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Federation on decision in D.C. Gun Ban CaseThe U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 26th D.C. in the gun ban case, D.C. v. Heller, upheld the Second Amendment as affirming a right of individual citizens. The federation holds the decision, its legal reasoning and historical intrepretation are a correct conclusion to the case.The decision made illegal the D.C. law effectively banning handgun ownership and requiring that rifles or shotguns be kept unassembled or locked so as to be inoperable. D.C. v. Heller was a 5-4 decision and the majority opinion was written by Justice Anothony Scalia. Justice Scalia’s opinion is well reasoned and clearly finds the Second Amendment is an individual right. Like most supreme court decisions, the Heller opinion uses broad terms and therefore leaves the specifics of exact application to be achieved by the other branches of government and the lower courts. The Heller decision prompted the imediate challange of other municipal gun regulations in Chicago, San Franciso and other locations. These legal challenges will require successful litigation to overturn. But, the Heller decision provides the precedent and the legal process to over these laws has been started. The Heller decision will prompt legal challenges to existing guns by the gun rights organizations and legislative campaigns to enact new gun regulations by the gun control organizations. The federation holds tht Heller decision will become the kick-off point of an intensified battle over gun control that will continue for decades. A battle that was inevitable. |
Updated: 13 July 2008