Knife-Free Zones

Prof. Reynolds at Instapundit starts off the new year by dispensing some good common sense advice:

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Every man should carry a pocketknife and a handkerchief.

Common sense that is, unless you work in some Federal facilities like the one I work in.  It used to be that one could posses a knife with a blade 2.5 inches or shorter.  But no longer.  My facility, which follows its larger national agency security guidelines, prohibits "Knives" from being brought into the facility.  No provisions or exceptions apparently.  A co-worker was even asked to take a Swiss Army knife back out to his truck.

So you thought you would bring in a kitchen knife to cut the birthday cake brought to work?  Nope, prohibited.

You thought that since you are in the military you would wear that Gerber/Whetstone/Spyderco folding knife that you deployed with on your belt?  Nope, prohibited.

Ironically, one could get "knives" in our cafeteria.  It is really just flatware, but I bet they have some sharp things back in the kitchen....

My main point here, besides snark, is that everyone should remember that federal facilities are essentially weapons-free zones.  I have heard some gun control advocates poo-poo the pro-gun argument that gun-free zones encourage mass-shootings by pointing out that Nidal Hasan perpetrated his acts on a military base.  But even military bases, counter to what most people would think, have very restrictive weapons rules.  Despite the presence of lots of soldiers, while in garrison the only ones with guns are Military/Security Police, as local/state carry laws do not apply on base.  So like other gun free-zones, when seconds count, the Military Police are but minutes away.

Meanwhile, you had better cut that birthday cake at home before you bring it in, or else run the risk of becoming a federal felon....