Supreme Court: Americans Have the Right to Own Guns

In a 5-4 decision announced today, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Heller v. District of Columbia that Americans have the individual right to own guns. This is the most important ruling on the Second Amendment since at least 1939. In the words of the majority decision, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.” This settles the debate over whether the Second Amendment applies to all citizens of the United States, or whether it gives only those involved in a government-operated militia such as the National Guard the right to keep and bear arms. Thankfully, the judges have decided that the Constitution means what it says, and therefore have ruled that rights belong to the people, not to the government.

4 Thoughts on “Supreme Court: Americans Have the Right to Own Guns”

  1. i think that no Americans should be alowed to own their own gun they have a phone they could just pick it up dial 911 and ask for police if they think someone will hurt them at that moment and time.

  2. @debbie: I agree with you due to scientific findings showing that owning guns inside your home actually raises the probability of injury of death. That said however, it is the second amendment of the constitution and without another amendment to override it, one cannot simply not allow people their rights. I for one however, will never own a gun.

  3. debbie, you’re an idiot. If someone breaks in your house and they have a gun, and you can get to your gun and shoot them before they kill you, why not?

    Another thought, if everyone over the age of 21 carried a gun, (with a safety and citizens without any criminal record, etc.) then crime would dramatically decrease. Honestly, you go to a gas station with the intent of robbing it as well as the people in it, you illegally have a gun and all the other law abiding citizens do not have a gun vs a gas station full of people that have guns. Are you really going to rob the gas station? No, of course not.

    And if it did become illegal for everyone to have guns, the criminals would still manage to get their hands on the guns anyways; especially considering they do so now.

    Yes, I understand why you think your views are a good idea; and in theory they should work, but this isn’t a perfect world.

  4. also, the police don’t work that way….they have a duty to protect the public as a whole, not individual people. So you could call the cops telling them that someone is going to come to your house and kill you and they could not come. Yes, that is not likely to happen, but technically speaking it could.

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