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<br /> I 11 THE PROSPECT OF' THESE KNIVES, OF'FERED AT OPEN SALE, KNIVES WHICH CAN BE EASILY I
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<br /> '! CONCEALED ON THE PERSON, FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF PERSONS OF CRIMINAL INCLINATION OR
<br /> ,I CRIMINAL RECORD, OF' PERSONS MENTALLY UNBALANCED, OR OF PERSONS EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE IS
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<br /> Ii EXTREMELY DISQUIETING.
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<br /> EVEN MORE DISQUIETING IS THE PROSPECT OF THESE KNIVES FALLING INTO THE HANDS 'OF'
<br /> l...... JUVENILES. AT CLOSE RANGE THEY ARE AS EFF'ECTIVE A DEADLY WEAPON AS COULD BE DEVISED.
<br /> JJ') IN EASTERN AND MIDWESTERN CITIES SUCH KNIVES HAVE BEEN DISTINCTIVELY A FEATURE OF
<br /> 00 JUVENILE GANG WARF'ARE AND JUVENILE CRIMINAL ASSAULT. IF THE SE KNIVES CONTINUE TO BE
<br /> ~ OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE STORES OF' EUGEN8 [HffRE IS LITTLE REASON TO DOUBT THAT THE
<br /> - ii UNRULY AND TROUBLESOME ELEMENT OF THE JUVENILE POPULATION WILL EVENlIlUALLY BE A,R ME D
<br /> <t il WI TH THEM AND THAT THEY WILL BE USED F'OR PURPOSES OF' PERSONAL COMBAT, GANG FIGHTS,
<br /> , IT
<br /> " ARMED ROBBERY, AND CRIMINAL ASSAULT. SEEMS TO ME THE GREATER PART OF WISDOM TO
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<br /> 1! PREVENT SUCH A SITUATUON THAN TO ATTEMPT, PERHAPS F'UTILELY, TO CORRECT IT AF'TER IT
<br /> I, HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED ITSELF'. To LOCK THE BARN DOOR AF'TER THE HORSE HAS BE.EN STOLEN
<br /> HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED DOUBTFUL POLICY. I
<br /> e SINCE I CONSIDER THE PRESENCE OF" THESE LETHAL KNIVES I N THE COMMUNITY A THREAT I
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<br /> TO THE PEAGE AND SECURITY OF' THE COMMUNITY AND AN OCCASION OF' GRAVE UNEASINESS TO LAW-
<br /> ABIDING CITIZENS, I , THEREF'ORE, RESPECTF'ULLY REQUEST THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF'
<br /> EUGE NE TO CONSIDER WITH UTMOST SERIOUSNESS THE F'RA.MI NG OF' AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT
<br /> THEIR SALE.
<br /> THE DIF'F'ICULTY OF' SUCH AN ORDINANCE LIE S, I HAVE BEEN I NF'ORMED, IN PHRASING AN
<br /> I ACCEPTABLE DEF'INITIONOOF' THE TERM "LETHAL" OR "DEADLY" IN CONNECTION WITH KNIVES.
<br /> I SUGGEST, THEREF'ORE, THAT THE TERM "LETHAL" OR "DEADLY" MEANS A KNIJrE, DAGGER,
<br /> DIRK, OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENT WHOSE PRIMARY F'UNCTION AND PURPOSE IS AGGRESSION OR ASSAULT
<br /> UPON THE HUMAN BODY. IT IS THE PRIMARY F'UNCTION OF THE INSTRUMENT WHICH IS I TS D I S- .
<br /> TINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC; ITS MISUSE OR SECONDARY OR ACCIDENTAL F'UNCTIONS ARE NOT OF'
<br /> THE ESSENCE OF' THE MATTER. THE PRIMARY F'~NCT ONS OF':SUCH INSTRUMENTS MAY BE USEFUL,
<br /> , DESIRABLE, AND NECESSARY. THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS MAY BE, HOWEVER, UNDESIRABLE,
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<br /> 'I WHERE
<br /> , DESTRUCTIVE, OR DETRIMENTAL TO THE WELL-BEING OF' SOCIETY. THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS
<br /> ARE SUCH, SOCIETY SHOULD ACT IN SELF'-PROTECTION, FOR SOCIETY IS IN NO WAY COMPELLED TO
<br /> PERMIT ARSENALS OF DESTRUCTION TO ACCUMULATE I N THE HANDS OF' THE UNDESIRABEL, THE
<br /> DANGEROUS, THE UNF IT, OR THE UNSTABLE.
