Sounds ok to me. Pretty useful law if you take the Klan into consideration.
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If only the Founding Fathers could have foreseen…
Well regulated ninjas being necessary to the security of a free State,
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It sounds terrible to me. The only way this law could work or be fixed is to add “…during the commission of another crime” to it. Otherwise, you’re outlawing religious face-coverings, freedom of expression through wearing a mask, and any number of other constitutional rights. Those aren’t worth sacrificing just to stick it to the klan.
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WHY the hell do people phone police about things which don’t have anything to do with law enforcement? Or indeed anything else?
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I was trying to do something kinda delicate when i read your comment. I had to retry because of the eyeroll.
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Nope, in this case it’s the only thing they’re charging him with, because apparently open carrying a sword in this area is legal and they couldn’t charge him with what really concerned them: “being a weirdo.” Make-up isn’t even covered by the law (no pun intended), the law is against “masks and hoods,” passed specifically to deal with Klan terrorism.
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I’m hoping he is found not guilty or the case is thrown out.
In the current political climate, I can see a guilty verdict being used against trans women.
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But a butterfly knife could reasonably be classified as a “concealed” weapon, which usually requires a license. A sword is more analogous to a rifle, only less lethal (under most circumstances).
But kitchen knives are presumably legal so you still need a law to specifically prohibit swords.
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That exception seems large enough to drive a bus through. There is undoubtedly an aspect of theater to this.
unless . . .
giant bong hit
There is no such thing as Theater, such artifice is bourgeois false consciousness. This man was creating a Situation!
cough pure dialectic cough
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Virginia, why so serious?
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Awesome.
I was riding a motorcycle in the winter back in 1986 I believe and this was a pretty rare occurance then for NC. A cop stopped me and hassled me a little but ultimately let me go. I was wearing a ski mask under my helmet and he cited the “No going around with masks” law that was definitely from the Klan era. Greensboro had had a run in six years earlier with the Klan and they were still a little on edge I think. Let me move along with a warning. But I am white and YMMV
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Wait, you’re saying that they should arrest people for the “offense” of making them (the police/other people) nervous.
I mean, I’d probably avoid the dude walking down the street with a sword, but if he’s not causing actual harm then leave 'em alone.
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my grandma would be felonious at church.
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You win the Internet Pun of the Day award.
Re: edged weapon laws GREATLY vary on the state. What is legal concealed is generally something <4" like a pocket knife. Something larger is ok if not concealed. Extra restrictions on “bad” knives like switch blades and butterfly knives. But again, varies greatly.
I am guessing this guy was going to a convention or some nerd get together. But who knows. If I had a sword, I’d put it in a poster tube.
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Ask Gladys Kravitz. She might know.
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For the same reason they call IT if the (non-IoT) microwave is broken: they don’t know how to do what they need to and they do know the number for some folks who seem savvy.
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Women wearing makeup will be next
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True story: in decades past, Seattle passed an “anti-sword” law because it was legal to carry one (as long as it wasn’t concealed) and we had a local wannabe hero and not-the-sharpest-tack-in-the-bag fellow who went by the nickname of “Conan” (I’ll let you guess why) running around.
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