When I was a child, (OMG, I AM my Mother) there was a rise in girl gangs. And the weapons of choice when jumping a supposed enemy were box cutters. In fact, if you carried one, you were a bad ass and a force to be reckoned with. But then something happened, people started using box cutters for what they were meant for- cutting cardboard or straight lines. Recently, it seems, that they have been making a comeback in the criminal world:

• In Toronto, a teenager was jumped and beaten by two boys who carried box cutters. While they did not use the weapon to cut the young man, having them on them was considered a threat of death.
• On December 31, an Australian man was removed from an aircraft for smoking and when he was searched, security found two box cutters.
• The Transportation Security Administration reported that last year 384 box cutters were confiscated at airport checkpoints.
• A man was arrested for shoplifting in a Walmart. His tool of choice: a box cutter.

So, I’m writing this blog entry to encourage every one to help box cutters claim their place as safe, useful tools. Stop trying to bring them on planes. Stop using them for evil. Their power is massive. Use them for good.