Can I tell you something and you not tell my parents?

[RPB]

Can I tell you something and you not tell my parents?

Is not the first thing you want to hear from a 16 year old niece at 4:00 in the morning.
(Her dad drops her off between 2 and 4 so I can take her to school as he goes to work early)

But, I'm so proud of her, I'll share this.

That's what she said, so I first said does this have to do with tattoos, piercings, running away, sex, drugs or anything like that?
She said no, I said "then I can probably handle it"

She pulls out an extremely beautiful knife out of her coat.

I complimented it and oohed and awwed and said that's coool, lets look at Texas Penal Code Chapter 46.

She read what I already knew and on her own learned and SHE decided

1) That knife was *legal to sell and legal to posses*
2) Not legal to carry anywhere
3) Especially not legal at school zone

then we looked up penalties for 3rd degree felony, for carrying one is then we looked up the penalty enhancement for drug free school zones making it a 2nd degree felony.

We talked about if she gets expelled,, kicked out of band, sent to the "special bad kid school" and about losing rights to vote and not being able to get CHL and other rights down the road maybe, as well as how she'll miss her friends (that's important to her ... those high school friends who will be with you forever ... you know, the ones you have to use a name tag 20 years from now and you still dunno who they are)

I told her about when I was her age and had a "collection" of Italian and Mexican switchblades, (before I got rid of/sold them) and what antiques and curios are.

So that knife stays here, not to be carried (HER DECISION.... I'm so proud)

I asked if she felt like she "needed" a weapon at school (to see if there was a problem of any type) she said no.

We discussed how laws are crazy (club versus flashlight/walking cane) and that it's important to follow the law, but that doesn't mean she has to be defenseless, but retention and practice are important.

Anyway, I'm proud of her. (She's one who from 13 to 16 years old "almost" went down the wrong paths due to "friend pressure" but is a good kid, no drugs/alcohol nor sex or bad stuff ... by her choice ... after she did a bit of thinking.... and a visit to her house from a Sheriff once who gave a verbal warning on something a year ago

Then we looked at alternative perfectl;y legal devices which can be used as weapons and other types of knives ...and Saturday I'm taking her shopping.
I showed her some knives that are legal to carry, but are more scary looking as well as easier to handle and such, and also "other weapons" which if she needed something for school wouldn't get her in trouble (rat-tailed comb, etc)

And I'll be training her a bit about knives and "other weapons" short-chain fighting, how to use a rat-tailed comb, keys and other stuff. (A couple years ago a counselor advised that she should take martial arts for confidence/self-esteem and I showed her a little back then and it seemed to help)

I tried not to discuss her dad, a staunch Obama supporter ... but we did discuss the anti-weapon and victim mentality

[Commander Cody]

Sounds to me that you did a good job.

[RPB]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure than she'll never take it to school.

I said "I know you'd like to take it to school or somewhere to show people how pretty it is, and they'd tell their friends, and they'd tell .... and soon a teacher would call because someone down the line says .... knives aren't allowed at school .... and then they'd see that's an "illegal" knife by definition and then the fun starts.... and I'm saving for a new car, not your bail money or a $10,000 fine

But she can store it in her drawer in her chest of drawers here, since it's legal to own/possess/sell but not carry.

(It actually may be legal to carry, but she decided it wasn't, and it may not be ... it's kinds borderline dirk/dagger/stiletto maybe)

No matter, we'll get her a bigger badder meaner looking one to carry .... but not to schools, courts etc ;)
Yes, she'll be prepared for a CHL when she's 21

We discussed what "preemption" is and San Antonio knife laws and gun laws and Fed/State/City laws, (there used to be an exemption for switchblades under Federal law for persons with only one hand)

Anyway. she's a smart kid .. and gettin' smarter.

I noticed, but haven't said anything to her about 2 other things she did on her own her dad doesn't know yet... ( I never mentioned either):
She removed "Democrat" on her Facebook.
She goes to a Bible Study and prayer meeting at school before school now.

Both of those after I bought an American flag and put it up ... maybe there's something to that higher % of kids taken to 4th of July parades as kids vote Republican later ...

I make it a point to do tell her what to do, she'd rebel ... I remember when I was a kid (and I tell her stuff I did, and the consequences ... she makes up her own mind)

[chasfm11]

Good for you. So many relatives want to resort to authoritarian diatribes when faced with situations like this. Helping a teenager to reason though these circumstances, guided by the facts, will help her not only with this decision but gives her the capability of working through future problems, too.

Teenagers often make bad choices because they didn't think far enough or wide enough to understand the unintended consequences. You've done her a real service with this one.

[RPB]

I told her it was wise of her to mention it to me and check...That if it had been something "illegal to possess" and it was in my house, that I could lose MY CHL/right to vote etc ...
So, I bragged on her to her too, and she's proud of herself for being wise and glad she was brave and that she brought it up..

pretty rainbow finish like this 9" Switch Spring Assisted Blade Stiletto Knife Titanium
http://sporting-goodsonline.com/p/273.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Spring Assist Opening for one hand operation.

The "bias" of the spring is to open 1-handed rather than a "bias toward closure"
(11) "Switchblade knife" means any knife that has a blade that folds, closes, or retracts into the handle or sheath and that opens automatically by pressure applied to a button or other device located on the handle or opens or releases a blade from the handle or sheath by the force of gravity or by the application of centrifugal force. The term does not include a knife that has a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure and open the knife.

However it isn't a switchblade, as the "device" isn't "on the handle"

She decided it must be a
(6) "Illegal knife" means a:
(A) knife with a blade over five and one-half inches;
(B) hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown;
(C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stiletto, and poniard;
(Switch Spring Assisted Blade Stiletto Knife Titanium)
(D) bowie knife;
(E) sword; or
(F) spear.

She was like "________ Store sells them, how can they sell them if it's an "illegal" knife"
She learned "definitions" are important
So she read that it's illegal to sell some things, but that's legal to sell
A bowie knife/ a machete would be similar, legal to sell, legal to own/possess, not to carry, and not at school.

She's smart, and learning :)

She learned a little about people's reactions ... Waco and Ruby Ridge and how important a quarter inch is and to obey the law exactly

Heck, it may be legal to carry, she decided it wasn't ....(6) "Illegal knife" means a C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stiletto, and poniard;....but I'll get her a better one than that one (thats a $19.00 knife) So, I'll get her one which is obviously legal, but better made and scarier looking to carry if she wants to carry where legal. And I'll train her a bit. It was years ago I taught her various ways to disarm and defend against someone else with a knife. I'll probably be buying her her carry pistol and paying for her CHL course one day ... they grow up fast.

She learned that the Interweb has more than Facebook
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/d ... /PE.46.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PENAL CODE
TITLE 10. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND MORALS
CHAPTER 46. WEAPONS

And when she asked what's a "zip gun" and read the definition, she learned how to make a rifle or shotgun from a staplegun from an internet video Probably won't be long till she'll want to shoot watermelons.