High Court Rules in Favor of Individual Gun Rights

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June 26th, 2008

"Supreme Court Upholds Second Amendment"

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of individual gun rights today in a case involving a handgun ban in the District of Columbia.

Washington D.C. has the strictest gun laws in the nation, banning private ownership of handguns even when kept in the home for purposes of self-defense. Security guard Dick Heller challenged the D.C. law, citing a violation of the Second Amendment, which states:

"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."

This wording has long been the subject of debate, with some experts arguing that the law is intended to protect only the right of states to maintain a militia. In a 5-4 decision, however, the high court ruled that the authors intended to protect individual as well as state rights.

Still, the government has the right to determine when and where individuals can have fire arms, said Justice Antonin Scalia for the majority.

“Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited,” he said.

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

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