High court strikes down gun ban

Via CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a sweeping ban on handguns in the nation's capital violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

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At issue in District of Columbia v. Heller was whether Washington's ban violated the right to "keep and bear arms" by preventing individuals -- as opposed to state militias -- from having guns in their homes.

"Undoubtedly some think that the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our nation, where well-trained police forces provide personal security and where gun violence is a serious problem," Scalia wrote. "That is perhaps debatable, but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct."

Had this same article come out 8 or 12 years ago, I'd have been vocal about my feelings that the court was making our streets more dangerous. I always considered the 2nd Amendment the least important part of the bill of rights - that it was a big deal in the age of Muskets and King George, but in the 80's and 90's it only served to make our streets less safe.

Had it come out a year ago, I'd have been a bit uncertain what to think of it, and not vocalized anything to anyone about it.

Today, my view is 180 degrees what it used to be. With a President who jokes about how he wants to be dictator, while holding people in indefinite detainment - and with a Congress that gives him and his chronies at the telecoms retroactive immunity from prosecution, and fails to pass the Impeachment Articles up to Senate - I'm looking at the 2nd Amendment in a new light.

Violence is never the answer, but perhaps an armed citizenry isn't such a bad thing in these queer days where a US congressman has stated his fear that the administration may declare martial law and cancel the election. Myself, I would only engage in civil disobedience and peaceful protest. Just the same, I find myself feeling greater empathy than ever before for those who believe we are all safer with the right to bear arms.

I'm still not sure having a pistol in your home honestly makes you any safer from tyrants or burglars, but I'm glad the Supreme Court took a stand to uphold the Constitution.