It will take some time to digest all 214 pages of opinions in today’s Supreme Court ruling in a gun-rights case. But this much is clear: A 5-4 majority of justices said gun-ownership rights are “fundamental to the Nation’s scheme of ordered liberty,” and that city and state governments therefore can’t deny them.
Legal scholars will debate the way the justices went about affirming the “fundamental” nature of the Second Amendment; there was some disagreement even within the five-justice majority. But the key to the case, titled McDonald v. Chicago, was whether the Second Amendment is truly integral to our system of government.
As Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority, the Court had already answered that question in its Heller decision, which struck down a handgun ban in the District of Columbia:
Self-defense is a basic right, recognized by many legal systems from ancient times to the present day, and in Heller, we held that individual self-defense is “the central component” of the Second Amendment right. (Italics original)
If the thorniest of our policy debates are, to use a football analogy, played between the 40-yard-lines, Chicago’s ban on handguns, even those kept in homes for self-defense purposes, was an attempt to pin the pro-gun rights crowd inside its own 10-yard-line and keep it there. With that said, gun rights will continue to see pushes from policy makers on both sides of the issue. As Hans von Spakovsky wrote in a Heritage Foundation blog item:
The Court clearly said that some government regulation of guns is allowed. But how far can state and local governments go? How burdensome can their regulations be? Can they decide to allow gun ownership that will enable a homeowner to protect himself and his family in his home, but prohibit the concealed carrying of a handgun? All of these questions remain unanswered by today’s opinion that was decided by a narrow one-vote majority.
So, please: No comments about how this decision is “radical” or “dangerous” or anything of the sort. The only thing here that was radical was the Chicago ordinance that has now been struck down sent back to a lower court, which will almost certainly have to strike it down. [edited at 11:48 a.m.]
297 comments Add your comment
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:12 pm
They voted for Kerry and Obama you dunce, because they don’t trust you neo-Nazis.
Duh…
Al Gore cheated on his wife with mother nature
June 28th, 2010
5:12 pm
Enormous H
Why do you hate white people?
Al Gore cheated on his wife with mother nature
June 28th, 2010
5:12 pm
“They voted for Kerry and Obama you dunce, because they don’t trust you neo-Nazis.”
Enormous H is one stupid lady.
Al Gore cheated on his wife with mother nature
June 28th, 2010
5:13 pm
Enormous Horses @ss
You must either have the IQ of a carrot, or you’re a closet racist.
No one has written anything anti-semitic or racist. Playing the race card gets you nowhere.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:15 pm
Enormous H writes: They voted for Kerry and Obama you dunce, because they don’t trust you neo-Nazis.
Please prove that I am a neo-nazi and a racist. Come on, prove it.
You are a classless pile of dung.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:16 pm
“Duh…”
That word sums of Enormous H.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:17 pm
Anyone else notice how ugly Kagan is?
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:19 pm
And the truth shall set you free!
Love that democrat with a small d and Republican with a capital R, Bobby. Reminds me of those racist tracts I saw decades ago – black men and White men. Way to go, bigot.
Take it up with the Jews.
They’ll take your money and vote against you, and play you like the cheap fiddles you are.
giant p
June 28th, 2010
5:22 pm
Jews and Dems believe in science and education, Repubs believe in fairy-tales and home-schoolin’, yet another reason they consistently, overwhelmingly vote Democrat.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:22 pm
“Reminds me of those racist tracts I saw decades ago – black men and White men. Way to go, bigot.”
Enormous has the IQ of dung. Seriously ma’am, you are a very stupid person.
“Take it up with the Jews.”
Why, I don’t have issues with Jews.
“They’ll take your money and vote against you, and play you like the cheap fiddles you are.”
Pot meet kettle.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:23 pm
“Jews and Dems believe in science and education, Repubs believe in fairy-tales and home-schoolin’, yet another reason they consistently, overwhelmingly vote Democrat.”
If that were true then dems would not have to rely on dead people, convicted felons and welfare recipients for constant support.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:24 pm
Enormous H
I’m going to take a wile guess and say that you believe that Bush caused 911.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:25 pm
whoops: wild not wile
Enormous A$$’s stupidity rubbed off on me there for a sec.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
5:26 pm
democraps believe in stupidity, taking other people’s money, hating rich people and killing babies.
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:27 pm
“Why, I don’t have issues with Jews.” Sure. Just the “real” ones, huh Roberto?
I just wish the Jews were smart enough to figure out that you and tiny d are their “real” friends.
LOL.
Enormous H = Low IQ
June 28th, 2010
5:28 pm
“black men and White men. Way to go, bigot.”
Cynthia Tucker move over, Enormous H is in da house! We have a future Cynthia McKinny in da house!
