Case of the "deadly" nunchaku

Andy Carvin tweeted earlier "Trying to remember the last time I heard a congressional hearing discuss nunchucks. A resolution in honor of Bruce Lee?". This got me wondering why and doing a little web searching. I found a couple of interesting pages on what I am calling Maloney V Stupid.

What strikes me about this case, beyond the obvious and interesting technical questions of Constitutional rights vs State law, is that nobody is actually questioning WHY so many states have laws that, essentially, ban two sticks connected via rope or chain.

Having studied some small amount of Martial Arts, watched "Fight Science" and actually seen someone in a real street fight with nunchaku, I am left absolutely shocked that ANYONE considers them a dangerous offensive weapon.

It is true, the nunchaku can deliver powerful blows in the hands of a trained professional. However, this is just as true of a stick. In fact, a stick is, in many cases, more dangerous, as it is easier to learn, and doesn't show the lack of control after impact that the Nunchaku does. (the inherent flexibility of the nunchaku also absorbs much of its own impact force, unlike a solid stick)

In short, I have to disagree with the courts that found states have a "Rational Basis" for banning the nunchaku. Unless the standard for "rational basis" is "it looks really cool in movies, and we don't want people looking cool in fights".

Is there any defense of these laws? Aside from arrests for posession, was there ever an increase in "nunchaku related attacks"? Is there ANY evidence that lacking access to nunchaku has ever stopped a fight and NOT merely resulted in someone grabbing a more effective weapon (like a stick, or rock)? Did banning the nunchaku decrease violent crime?

I think its clear that this is yet another silly law, passed by the lazy and the stupid. Then defended and used against citizens by the criminally insane. Am I the only one who hangs his head in shame when he hears the utter nonsense that comes out of his government?

Once again, we should all just be ashamed to call ourselves American.