Arch Nemesis

One blade-packing Kansan can't believe he was fined for toting a "little-bitty" knife into the Gateway monument

Comments (0) By Malcolm Gay Wednesday, May 19 2004

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But Musick insists that signs prohibiting any and all weapons are clearly posted at the monument's entrance. "I might be able to understand somebody's ire with us, but there are signs posted on the door, and prior to entering the Arch there are signs aplenty that say, 'Knives Prohibited.'"

Floersch has to concede the point, and the knife incident has clearly thrown the Kansan off his game. "Maybe you want to say, 'You're just stupid and you should know this stuff,'" admits Floersch. "You know, I told that officer, 'Of all things, you've made me feel like white trash. You've brought me down to a level I didn't think anybody would do, and you did it legally.'"

Exhibit A: The offending ticket

Exhibit B: The offending pocketknife

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Nonetheless, Floersch wishes the signs were more explicit about fines involved with carrying weapons at the Arch. "Whether they're government or not, I don't give a damn," he says. "They've got a license to steal. That's the way I look at it."