In a recent development of significant relevance to the firearms community and otherwise, the United States Supreme Court has ruled to strike down the ban of private ownership of firearms in Chicago, IL, an historic decision that will have monumental implications across the nation.
The decision, which is a direct result of the case brought by Otis McDonald, among others, stated that the Second Amendment applies to states and cities and is a “fundamental guarantee” protected against state interference though a constitutional amendment following the Civil War. Essentially, the 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court upholds the notion that the constitution grants individual citizens equal or greater power that the states on the issue of possession of certain firearms used for self-protection in this case, handguns. The ruling affirms that federal judges have the power to strike down state and local weapons law if they are found to violate the Second Amendment.
Not surprisingly, gun rights supporters across the nation are celebrating the Court’s decision and the far-reaching impact it will have for both state and local governments with regards to bans on handguns and other weapons.
The aforementioned case of McDonald v Chicago challenged the City of Chicago’s position on gun control one that is widely regaredd as one of the strictest in the nation. A 2008 holding by the Court that struck down a District of Columbia handgun ban “unmistakeably” called for the Court to overturn strict handgun laws in Chicago and the nearby suburb of Oak Park, according to a court document. This, according to numerous resources, made the Court’s recent 5-4 decision somewhat expected.