Enormous H = Low IQ
June 28th, 2010
5:29 pm
“Why, I don’t have issues with Jews.” Sure. Just the “real” ones, huh Roberto?
Enormous, do you always lie?
“I just wish the Jews were smart enough to figure out that you and tiny d are their “real” friends.”
Al Gore’s feces has a higher IQ than Enormous H.
Enormous H = Low IQ
June 28th, 2010
5:31 pm
Enormous H stands for:
Enormous Hemorrhoid
Enormous Hindquarters
Enormous Hack
Enormous H = Low IQ
June 28th, 2010
5:33 pm
Another Obama lie
Closing Guantánamo Fades as a Priority
Stymied by political opposition and focused on competing priorities, the Obama administration has sidelined efforts to close the Guantánamo prison, making it unlikely that President Obama will fulfill his promise to close it before his term ends in 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/us/politics/26gitmo.html
Obama = Jimmy Carter
June 28th, 2010
5:35 pm
Why Obamacare Is Unpopular
Americans relate to the Founders, not to progressives.
Democrats are reportedly planning to raise $125 million for a campaign to sell Obamacare to the voting public. Apparently, the idea is that what 50-plus presidential speeches and statements and months of congressional debate could not do can be done by spending $125 million on everything from TV ads to community organizers.
Maybe. But there seems to be a more fundamental problem here. The Obama Democrats didn’t set out to produce an unpopular stimulus package, an unpopular health-care bill, and an unpopular cap-and-trade scheme.
http://article.nationalreview.com/437227/why-obamacare-is-unpopular/michael-barone
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
Keep up the good blogging work “friends of Israel”!
You truly are a credit to your knuckle-dragging cult.
And weak meat, you can try to change the subject to gitmo or whatever garbage you post that nobody reads, but we both know, that like my fellow MOTs, I own you.
And maybe, just maybe, I’ll be back later to taunt you a second time…
Obama = Jimmy Carter
June 28th, 2010
5:39 pm
“You truly are a credit to your knuckle-dragging cult.”
Enormous Buffoon, please move out of your grandmothers trailer and get your GED.
“And weak meat, you can try to change the subject to gitmo or whatever garbage you post that nobody reads, but we both know, that like my fellow MOTs, I own you.”
No ma’am, this isn’t World of Warcraft. The only thing you own is your stupidity and low IQ.
“And maybe, just maybe, I’ll be back later to taunt you a second time…”
Yeah we all know you have pizzas to deliver.
Enormous H, active member of the Black Panter Party
June 28th, 2010
5:41 pm
Down with America! Down with whitey!
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:45 pm
Saltine boy/Roberto, you do make me laugh.
I’ve got you so rattled, you’ve changed your names more times in the last twenty minutes than you’ve probably changed your panties this month…
Enormous H, active member of the Black Panter Party
June 28th, 2010
5:46 pm
“I’ve got you so rattled, you’ve changed your names more times in the last twenty minutes than you’ve probably changed your panties this month…”
The only thing that’s rattled is your low IQ, ma’am. Speaking of panties, you need to pick yours off of East Ponce.
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:48 pm
So what was it thin, crisp biscuit?
Calling you out fro being an anti-Semite or calling you out on being a racist? Like your pappy and his before him?
giant p
June 28th, 2010
5:49 pm
Enormous H runs this blog! I’m audi-5000 as well, you racist, inbred neocons have fun playing with yourselves….
Enormous H, active member of the Black Panter Party
June 28th, 2010
5:51 pm
“So what was it thin, crisp biscuit?”
Grammar fail.
“Calling you out fro being an anti-Semite or calling you out on being a racist?”
Neither since you have no proof of anything. I’m having a blast making fun of you, though.
“Like your pappy and his before him?”
More grammar fail.
Enormous H, active member of the Black Panter Party
June 28th, 2010
5:52 pm
“Enormous H runs this blog! I’m audi-5000 as well, you racist, inbred neocons have fun playing with yourselves….”
Actually, Enormous H runs a small prostitution ring on East Ponce.
As for playing with yourself, I’m sure you make your sister/mom angry when they have to clean up their keyboard every day because of your chronic problem.
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
Proof?
Next you’ll be asking the good people on Kyle’s blog to believe you are not a blithering idiot.
Ain’t happening, bonbon.
Lourdes
June 28th, 2010
5:54 pm
Stay classy, Repubs!
Enormous H, active member of the Black Panter Party
June 28th, 2010
5:57 pm
“Proof?”
Since you’ve spent all of your time calling people racist, prove it. Come on troglodyte, prove it.
“Next you’ll be asking the good people on Kyle’s blog to believe you are not a blithering idiot.”
No, you’ve proven yourself an idiot all by yourself.
“Ain’t happening, bonbon.”
You ain’t none too bright.
