Stick Fighter

I've often said the courts, not the legislature, are our best hope in having the Right to arms respected. That should not be taken as implying the courts are honest, rational or even timely.

For 12 years Jim Maloney has been trying to have the courts declare that the possession of two sticks and a rope is not something that should be criminal in New York. Here's his web page giving updates and history on not just the one, but now three nunchuk cases in New York. The latest of which is a foreigner, just passing through a NY airport, being arrested for having nunchuks in his checked luggage (sound familiar?).

12 years for the original case. Twelve. Years. Post McDonald it was remanded back to the district court where it awaits further action. But 12 years to have a court say that owning a pair of sticks tied together with a rope is not a crime? Judge Narragansett would be rolling over in his fictional grave.

Oh, just coincidentally as they were serving another, totally, really, seriously, for true, unrelated warrant cause they'd never try to harass anyone or anything even though he was not guilty of what the warrant said and they for sure wouldn't trump up a charge and serve a warrant just to have an excuse to look for nunchuks, the NY State police just happened to find a pair of nunchuks in Mr. Maloney's home recently. He was arrested charged and convicted. It's a misdemeanor but a 2nd offense would be a felony.

I always found it ironic. Nunchuks were invented in response to a weapons ban so folks would have some means of protection against thieves and thugs, and here several centuries later the thieves and thugs have gotten around to banning nunchuks.

But the Right to arms is not just about firearms. Knives, swords, clubs and even sticks tied together are weapons that must be protected against government intrusion. And of course, machetes...