The Texas legislature has voted to repeal the state ban on the possession, manufacture, transportation, repair, or sale of knuckles; and the ban on the carrying of a club. These bans clearly infringed on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Texas continues to defer to federal law on the regulation of explosive weapons, machine guns, short barreled firearms, and firearm silencers.
They continue to ban armor piercing ammunition, chemical dispensing devices, zip guns, and a tire deflation device, all with rather esoteric definitions in the law. Perhaps the legislature is saving the repeal of the bans on those devices for another day. From dallasnews.com:
AUSTIN — Texas lawmakers have passed legislation lifting the state ban on brass knuckles, kitty keychains and other self defense items.HB 446 was passed in the House, on 9 April, 2019, 147-1, with 2 absent.
The Texas Senate gave the bill its final OK on Wednesday morning; it now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature or veto. Abbott's staff did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. Bill author Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, said the bill was "another step" toward getting rid of" antiquated laws regarding weapons."
"We did it with switchblades. We did it with knives and now with knuckles," Moody said Wednesday. "Hopefully, now, with this on the way to the governor, we can ensure these types of laws aren't being used inappropriately to go after folks who have legitimate tools of self defense."
It passed in the Senate, on 15 May, 2019, unanimously, 31-0.
If Governor Abbott signs the bill into law, it will take effect 1 September, 2019.
Another step in restoring Second Amendment rights. HB 446 was filed by Joe Moody, a Texas Democrat who represents El Paso. Seeing a Democrat champion the right to arms is becoming less of a rarity, as long as the arms are not guns. Several leftist groups have joined with Knife Rights in an attempt to reform New York's knife law, because of the abuse of the law by New York City District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr.
The knife reform bill has passed the legislature at least twice by nearly unanimous votes, only to be vetoed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
It is hard to argue, as Texas Representative Moody (D)-El Paso, noted, against the carry of knives, clubs, knucks and stun guns, when the carry of firearms is perfectly legal.
Thus the restoration of Second Amendment rights for one set of self-defense tools re-infoces the restoration of the rights of others.
The repeal of the bans on stun guns, knives, clubs, and knucks serves to reinfoce the legitimacy of self-defense. Self-defense, defense of others, and defense of the community are the key to restoring Second Amendment rights.
Those who wish to disarm the population specifically target the right to self-defense and work to de-legitimize it. In England, Canada, and Australia, defense is specifically excluded as a legitimate reason to own a firearm.
People will accept police discretion for who may play games with guns, hunt, or collect. They are far less willing to allow the police to decide who will have the ability to defend themselves.
If a plastic key chain set of knucks is legitimate for self-defense, how can a pistol not be?
©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
At some point the US Supreme Court is going to rule that all: gun, knife, ax, sword, dart, in short all arms control laws are un-Constitutional. And the sooner the better.
ReplyDeleteNotice the second amendment uses the term arms. that is because anything you use to defend your self with is arms The framers did not use terms like rifle, pistol, bow, axe, Knife, sword, Nunchuckas, stars. It says arms shall not be infringed. Infringed is an all inclusive term meaning any thing related to those arms is protected. No one has ever stopped an attack or an assault by saying wait until I go get a better weapon. carry what you are most proficient with and always have a back up. At my age, when I am rigged up, I can barely walk, two pistols on my hips, two pistols in shoulder holsters, A rifle on one shoulder , a shot gun on the other shoulder. Bandoliers, extra ammo packs And a very large knife. and that is just the basics. I believe in a weapon for every purpose. I could arm and equip a rifle squad. back packs sleeping bags tents canteens, compass, maps and binoculars and all the ammo they can carry with food for two weeks. Plus medical supplies. mess kits, coffee , tea, sugar, creamers salt and pepper. ring saw. When I was younger I could have crossed the country with a good knife. make rope when you need it fish when you have to. Quarter inch nylon rope is light and takes up little space.
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