Customs and Border Protection

Cutting Both Ways

Americans are rightfully concerned about our borders these days – especially the one with Mexico. High-powered drugs come north, high-powered guns go south and illegals go both ways by the millions.

In a Mexican tourist haven like Acapulco, authorities and the bad guys can exchange gunfire and grenade attacks for hours and double-digit body counts, while in the United States, the Deport-Em-All crowd is again rushing to attend anti-immigration rallies – at least just as soon as they pay their housekeepers, nannies and gardeners in cash.

Beyond Mexico, there are other border security concerns. Although the Canadians on our northern border seem pretty well behaved, our several thousand miles of coastline on the east and west are openings for all sorts of mischief and contraband, everything from cigarettes to suitcase nukes.

Clearly the situation should concern the ever-vigilant CBP (Customs and Border Protection), the federal Department of Homeland Security group that, in its own mission-statement words, works to “protect the American Public against terrorists and the instruments of terror.”

Well, it does concern the CBP folks, and they are thinking of cracking down.

On pocket knives.

In a 67-page gush of FedSpeak last month, the CBP folk re-examined the issue of pocket knives that may be opened with one hand, usually by thumbing a stud at the base of the blade. They’re very common – I’ve carried one for years – and many of them are imported.

The reason they are common is that needing to cut something when working around the house, fishing, hunting or camping usually finds you one hand short. Whatever needs cutting goes back to what it was doing while you fumble the blade open.

Because you can open the knife with one hand and the blade locks into place with an audible click, some folks might think these pocket knives, typically with a blade less than four inches long, were forbidden imports under the Switchblade Knife Act of 1958. (Members of Congress in 1958 were all a-twitter after a few teen gang flicks in which switchblades played a role. Besides, it was easier to deal with switchblades than the just-launched Soviet Sputnik 1.)

Previously, the CBP had decided that most of the one-hand-opening knives weren’t switchblades because they had utilitarian purposes, pocket clips and short blades. Besides which, even the CBP could figure out that anyone using a knife with a four-inch blade as a primary weapon is either desperate or suicidal, but in any event not a tremendous threat to the nation’s security.

Of course, that was then and this is now. Determined to protect our shores, the CBP is thinking of banning the import of these knives in case America’s enemies are secretly plotting to whittle down our defenses. Apparently literally. Comments run until June 21.

All of which would be just for laughs if the CPB wasn’t serious and if the times in which we live suggest that the CPB ought to have lots of things – or just about anything – better to do than this sort of foolishness.

A tip of the hat to the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, which e-mailed me the heads-up on this. You can read all about it, its implications and even find a link to the full text at http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=4972.

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