Fake Bulletproof Vests

How do you know they're fake? Test 'em. Heeeere, poochie, poochie, poochie.

I hate to be all with the judging, but...

loony loony loony loony!

Sorry.

I'd like to see some government-sponsored research statistics on how many kids this fad actually gets killed. I've only seen one 'unofficial' study that seemed to show an increase in child homocides of about 7% during the 'camouflage' craze of about 10-15 years ago. Seems a lot of the 10-14 year olds were taking "playing Army" just a little too seriously.

I know this seems unconnected, but in the WWF wrestling phase inthe UK about 11 or 12 years ago, I knew a woman who's ten year old son was crippled by his friends' 'playing'. And that was camp roleplay. It strikes me as similar.

damn, thats just wrong...might give new meaning to the phrase "fashion victim"

also, it is illegal (in the U.S.) to wear a bulletproof vest, I guess you need a permit or something..I remember some rapper getting arrested and one of the charges was wearing a bullet proof vest.

while I guess a fake vest might not be technically illegal, sounds like a sure fire way to get hassled by police...if not shot

Even if they're for kids?

On that whole "it is illegal (in the U.S.) to wear a bulletproof vest" thing... I have to say "baloney!"

Let's see some proof, or even a reference. Shouldn't be too hard to find if those charges were indeed ever filed.

If "wearing" something alone was / can / could be considered a crime then a lot of these kids would be facing charges for walking around with their asses hanging out.

Where there might have been an illegality (?) might have been if he was wearing one that identified him as "law enforcement" or something of that nature. Which would be impersonating, if not possession of stolen property... but just wearing one isn't illegal.

it was ODB, and I think he was arrested because he was either on probation or had a felony conviction in his past...so you are right, it is not illegal to wear one unless you have been convicted of a felony or if it is a condition of parole

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429439/02181999/ghostface_killah.jhtml

also note the page below where a person wearing a bullet proof vest was searched by police because "Although wearing a bullet proof vest is not, itself, illegal, this Court has expressly noted the inherent linkage between a vest and possession of a firearm".

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=ny&vol=088&invol=0650

but yes, I was wrong, it is not illegal

not sure why that second link doesnt work..will try once more

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=ny&vol=088&invol=0650

"If "wearing" something alone was / can / could be considered a crime then a lot of these kids would be facing charges for walking around with their asses hanging out."

Well, if were to live in the great Commonwealth of Virgnia you would be happy to know your state was working to dedicate vast resources to combat the horrible scourge of visible undies and butt cleavage. (Please note sarcastic tone)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=483138

I haven't heard anything recently about it. It may be that cooler heads have prevailed and this never actually became a law.

Seriously? This is so stupid. I'm just gonna stick with my jeans and T-shirts. And no, I won't be getting one for Jocelynn. She likes denim shorts & shirts with pictures of cats on them for now.

Booch, you can tell a fake vest pretty easy. Real ones contain metal plates and are heavy as all get out.

I know an easier way to tell if they're fake. Saranjean, where's my rifle?

"'They're nice. They're ill,' said Jr. Ennis, a 17-year-old at South Boston High who wears his to school."

So sad, it's like wearing pants low because in juvie they take your belt. I'd prefer my son/daughter emulate more positive role models. Feel free to add a joke.

The law is Title 18, United States Code, Section 931, which basically states that it is unlawful for a person to purchase, own or possess body armor if that person has been convicted of a felony that is a crime of violence, or a state felony that could be considered a crime of violence. It's a federal law, so applies to everyone.

Many states have laws that further restrict body armor ownership or possession. Texas, for example, forbids anyone who has committed a felony (nonviolent ones also) from possessing body armor. (Title 10, Texas Rev. Stat., Section 46.041)

In addition, it is illegal to sell body armor to residents of Connecticut unless it is purchased face-to-face (i.e. you can't order it online). Retailers who do mail shipping know that and won't ship it to Connecticut residents.

Other than that, it's generally legal to purchase and possess body armor.

I believe that would be according to the Boston Herald, not the Globe, according to your link.

You guys need to step back and take a breath. The police do not shoot people on sight for wearing real bullet proof vests, much less fake ones.

Really, that's just silly. The police have pretty strict rules of engagement. If you're waving a gun around, or have a grenade, or driving recklessly during a pursuit, or maybe even waving a sword around, they might pull their guns and shoot you without much fanfare. But if you're WEARING a VEST? No, no, no.

What they would do is walk up to you, detain you (as in, not let you leave the spot if you try to walk away), and do a field interview where they ask you why you're wearing a bullet-proof vest, where'd you get it, where are you going, why do you need it, are you doing anything illegal, etc. If you act 'suspicious' then they might search you, if they find something or put up a struggle they will arrest you. But they won't shoot you on sight, for god's sake.

So wearing a fake bullet-proof vest means you're more likely to get hassled by the police. Big deal, so does wearing a long black trench coat. And let's be honest, these are black urban teenagers, it's not like they're not going to be hassled by the police (unfairly or otherwise) anyway.

Well done Chuck,

I called you out for a reference... and you provided one!

As yourself and Bill B. noted though, the illegality is only when convicted felons are concerned. There are LOTS of things that it's illegal for ex-convicts or convicted felons to do that isn't illegal for you and I. It is pretty well-known that felons (convicted) lose a lot of the rights that the rest of us take for granted. Carrying concealed weapons for instance...

