Behind the Supreme Court's Gun Decision

No reason for anyone to fear total gun ban

Since the Supreme Court in Heller affirmed that private gun ownership is an individual right-albiet subject to reasonable restrictions, there is no reason whatsoever for any private American gun owner to fear a total, complete ban on the private ownership of firearms.

One more thing.

The constitution can always be changed. The 18th prohibition amendment was revoked with the 21st. People always insist that the 2nd amendment is forever relevent and true. It can always be changed.

I feel like the only person against this ruling.

There are several reasons why the conservatives seem to have the gun arguement... well frankly, incorrect.

1. The 2nd amendment is about a militia, not a personal right. If it were a personal right, the founding fathers would not have even used the word "militia". Why would they use the word militia if they meant individual?

2. The 2nd amendment was ratified when the country was in a different time. Even if the amendment is about personal rights, it WAS justified, but it isnt anymore. When the Bill of Rights was passed, there were no house alarms, cell phones, surveilance cameras, etc., all of which keep us safe in the modern world. At the time, guns were basically the only thing to keep one safe. Plus, not only were guns the ONLY protection, the threat of invasion from a foreign country was still very real. Is it anymore?

The 2nd is now a dead amendment just like the 3rd amendment, which states that "No soldier shall... be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner." Does that really need to be said anymore? I doubt that if it werent for that we'd all have troops in our guest bedrooms. Or how about Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the Constitution that states that Congress has the ability to make post offices and postal roads. Is that still relevent? In the age of e-mail, I think not. The 2nd amendment is just like those.

3. Handguns seem to do more harm than good. Most of the time, they are never needed for self protection. They just end up in the hands of toddlers or stupid teenagers who then go shooting up there local schools. Yep, I bet those instances were "self-protection". You know what, I think everyone in those schools should have guns so that when one crazy kid goes shooting through the halls we can have a good ole shootout. That would really make the founding fathers proud. That would really solve our problems.

I hope that all of the pro-gun conservatives respond to me about this, because I know that anything they throw can be completely counteracted.

P.S. Im fine with well regulated hunting rifles for the sole spirit of sport.

hurra

Great job for standing on your ground Heller and NRA! Excellent outcome from supreme court... This definitely send a clear message to anti-self defense people. Statistics show that guns are used over 2 million instances in USA to stop a crime while face to face with the suspect. This decision is going to save lives and more...

John

right to bear arms

The 2nd amendment is, perhaps, a misnomer ... the federal govenrment never sought to grant their citizens the "right" to bear arms. On the contrarry, the 2nd Amendment is a prohibition against the federal government from enacting ANY law which prohibits the citizens of the united States (lower case "u" intentional) from bearing weapons. The, the founders, knew the right to defend oneself was a grant from God which existed long before there was a united States!!!!!!!

David- new Zealand

Mind your country affairs,

I am NRA Life Time Member, I am a Police Officer, not a member of

"The criminal advocacy organisation (NRA) is supported by the minority. Wake up and realise that. The NRA lobby has a regressive gene that makes it want to go back to the Wild West days where every red blooded man settled his own affairs when and where the offense occurred."

As a American,

As a Police Officer,

I Know the right of self preservation is one that no one can remove from me

Any who attempt to do so through removing my means of survival through legislation is in no way my friend.

Mind your own business, But, oh yea, since this is America and I defend your right to free speech, go ahead and speak your nonsense.

American mindset

Why is it that American's think that the constitution is something akin to the ten commandments and cannot be changed??? Trying to interpret something written so many years ago and applying it to todays circumstances (ie. A civilised society with police forces and courts of law) is outright laughable.

The world laughs in your face while 30,000 of you are killed by each others bullets each year and you are too weak to do anything about it. The criminal advocacy organisation (NRA) is supported by the minority. Wake up and realise that. The NRA lobby has a regressive gene that makes it want to go back to the Wild West days where every red blooded man settled his own affairs when and where the offense occurred.

Guns are for hunting and that is the only right that should be protected. If an individual right (as viewed by raw meat chewing Justice Scalia) collectively makes society a worse place to live then perhaps one should be humble enough to relinquish that right??? No offense to the forefathers who were honourable men.

David

New Zealand

"Gun Power to the People"

Why can't the left understand that the language of the Bill of Rights must be interpreted consistently? The words "the people" must mean the same thing in every instance in this document. Breyer and his henchmen cunningly avoid speaking to that part of the 2nd amendment, landing only on "militia" and even misunderstanding this! It means 'every able-bodied man' in the community/state/nation.

Gun Rights

All I can say is that I'm glad 5 of the justices decided that government should not have the power to infringe on our rights. I think this country needs less government and hopefully more decisions like this are on the way.

Language

The Supreme Court has held many times before that when the Constitution said, "the states" it meant just that... and when it said, "the People" it did not mean the states... (The right of the states to bear arms...)

Complaints that the founding fathers never meant to cripple cities in their efforts to fight crime are just smoke... What they mean is that the right of the people to bear arms is not a right but subject to the whim of government...

JFO USMC 1968-70