Public Safety?

Boston.com reported Monday that an 82-year-old woman was strangled to death when her scarf and hair became caught in an escalator. According to staff of the Boston Globe, many people simply walked past the ghastly tableau, refusing to get involved. Among the few good Samaritans who desperately tried and failed to free the woman from the escalator was Larry Fitzpatrick. He was quoted as saying, "All we needed was a box cutter, knife, even a nail clipper, but we had nothing available."

One of the reasons none of these passers-by had a knife is because Massachusetts, and presumably the city of Boston, have strict laws governing the carry and possession of knives, or certain types of them. They are not alone. Many if not all municipalities have such laws. In some cases, these laws are carryovers from the age of the duel, but in most cases, they are simply the work of invasive governments telling you what you can have in your pocket on a day-to-day basis.

Public safety, my ass. Intrusive laws kill people. This is more dangerous than actual crime.