For once, the government has actually ruled in favor of the original U.S. Constitution with its second major ruling on gun rights in three years. On Monday, the Supreme Court extended the federally protected right to keep and bear arms to all 50 states, which puts an end (at least for now) to ongoing state and local governments trying to impose laws preventing citizens from owning guns. The decision will be hailed by gun rights advocates and comes over the opposition of gun control groups, the city of Chicago (which recently enacted a city-wide handgun ban), and four of the justices, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the five justice majority saying "the right to keep and bear arms must be regarded as a substantive guarantee, not a prohibition that could be ignored so long as the States legislated in an evenhanded manner."
The ruling builds upon the Court's 2008 decision in D.C. v. Heller that invalidated the handgun ban in the nation's capital. More importantly, that decision held that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms was a right the Founders specifically delegated to individuals. The justices affirmed that decision and extended its reach to the 50 states.
While there are many arguments for the second amendment, giving rights to American citizens to bear arms, many have erupted, saying the right to bear arms only increases the chance for criminals to create harm for American citizens. However, many studies have shown that crime rates are lower in areas where gun ownership is common. Gee, I imagine it has something to do with the fact criminals are more afraid of getting shot themselves!
While there are obviously those who are criminally minded and would use guns as a weapon against our society, it is important to remember that criminally minded people would use anything as a weapon to get what they want - whether it be a knife, fist, car, club, baseball bat, or gun. So, banning citizens from handgun ownership would not solve any problem. To do so would mean the locales would have to ban anything and everything that could be used as a weapon in an attempt to lower crime. It simply is impossible and would not work!
Instead, the right to gun ownership provides the citizenship the safest and best way to protect their property and themselves. We salute the Supreme Court for upholding one of the basic tenets of our U.S. Constitution.