Enormous H, active member of the Black Panter Party
June 28th, 2010
5:57 pm
“Stay classy, Repubs!”
You too, ditz.
Wendell
June 28th, 2010
6:00 pm
What’s a Panter?
Rev. Menthol Shatbat
June 28th, 2010
6:02 pm
Woo wow wow. The left wingers are throwing a hissy fit today!
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
6:05 pm
Poor widdle cupcake. Unaccustomed to playing defense.
And all of his vapid, rabid attack-b!tches have deserted him.
But they’ll be back, saltine boy. Just play dead until they show.
Rev. Menthol Shatbat
June 28th, 2010
6:10 pm
“But they’ll be back, saltine boy. ”
That’s a racist term.
Enormous H is a racist.
Enormous H has a low IQ
June 28th, 2010
6:12 pm
“And all of his vapid, rabid attack-b!tches have deserted him. ”
Little girl, do you even realize how stupid that sounds? Then again, you have a low IQ.
“Poor widdle cupcake. Unaccustomed to playing defense.”
Oh I get it now, you’re in special ed. Makes so much sense.
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
6:18 pm
Weak meat, saltines are yummy with tomato soup.
And you may try to hide behind that alias, but it is clear from your anti-American writings that you are the nephew of Reverend Wright. Are you a reverse oreo?
And tiny d’s nephew/Roberto/The Black Panter wannabe, though already chastised for writing like a petulant, slow 12 year old girl, bravely soldiers on in his delusional belief that he is relevant.
Enormous H has a low IQ
June 28th, 2010
6:27 pm
“And you may try to hide behind that alias, but it is clear from your anti-American writings that you are the nephew of Reverend Wright. Are you a reverse oreo?”
Little girl, I’m so sorry your inbred parents had to raise you.
“And tiny d’s nephew/Roberto/The Black Panter wannabe, though already chastised for writing like a petulant, slow 12 year old girl, bravely soldiers on in his delusional belief that he is relevant.”
I’ll be sure to cheer you on in the Special Olympics. Aren’t you set to win Bronze in the drooling competition?
Answer to a stupid question
June 28th, 2010
6:29 pm
“Are you a reverse oreo?””
No, that would be Obama.
Stein
June 28th, 2010
6:30 pm
Enormous H, it’s the end of the month. Isn’t it time to pick up your welfare check?
Stein
June 28th, 2010
6:31 pm
Enormous
Here is your theme song courtesy of Bone Thugs N Harmony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpBP9dALcWw
Lil' Barry Bailout
June 28th, 2010
6:34 pm
The same folks who think the government isn’t big enough are the same ones arguing against the Second Amendment: Fascists/Democrats.
Enormous H
June 28th, 2010
6:37 pm
Jeez, weak meat, you are reduced to Special Olympics comments?
Clever. For a precocious five year old.
And see! I told you, your brain dead cohorts and fellow anti-Semites would come to your rescue!
You played it well weak meat.
You must be a “real” gem when the discussion turns to the topics of the day.
Lemme guess. Obama bad. George Bush-league good.
Jimmy Carter bad. George Bush-league good.
All non-Republicans bad. George Bush-league good.
Is that ring in your nose so tight, you voted for him twice? That is presuming that you are old enough to vote. Your writings sure don’t indicate as much.
But hey we can’t all be doctors. We need you public school almost grads to pick up the trash and pump out the septic tanks.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
6:39 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout
Libs only get upset when it’s against them. Notice how Bookman blamed the SC as “activists” for upholding the 2nd amendment. Yet, when the SC ruled in favor of eminent domain a few years ago, it was perfectly ok. Left wingers are really hurting over this ruling. Just wait until November when Obama is neutered. Left wingers will scream and howl and it will get really nasty.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
6:40 pm
Enormous H
What did I write that was racist/anti-semitic? I’ve been asking you all afternoon.
I never said Bush was good. Your words not mine.
Again, prove that I am a racist, dope.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
6:41 pm
“We need you public school almost grads to pick up the trash and pump out the septic tanks.”
Little girl, I went to private schools. Speaking of septic tanks, you’re really stinking up the place. Do us all a favor and go shower.
Bob Loblaw
June 28th, 2010
6:42 pm
“Your writings sure don’t indicate as much.”
LOLOL!!!!! Yeah, coming from a girl who has misspelled many words throughout the afternoon.
Simply Enormous
June 28th, 2010
6:47 pm
Mexican Candidate for Governor Is Assassinated Today
Remember the folks that breaking into the country are good. Regarding the assassination- first, he most likely had it coming. Second, the guns used I am sure were shipped from the US. Third, the chaps who did it were mentally suffering due to Arizona law. Lastly, it is the fault of George Bush. I must leave now to think everything I think is true.