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Justices Shoot Down District of Columbia’s 32-year Gun Ban
June 27th, 2008Supreme Court Makes It easier for people to own handguns
The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday shot down the argument from D.C. officials that the city has a right to prevent ownership of handguns to protect residents from violence.
Several weeks before the high court delivered today’s 5-4 decision, ruling that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting, District Mayor Adrian Fenty said, “I’m confident in our case, and our continued ability to protect residents 
from gun violence.” But that confidence quickly turned into disappointment. “I’m disappointed in the court’s ruling and believe introducing more handguns into the District will mean more handgun violence,” Fenty said. “But I want to emphasize that at this moment, our gun laws remain in effect. It may be several weeks before there are changes to announce. “In the meantime, I have directed the Metropolitan Police Department to implement an orderly process for allowing qualified citizens to register handguns for lawful possession in their homes,” he said.
By weighing in on the Second Amendment issue for the first time since 1791, the Supreme Court opened a door that has Black and inner-city leaders, anti-violence groups and gun-control advocates worried, at a time when gun violence is rocking major metropolitan areas nationwide. Opponents of more lax gun laws argue that the framers of the U.S. Constitution, in the Second Amendment – which says that “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” – was referring to the military and not to individual citizens. But Justice Antonin Scalia, writing the court’s majority opinion, said that the Constitution does not allow “the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home.” But he noted that today’s decision should not “cast doubt on long-standing prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons or the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings.” Joining Scalia in the majority decision were the four other conservative members of the court, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy. Dissenting were Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Souter and John Paul Stevens, who wrote that the majority “would have us believe that over 200 years ago, the Framers made a choice to limit the tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate civilian uses of weapons.” The District of Columbia established its strict anti-handgun laws about 32 years ago. The case challenging those laws was brought by Dick Anthony Heller, a 66-year-old armed security guard, whose application to keep a handgun in his home for protection was denied. Heller won his case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C.
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I am so very disappointed in our Supreme Court’s decision to allow more handguns in our country. How happy the NRA must be now! Charlton Heston must be applauding from above or wherever he is now. It is disgusting. In England, their policemen aren’t even allowed to carry guns and their murder rate is far less than ours. Don’t argue with facts says our court system! Just support the idiots of this country who still get pleasure from shooting defenseless animals and call it “sport”. They should be put in jail like Michael Vick.
It’s on and popping now, You can get a any way all you need is a little money. And you don’t have to go to a Pawn shop or a dealer.
What a joke!!! Wasn’t DC the murder capital at one time? What were they using??? bow and arrows??? It’s not that safe now either.
this is crazy why give people that power i maen if you run a back ground check does not mean that person is not capable of looseing their mind and shooying people and what about the children a three year old just killed hisself with a gun he found in the house but the parent said they dont know where the gun came from i fear for my child and this world!
This is no surprise this nation was born on blood shed and killing, to try to change a law that symbols America would be like taking away Apple pie and Base Ball.
They had to do that right now. They want us to kill each other. DC death toll is higher than ever because of the war that is going on. Its been shoot-outs and people dying left and right. I dont know what the war is about or who is in it. But one thing the news does show is that it involves black people (SAD). On the news it keep showing the housing projects that the shootings took place. And of course they interviewed the first black person they can find.
Each state has their individual right to their own laws concerning issues as such. It is a bad decision on the part of the majority ruling. The future mishaps that will occur as a result of this ruling is evident and now inevitable. If a gun restriction law is too severe for an individual to handle, he/she should move to another state that will suit his/her needs. The lives of the majority should not be put at risk due to the complaint of one….
I agree with you Lynn! Nothing more to add.
They had to do that right now. They want us to kill each other. DC death toll is higher than ever around this time of the year because of this war. It’s been shoot-outs and people being killed left and right. I dont know what the war is about or who is in the war but one thing the news have shown is that it involves black people. They keep showing the housing projects where the shoooting took place. And of course they had to interview the first black person they can find.