DC Antigun law voided by appeals court

[Navy]

The US Circuit Court of Appeals for Washington DC has ruled today that the District's anti gun law is unconstitutional and void.

Tom A

[Edward Tinker]

Tom, new law, old law?

[Navy]

They voided the standing statute that has been on the books since the MLK riots that prohibited private ownership of firearms by anyone except retired police and cocaine dealers. This is certain to bring the brady moonbats out with their panties all in a twist.

[John Sabato]

Here is the story right from the FOXNEWS webpage:

Appeals Court Strikes Down Washington, D.C. Handgun Ban
(Associated Press)
WASHINGTON â?? Friday , March 09, 2007
A federal appeals court overturned the District of Columbia's long-standing handgun ban Friday, rejecting the city's argument that the Second Amendment right to bear arms applied only to militias.

In a 2-1 decision, the judges held that the activities protected by the Second Amendment "are not limited to militia service, nor is an individual's enjoyment of the right contingent upon his or her continued intermittent enrollment in the militia."

A lower-court judge in 2004 had told six residents they did not have a constitutional right to own handguns. The plaintiffs include residents of high-crime neighborhoods who wanted the guns for protection.

The Bush administration has endorsed individual gun-ownership rights, but the Supreme Court has never settled the issue.

If the dispute makes it to the high court, it would be the first case in nearly 70 years to address the Second Amendment's scope.

[stefanosg]

I think alot of it boils down to the definition of a militia. In 1776, anyone with there own rifle could be considered part of the militia. Seems to me the same should hold true today. God forbid something horrible happen, but you and I, the citizens of this Country, are its last lines of defense.

[Lugerdoc]

You can bet that this case will eventually end up in the Supreme Court, and hopefully we will get a rightous ruling on the 2nd Amendment, which will do away with a lot of restictive state and local laws. It should be an interesting year to come, and hopefully the NRA will finally use some of our contributions to take some lasting action. TH

[shadow]

On one of the other gun boards the discussion sounds like the current supreme court is about as good as you are going to get to put this issue before, so the timing is good for the pro gun side decision.

I hope they are correct.

Chris

[davidkachel]

THe founding fathers of this country left behind enough written material to leave no doubt whatsoever: the militia is us, all of us, and the reason they wanted us to have guns was to shoot members of our own government (or invading forces) who might like to try to take away our guns and other rights. Period. That simple. Anyone who argues with this is either an ignoramus or a traitor. Few things in life are as simple and straightforward as this.

[Sieger]

Originally posted by Tom A
They voided the standing statute that has been on the books since the MLK riots that prohibited private ownership of firearms by anyone except retired police and cocaine dealers. This is certain to bring the brady moonbats out with their panties all in a twist.

Dear Tom:

I grew up living 25 minutes from the White House.

No, it wasn't the result of the MLK riots that caused this law to be passed, as the MLK riots were in 1968 and this law was passed around 1976 or so, if my memory is correct.

The exact same idiots that probably participated in the MLK riots were responsible for writing this abomination.

Remember, D.C. has been the murder capital of the U.S. for years on end.

Funny, their little law didn't seem to phase all of the drug lords that terrorize the population there at will.

Oh well, better luck next time.

Sieger