<br /> To FURTHER CLARIFY THE DEFINITION, '1 SUGGEST THAT THE PRIMARY F'UNCTION OF THE
<br /> . INSTRUMENT, AS DESCRIBED BY ITS DESI GN, STRUCTURE, AND COMMON USE, BE THE ESSENTIAL
<br /> FEATURE OF' THE DEFINITION. THUS THEPRDMARY FUNCTION OF A HAMMER IS TO DRIVE NAILS;
<br /> THAT ITMAYBE USED AS AN INSTRUMENT OF FELONIOUS AND DEADLY ASSAULT IS A MISUSE OF'
<br /> IT OR AN ACCIDENTAL FEATURE OF' TI WHICH CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY ORDINANCE, ,NOR IS IT
<br /> DESIRABLE THAT ONE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO DO SO. THE SAME IS TRUE OF BASEBALL BATS, CROW-
<br /> BARS, AND EVEN AUTOMOBILES. SIMILARLY THE PRIMARY USE OF HUNTING KNIVES, POCKET KNIVES,
<br /> KITCHEN KNIVES, SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND SO ON IS PRACTICAL AND NECESSARY TO SOCIETY
<br /> . AND THE ORDINANCE, COULD, IN NO WISE, BE APPLICABLE TO THEM.
<br /> NOR IS n INTENDED THAT SUCH AN ORl!)iOlNANCE APPLY TO WAR SOUVENIERS, THE PRIMARY
<br /> I PURPOSE OF WHICH IS HISTORICAL MEMORY, NOR TO ANJIQUES, WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE I. S V A L U E ,
<br /> ASSOCIf-TION, SENTIMENTAL SATISFACTION THROUGH AGE. THAT SUCH I NSTRUSENTS MAY BE Mis-
<br /> USED OR EMPLOYED FOR SECONDARY OR ACCllPENTAL PURPOSES IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE' PRO-
<br /> POSED. ORDINANCE.
<br /> IT'I SPROPOSED, THEREFORE, THAT THE ORDINANCE PROHIBIT THE SALE IN THE CITY OF
<br /> EUGENE OF KNIVES WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE AS DESCRIBED BY THEIR DESIGN, STRUCTURE, AND
<br /> COMMON USE IS AGGRESSION AND ASSAULT UPON THE HUMAN BODY AND THAT SUCH INSTRUIi1lENTS BE
<br /> CLASSED AS LETHAL OR DEADLY WEAPONS. SINCE SWITCH-BLADE KNIVES OF WHATEVER LENGHT,
<br /> e DAGGERS, DIRKS, AND STILETTOS ARE IN THIS CATEGORY, \lJT WOULD BE DESIRABLE, I THINK,
<br /> TO SPECIF'Y THEM BY NAME.
<br /> As A PRIVATE CITIZEN OF' THE CI TY OF EUGENE I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE COMMON
<br /> COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EUGENE TO RRAME AND TO PASS SUCH AN ORDINANCE. "
<br /> IT WAS MOVED BY CRUMBAKER, SECONDED BY GODLOVE THAT THIS COMMUNICATION BE REFERRED TO
<br /> THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUDICIARY COMMITTEES. MOTION CARRIED.
<br /> 17 AGREEMENT PROVIDING A COMMON DESCRIPTION F'OR THE BOUNDARY LI NE BETWEEN THE BAVARO PROPERTY
<br /> I, AND THAT OF THE EUGENE .WATER & ELECTRI C BOARD WAS SUBMI THD BY THE EUGENE WATER & ELECTRIC
<br /> .' BOARD.
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<br /> ii IT WAS MOVED BY BOOTH, SECONDED BY CRUMBAKER THAT THE PROPER CITY OFFICERS BE AUTHORIZED
<br /> Ii TO PROVIDE LEGAL SIGNATURES FOR THIS AGREEMENT. MOTION CARRIED.
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