Land of the free?

[Fieldmouse]

I always loved the lines in the comedies when the star warned that their hands were registered with the police because they were deadly weapons. I never realized it was true. WTF? My nieces aren't 18, they have never been in trouble, even a speeding ticket. However, they get their Black Belt and by law are forced to register with the police department. You have to be kidding me.

[kevin1]

That's been the law for as far back as I can remember, a former neighbor of mine took Tae Kwon Do lessons as a teen, but stopped short of getting his black belt because of the registration requirement. He's 55 now, so it's been the law for quite awhile.

[BigTiny]

In what state do they live? I have more than one black belt (or the equivalent) in several of the martial arts, and have never had to register myself as anything. I have had to get boxing licenses to fight professionally, but nothing outside of that. It just seems silly.

[ipscshooter]

My sons and I all have black belts in Tae Kwon Do. There is no registration requirement in Texas...

EDIT: Until somebody gives me a citation to a statute that requires registration, I've never heard of such a requirement anywhere (other than, as you said, on TV...), and I'll call BS on anybody who says there is. Somebody who says "I quit martial arts just before getting my black belt, so I wouldn't have to register my hands as deadly weapons" is just a poser trying to impress people who don't know any better...

[burniegoeasily]

Yep. That is an old law.

[Fieldmouse]

This was Florida. My nieces just passed their tests last month.

[ipscshooter]

This is from an article in Black Belt Magazine:

A Black Belt Must Register Himself as a Deadly Weapon

This is one of the oldest American martial arts legends, and there"™s absolutely no basis for it. First, the U.S. government doesn"™t regulate the martial arts, which means there"™s no process to identify people practicing the fighting arts and no governmental method by which practitioners can be evaluated. Such a feat of regulation would cost millions, if not billions, of dollars and be a violation of civil rights. Actually, there"™s not a country on earth where martial artists are required to register themselves as weapons, deadly or otherwise.

Also from the article:

What"™s truly disturbing, however, is that some martial artists carry "œregistration cards"� they"™ve received from their instructors. Those instructors charge them a hefty fee to be registered, and the students believe what they"™ve been told"”that they"™re now listed as deadly weapons.

This may be what happened... Some instructors are rather unscrupulous when pursuing the almighty dollar...

[Fieldmouse]

Interesting, thanks ipsc

[ipscshooter]

You can go to registermyhands.com and for $40 they'll send you a very official looking framed certificate and laminated ID card complete with a "registration" number... I have heard of instructors in the business much moreso for the money than for the honor of passing on your knowledge. These types might charge a student $400, and then obtain the official looking $40 certificate to give to the student... Your nieces aren't named Christine and Heather, are they?

Another scenario might be that they are members of an international organization such as World Tae Kwon Do Federation or International Tae Kwon Do Federation, and they paid a fee for "registration" with that particular governing body for the sport. Nonetheless, it is not a "registration of my hands as a deadly weapon" type of deal, and is unrelated to any federal, state or local government.

[salukipv1]

That's the biggest lie girls are told by guys with some martial art skills, or lack thereof...

If any man or woman ever told me he had to register his hands I'd die laughing.

Why would any man woman child register their hands? You don't register your guns...you certainly don't register your hands.