Was it ever true that those with a black belt in karate had to “register their hands as dangerous weapons” or, as one Doper suggested, just a line from an early Woody Allen movie?
In broader terms, are those skilled in martial arts under any legal obligation anywhere (in a Western democracy) to announce same before engaging in a street fight?
No to both.
Regards,
Shodan
You might have to explain it to a jury later, but there’s no obligation up front.
It was occasionally used as an advertising gimmick to promote professional fights.
“Bill ‘Superfoot’ Wallace is 6’6”, weighs 180 pounds, has a 5th degree Black Belt, and his hands are registered as lethal weapons! Come see him live, at Madison Square Garden, this Saturday Night! Tickets on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets!"
(Note: I don’t know if Bill Wallace ever actually used the gimmick, but back in the 1960s and 1970s, most pro fighters did.)
And yet… no other weapons are registered.
Well, it’d be especially ironic for somebody called “Superfoot” to register his hands…
OMG! Obama is going to take our hands away! I have hands, and I vote!!!
Note, that’s a joke. Not intended as a political jab. Intended as a jab at the idea of registering our lethal extremities. Have fun.
Never been any such thing.
Imagine, our elementary schools filled with the ‘deadly weapons’ of kids with black belts. Why, they’d be clammoring to outlaw the teaching of martial arts to children!
Some years back;
Idiot: I should warn you, I have a black belt.
Me: Yeah? So do I. And a couple of other belts. Big deal. Fuck off already.
Idiot: (Looks around sheepishly, walks away)
Previous threads:
2001: Do black-belt martial artists have to register their hands as lethal weapons?
2002: Hands as Lethal Weapons - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board
2006: Hands are lethel weapons? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board
Sam Stone, 2001: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=1333697&postcount=9
I’m not sure that applies across most US jurisdictions though.
ETA More:
http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=107;t=000169;p=0
I had some lame brain tell me once I had to register my swords, including my freaking fencing foils, sabres, and epees. :smack:
In our country, yes. But this was back in the 70s during martial law. And it was specific, a karate man’s arms and legs were considered dangerous weapons, unlike a trained boxer whose qualifications are just his arms (and maybe his forehead.)
Next time: “Oh I don’t need to register my swords because I have already registered my hands.” 
I’m so witty I had to register my vocabulary as a deadly weapon.
The blades are longer than 4", right?
While I’m not aware of anywhere that requires a blackbelt, or boxer, or any other combat trained person to register themselves as weapons, courts will consider training and skills as factors in determining severity of charges and punishment.
Martial Arts and the Law: Does Having a Black Belt Make Your Fists Deadly Weapons?
They don’t have blades. They have straight flexible blades with plunger-type sensors on the end (or rubber balls if they’re practice swords). They’re about as dangerous as a telescoping antenna.
You could put an eye out!
Bumper sticker: “I’ll give up my hands when they pry them out of my cold dead hands.”
That should have said “they don’t have edges or points”, not blades. :smack:
I guess sex offender registration is about as close as there is.