It's official: the DC hand gun ban has been struck down, and the SCOTUS has affirmed that individual gun ownership for the purpose of self-defense is protected by the Second Amendment. (The opinion - pdf.)
I seriously doubt that anyone reading this blog needs a recap of what was at stake, but in short the idea that firearms should be limited to "well regulated militias" has effectively ceased to be a constitutional argument.
That said, the Heller decision still left gray areas. The SCOTUSblog's Tom Goldstein:
Individuals have a constitutional right to possess a basic firearm (the line drawn is unclear, but is basically those weapons in general lawful use and does not extend to automatic weapons) and to use that firearm in self-defense. The government can prohibit possession of firearms by, for example, felons and the mentally ill. And it can also regulate the sale of firearms, presumably through background checks. The Court leaves open the constitutionality of a licensing requirement.
The decision also strikes down disassembly laws, but Basically the SCOTUS has upheld the status quo. The decision really doesn't limit or force change on the way most Americans think about guns.
And honestly this decision was no big surprise. It even went further than expected.
Of course, that doesn't mean good ol' Dennis Rehberg isn't mopping his brow in relief that he won't have to back down from his bold secessionist talk. Just a little reminder about our Representative's courage when confronted with authority:
Remember, this group's ringleader - Rehberg - has folded each and every time in the face of government authority when civil liberties have been on the line. Patriot Act. Real ID. Torture. Habeas corpus. Domestic spying. Warrantless wiretapping. He supports waging war without a declaration from Congress, and the theory of the unitary executive. In short, his stance on civil liberties was succinctly expressed by our state's Republicans' choice for president:
"Our most basic civil liberty is the right to be kept alive."
I just wish our representatives were as eager to talk trash over our other constitutionally-guaranteed rights, like those found in the Fourth Amendment, say.