Point is, in the end... you or I can indeed own and wear a bullet-proof vest if we so desire! 😉

Thanks MJ..I hate providing references that prove I was wrong but hey, I cant be right all the time :lol:

and barghest, I only see one reference to being shot

"while I guess a fake vest might not be technically illegal, sounds like a sure fire way to get hassled by police...if not shot"

that was me and I was being sarcastic about the getting shot part.

Mark-n-Jen: Technically, you don't have a right to own body armor.

Rights granted by a governmental body. The right to carry a concealed weapon is a right. Not every citizen has that right. Only very few states allow it, and require licensing and classes to be granted the right.

Civil liberties are areas in which the government may not interfere in the lives of their citizens. These are guaranteed by the constitition. For example, the government may not search your house without proper procedure. The Constitution prevents this.

Body armor is not a right. The government doesn't grant you the ability to own body armor. It's not a liberty, since the government is not prohibited from restricting the sale and possession of it. It's neither. It's just simply unregulated, unless you are a felon.

Which means, you have the same right to own body armor as you have to own a toaster. However, no one every claims owning a toaster is a "right."

>>>Rights granted by a governmental body.<<<

I truly pity you for believing this.

A right isn't something that someone gives you, it's what no one can take away from you. Remember the line about "certain inalienable rights"? A core ideal that is one of the very foundations of America is that every human is inherently endowed with certain rights that no other human being may either grant or infringe. The Bill of Rights is not a list of priveleges--it's a statement of god-given, inherent freedoms.

Someone's been feeding you fascist bullshit.

Sure, the reality is that governments do grant or take away rights. But the ideal is that they have no such power. And the American experiment is founded on ideals, great ideals to which we aspire, even though we may never succeed in embodying them.

>>A right isn't something that someone gives you, it's what no one can take away from you.<<

Those are civil liberties. It's a distinction taught in law and governmental classes, but there is a separation between rights, which are granted by government, and liberties, areas where government may not interfere. The Bill of Rights actually lay out civil liberties. You actually use the word freedom -- essentially the same meaning as liberty.

I hardly think knowing the difference between rights and liberties makes me a facist. I'd disagree with the god-given part, and I'm free to believe that.

Bill B.- Jeez, can you lighten up? This hair-splitting distinction is not going to change anything. Have fun with your banter, but *please* don't make this a forum for some politico-idealistic diatribe. Thanks.

If they see you wearing that kind of vest they'll just shoot you in the head for cryin' out lout!

Now that's topical spam. But really, it's still spam and still very annoying. Sales must be good to have so much time to post personally to obscure message boards.

I think that there is no law about wearing
bullet proof vests... but i think that would be crazyto leta kid have one... but it might be pretty cool to have one....

For the record Bill B... I never said we had the "right" to wear / own body armor. What I said was that "convicted felons" lose a lot of the rights (and freedoms) that the rest of us are free to enjoy. By rights I meant things along the lines of voting, bearing arms, etc... I NEVER stated that something as trivial, and un-invented at the time of writing the constitution, was a protected "right" by such. Just that as citizens, we can own and wear body armor if we so choose... that it wasn't illegal, provided you weren't a felon.

The bottom line is that if you are not a felon you can buy it and wear it but check for local laws first. Whats ok in your county doesnt always fly in the next one. I'm buying a police surplus vest soon as my hometown has become a hotbed of drug related murders (people on drugs murdering regular people). I'll pack my .357 magnum also just in case, but only after i get my carry license. I'm going to get a thin vest and wear a wick-away tshirt under it and also a button down short sleeve shirt over it so I may appear slightly overweight in the end but then again I'm not getting it for the aforementioned fashion statement.

If a police man detects that you are wearing a vest and asks if you are, politely say "Yes, i checked all local state and federal laws before ordering, I got it just in case." If you dont look like an idiot/rageaholic/felon you probably shouldnt get more then a stern look from him. When he asks why you bought it just say "I'm sorry, is there a reason why i shouldnt have one?" When police ask you why you are doing somethign that is legal, its just because its their OPINION that you shouldnt be.

Always remember to ask if things police are asking you to do are orders or requests. For example, cops like to hang out at bus stations, and once in a while they choose a bus to search everyone who was on board. Its not illegal because they assume you will do waht people often do. Not want to stick out and be different. You assuem they ahve the right to do so and everybody gets searched. You have every legal right to say no and they have no legal right to make you do it anyway unless you are wearing your union t-shirt for the black tar heroin smugglers local 327. Tell them you are a private person and want as little of your private life as possible shared. Always be polite and tell the truth. When it comes down to it they either need a warrant or probable cause to further molest you. Carrying a gun with a license and wearing a vest are not illegal even hand in hand(unless you enter a place that forbids them). If you are nervously pacing outside a courthouse and lie when asked routine police questions youll probably spend the next few hours downtown anyway even if you havent broken a law.

Remember police are notorious for harrassing normal good people who are perhaps extravigilent about personal protection, and then sitting on their hands for weeks when dozens of people are calling them saying "I swear officer, David Berkowitz is the son of sam!" Just like how in even the worst crime ridden cities were some streets arent safe to walk down at noon even, there are still cops miles away on the side of the highway to give speeding tickets to people with jobs lol.

Then again there are a few people who probably shouldnt be allowed to operate a can opener who can legally purchase guns and vests so i can see why the cops do certain things sometimes.

Fake Bullet Proof Vest + Maurice Clarett Jersey = Unreal Halloween Costume.

um not ilegal he was probily out on parool or hade a criminal record its ilegal if you have a criminal record but i dought that its ilegal to ware one

i was shot by my friend on july 4 because i had on a fake bullet proof vest. i almost died. i only need 8 more shots to be like the rapper 50 cent.