the harvesting of said melon, a licensed Government slicer would happily divide your melon into eight equal pieces, too bad if you wanted six, on the other hand it is
the unalienable right of every citizen to own a melon baller
as long as no optic assaults are committed with it.

" I didn't protest when they came for the melon ballers...."


42 posted on 06/02/2006 4:23:18 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: paltz

Wot if your attacked wif a 'andful o' currants?


43 posted on 06/02/2006 5:01:56 PM PDT by metalurgist (Believe in my God or I will kill you! The cry of all religious extremists.)
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To: backhoe; proud_yank; GMMAC; Gabz; freepatriot32; All
Naturally, you could- if so inclined- carve up a human being with it... of course what is really dangerous is not the object, but the human being behind it. You can kill a man with a shovel, too, if you are fast and strong.

It started with guns, now knives.

If you want to kill someone, there is always a chain saw, or stereo speakers, a chair, a nail file,.....................

A fist.

This is pathetic.

44 posted on 06/02/2006 5:41:50 PM PDT by fanfan (I wouldn't be so angry with them if they didn't want to kill me!)
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To: metalurgist

How to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana.
Now you, come at me with this banana. Catch!
Now, it's quite simple to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana. First of all you force him to drop the banana; then, second, you eat the banana, thus disarming him. You have now rendered him 'elpless.


45 posted on 06/02/2006 5:43:20 PM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
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To: paltz
According to the report, many stabbings appear to involve pointy objects

This report doesnt sound to sharp

46 posted on 06/02/2006 5:45:55 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: paltz
The cleaver is without a doubt the mosted used tool in my kitchen.


47 posted on 06/02/2006 5:52:08 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: Sender; backhoe
At my former office, I had a very tiny NRA folding knife on a display stand. I was told to remove it as it could be used as a weapon.

I don't know if it is so much that it could be used as a weapon, as it is really politically incorrect to show that you support the NRA. Your gesture could very easily offend any pro-nanny state, bedwetting, metrosexual co-workers you might have. Wouldn't want to do that now, would we?
48 posted on 06/02/2006 5:55:27 PM PDT by proud_yank (Vegetables are what food eats.)
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To: fanfan

Wasn't there a time where stupid people were tarred & feathered?


49 posted on 06/02/2006 5:57:27 PM PDT by proud_yank (Vegetables are what food eats.)
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To: Hegemony Cricket

http://www.he-artefakte.de/Europa/Praehistorik/Dolche/DolcheE.html

Some show I watched on the Discover Channel a couple months ago said that the edges of well-made flint knives were something like 200 times sharper than modern scalpels.

So we go back to the stone age?
I'm ready.
A friend of ours is half Nez Perce and half Irish and he's made me both steel swords and steel and flint/obsidian/quartz daggers.
[yeah, he kinda digs me a little]...;]

If worse comes to worst, I can always cut an ash sapling, sharpen the point and fire-harden it.


I'm pretty much prepared for any outlaw *whatever* contingencies.....:D


[the world *has* gone mad]


50 posted on 06/02/2006 5:58:48 PM PDT by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: proud_yank

LOL, yeah probably if it said STOP GLOBAL WARMING then it would be considered a tasteful desk accessory.


51 posted on 06/02/2006 6:01:39 PM PDT by Sender ("Why, by God, I actually pity those poor sons-of-b*tches we're going up against. By God, I do".)
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To: Salamander

While deployed in the desert at ft irwin I found an indian chipping ground and chipped a razor sharp piece.

I used it to repair an antenna cable on a multi million dollar military system L0L

I had a knife, I just wanted to be able to say I fixed the high dollar system with a "rock"


52 posted on 06/02/2006 6:06:12 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: Sender

Or 'capitalism sucks', ACLU, I love Michael Moore, Support diversity, etc.

The sad thing is, you're probably right.


53 posted on 06/02/2006 6:06:40 PM PDT by proud_yank (Vegetables are what food eats.)
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To: Gabz

Nanny State Ping


54 posted on 06/02/2006 6:10:10 PM PDT by kanawa
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To: kanawa; Just another Joe; CSM; lockjaw02; Publius6961; elkfersupper; nopardons; metesky; Mears; ...
Nanny State Ping

OH MY - if ever a thread deserved a PING, it's this one.

YIKES.

55 posted on 06/02/2006 6:40:24 PM PDT by Gabz (Proud to be a WalMartian --- beep)
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To: Gabz

I'd better hide my potato peelers here...
56 posted on 06/02/2006 6:46:38 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: surely_you_jest
Hell, I know guys that can kill ya with a finger. What are we gonna do about that?


57 posted on 06/02/2006 6:54:59 PM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
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To: Kimmers
OK, lets register all "pointy things" Then we would need to register the heads of all politicians.
58 posted on 06/02/2006 6:57:44 PM PDT by MistrX
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To: mylife

You are now my hero.....:)


59 posted on 06/02/2006 7:14:41 PM PDT by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: Salamander

I was pretty pleased with myself L0L ;-)


60 posted on 06/02/2006 7:17:36 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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