Monday, June 28, 2010

Illinois rights +1, still 299 behind everyone else.

In a 5-4 supreme court victory in McDonald vs. City of Chicago which stated an outright ban on handguns was unconstitutional, we go now to explore some of the words in the ruling:

“No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.”

Remember the wording of the 2nd Amendment:

"...The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"

To keep means to have, or own. To bear means to have ON you. While this supreme court ruling may tell people in the city of Chicago they are allowed to "Own" firearms, the state of Illinois is still the most restrictive state in the United States of America when it comes to "carrying" firearms. As a result, this ruling is likely to have little effect on crime rates in Chicago, and citizens here will continue to be the victims on the street, but perhaps, no longer in their own homes.

Many newspapers are heralding this ruling as a victory for the right to "bear" arms. One example is the headline on Politics Daily, which reads: Supreme Court Extends Right to Bear Arms Nationwide. As I have stated, this ruling does not undo Illinois' "Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon" law which states clearly, that to "bear arms" is a class 1 Felony. Until the right to bear arms is addressed, please hold your celebrating.

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