The right to arm

The Washington Times ^ | June 16, 2008 | Staff editorial

[neverdem]

Most Americans believe that owning a gun is the right of every citizen. According to a Gallup poll, 73 percent of the U.S. public believe that the Second Amendment guarantees individuals the right to gun ownership. Therefore the Heller decision, which is expected any day now, could play a pivotal role in the 2008 presidential campaign. Former Ohio Secretary of State-turned-pundit Kenneth Blackwell calls it "the Roe v. Wade" of gun rights and suggests that the case (and its results) will ripple beyond District borders to impact "90 million American gun owners."

It was six D.C. residents, fed up with escalating crime and the inability to protect themselves in they city they love, who filed suit in 2003 to challenge the constitutionality of the District's ban on handguns. The lawsuit was dismissed but reversed on appeal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which found that the petitioner: 1) had standing to bring the lawsuit, 2) is protected by the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms (handguns) and 3) therefore, the District "is not open to ban them."

Last year, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty failed in his petition to rehear the appeal, paving the way for both defendant and plantiffs to petition the Supreme Court. That brings us to where we are today, in the midst of a presidential election when opinions on every matter are measured at every turn and the issue of "gun rights" is beginning to weave its way in and out of the political debate.

Generally speaking, more gun owners identify as Republicans (53 percent) than identify as Democrats (39 percent), according to Gallup. And a Harris poll...

--snip--

The Gallup poll cited also found that the majority of Americans don't actually own a firearm (only 35 percent say they do)...

[yorkie01]

There are too many of us bitter typical white persons who will not give up our guns under any circumstances (Charlton Heston). The 35% figure is bogus since many guns are not registered nor were they ever required to be. Also, how many gang bangers and criminals register their guns?

[steamroller]

Thank you.It is my line in the sand issue-more so than immigration,abortion,economy,or anything else.Disarming a population is the first concrete step in its subjugation.
I believe that with about 80 million gun owners in the US,that if the one-worlders in SCOTUS prevail,there will be trouble they never imagined.If only 10% resisted confiscation-think about it-8 million people deciding not to go down without a fight.The police couldn’t do it.They would need the armed forces.Would they follow those orders?My feeling is that many if not most enlisted personnel would not turn on their own people.We aren’t talking about Iraqi insurgents here,but the friends and families of those soldiers.
Right now,I think it will be a 7-2 or 6-3 decision in favor of individual rights,so hopefully my thoghts on consequences will be moot.
It’s a good thing this is being decided now,in case Obama gets in,because he will pick the worst imaginable people for th Supreme Court.I can foresee Charles Ogletree of Harvard,Obama’s law alma mater for one.He is one of the promoters of the reparations scam.Or Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th Circuit,an America-hating scumbag communist married to an ACLU bitch.(Ramona Ripston)Just a few happy thoughts about an Obamanation.