The close 5-4 ruling in DC vs Heller goes to show how important judges are. The 4 left-wing judges on the court wanted to repeal the individual right to own a firearm without connection to a militia. The current election could help determine the composition of the Supreme Court considering the older justices on the bench:
Judge Stevens - 88, Ginsburg - 75, Kennedy - 72, Scalia - 72 and Breyer - 70
There’s a good chance the next president will be nominating replacements for 1 or 2 of them. Any of McCain’s nominees would be far superior to anyone Obama would put up. You might not like everyone about the McCain, but he sure looks good next to the alternative.
Read the entire dissent, starting on page 68, written by Stevens in DC vs Heller to be thoroughly disgusted. Here’s just a quick tidbit:
As used in the Second Amendment, the words “the people” do not enlarge the right to keep and bear arms to encompass use or ownership of weapons outside the context of service in a well regulated militia.
That’s right, 45% of the Supreme Court doesn’t think you should be able defend yourself in your home with a handgun. Suzanna Hubb is a perfect example of what happens when law abiding citizens aren’t able to protect themselves. If you haven’t heard her story you must listen to her tell it:
Tagged with: constitution, election, guns, second amendment
Posted under: Political Stuff
SCOTUSblog » Court: A constitutional right to a gun
The Supreme Court ruled on Heller vs DC today and pretty much said that an individual has the right to own a gun. From the opinion:
The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditional lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.
The decision doesn’t invalidate regulations like registration requirements, but it certainly opens the door for legal action against laws that limit the use of firearms by law abiding citizens. I’m not a gun nut but this how I feel about the whole situation:
Criminals don’t obey gun laws, they just leave their victims defenseless. I’m glad I have the ability to defend myself in my home because I don’t want to be at the mercy of some criminal threatening my life and property. If that moment ever comes the police won’t be able to help. When seconds matter, the police are minutes away.
Tagged with: constitution, guns, life, second amendment
Posted under: Political Stuff
Saw this article on Drudge:
Hate speech or free speech? What much of West bans is protected in U.S.
Pretty good read that illustrates the difference between America and the rest of the world. I’m grateful that the Constitution prevents our government from telling us what we can’t say, what not to think and what not to do. God forbid if that ever happens we’ll still have our guns to take back our country. Always remember that the Constitution does not grant us revocable privileges; our rights are there to protect us from the government.
The article ends with a good quote from Mark Steyn:
“What we’re learning here is really the bedrock difference between the United States and the countries that are in a broad sense its legal cousins,” Steyn added. “Western governments are becoming increasingly comfortable with the regulation of opinion. The First Amendment really does distinguish the U.S., not just from Canada but from the rest of the Western world.”
Tagged with: constitution, first amendment, free speech, government
Posted under: Political Stuff
