- @
- Followers:
No Tweets Found
CNN POLITICS ON FACEBOOK » | CNN POLITICS ON TWITTER »
Court rules for gun rights, strikes Chicago handgun ban
In another dramatic victory for firearm owners, the Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional Chicago, Illinois' 28-year-old strict ban on handgun ownership, a potentially far-reaching case over the ability of state and local governments to enforce limits on weapons.
A 5-4 conservative majority of justices on Monday reiterated its two-year-old conclusion the Constitution gives individuals equal or greater power than states on the issue of possession of certain firearms for self-protection.
"It cannot be doubted that the right to bear arms was regarded as a substantive guarantee, not a prohibition that could be ignored so long as states legislated in an evenhanded manner," wrote Justice Samuel Alito.
The court grounded that right in the due process section of the 14th Amendment. The justices, however, said local jurisdictions still retain the flexibility to preserve some "reasonable" gun-control measures currently in place nationwide.
In dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer predicated far-reaching implications. "Incorporating the right," he wrote, "may change the law in many of the 50 states. Read in the majority's favor, the historical evidence" for the decision "is at most ambiguous."
He was supported by Justices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor.
On Twitter
On Twitter
@cnnbrk on Twitter
Julian, you are a 'bonehead'.
Yup – America is going down the toilet. If we are lucky, all the gun owners will have one massive shoot out and kill each other. Then we will all be the better on this planet.
Homer, if you don't like it here then GET OUT! You're free to move to England or anywhere else you choose without guns. The rest of us certainly won't miss you.
So many fools that forget that the 2nd amendment is based on putting lethal means in the peoples hands to prevent the government from being tyranical...So quick we are to forget the revolutionary war when we said no more to the britts and killed our host government and formed our own...Take our means to do it again, and the government will take over. It is the DUTY and Right to bear arms for every citizen. Criminals have been around longer than the gun. Aim your attacks at them, and please consider getting a CCW and carry a weapon, it is your duty as an American.
III
Look it up. It is in your best interest.
Homer,
go stick your head back in the sand...you'll feel safer
You cant pick and choose which of the amendments to nullify just because you dont think its right. You want to nullify the 2nd amendment because you dont like it. What would you tell someone that wanted to nullify the 19th amendment so that women no longer have the right to vote, simply because they dont like it? You would tell them that everyone here is telling you.
hopefully a stray hits u . thats the stupidest comment ever.if u do ur research 100 million LEGAL gun owners who knows how many there really are.
Nice way to start the week!
The Republican Bagmen are waiiting for their bonus checks from the gun lobby.
Your insinuation that the Supreme Court Justices were bought off is disgusting and shameful.
All this freedom scares me!
yes because the original handgun ban did wonders for chicagos crime rate.
Julian, you're right, we don't live in the same kind of world that people lived in 200+ years ago when the 2nd Amendment was written. Our times are tougher and more dangerous and need guns more than ever for self-defense.
this SCOTUS is going to set us back 100 years before they're through. it's a sad, pitiful, pathetic day for the USA.
Youre an idiot
Yes Jason, there is indeed a God. Just not for the reason you put that here. Having guns doesn't make you safer. It's just about egos and the NRA raising fears to raise money.
That was an ignorant thing to write.
So what exactly is it that makes me and my neighbors safer out here in the boonies than all you concrete and steel cave dwellers ? The fact that law enforcement has response times that are measured in quarter-hour increments ? The fact that our nearest neighbors (i.e. witnesses) are usually 1/4 mile or more away ? Or, might it be the fact that most theifs / criminals realize they have a much higher probability of meeting armed resistance from us "rednecks" ?
@Bogdan why is it effed up to be able to protect ourselves? What glorious country are you in?
Oustanding victory!!!!
That "crime-ridden city" already had the problem of too many handguns in circulation. Now they've got an even bigger problem, thanks to some activist conservative Supreme Court Injustices.
yea with weapons obtained ILLEGALLY you people are so ignorant on gun ownership as always hows about strengthening the punishments on illegally obtaining firearms. Atleast victims have a fighting chance.
@ems870: From any distance beyond arms-length away from the armed person's wallet that contains the gun permit, a legal handgun looks exactly like an illegal one. An outright ban on having them inside the city limits greatly simplifies the job of sorting them out.
They may look the same but that handgun that i have is protecting my life from that same handgun a criminals gonna have...you can ban all you want....obviously that isn't working what was it just last week there were 7 shooting deaths mostly gang related? people dont seem to grasp the concept of "Criminal" they dont care about bans. they dont care about laws. There are thorough steps in place for legal handgun ownership that they dont get into the wrong hands. Know what i advise to you.....go take a gun safety class go to the range with someone that owns a gun you'll see
Most people would rather get shot with a "legal" bullet instead of an "illegal" one... Jokes aside, even though Im not a fan of gun rights, this is a precedent benefits the federal level of gun control rather than a state level approach.
FANTASTIC!
The next headline will be that 7 veins in Daley's head just exploded.
Now let's get to work and get a concealed carry law enacted.
Don't worry, just like DC, Chicago will invent a very difficult and expensive process to legally own guns, barring poor people from owning them. Oh, and the laws will be like New Jersey, where you can only take it out of the house to go directly to a range and back, not even stop at the grocery store on the way home or it's a FELONY. Ammo? Well, see, it'll be nearly impossible to get and very, very expensive. Hollowpoints? Illegal. Trust me.
Hurray! Another victory for Americans' individual rights and another defeat of liberals' dictatorial cramdowns!