| For at least once in recent years, the more rational | | | | possess. |
| members of the United States Supreme Court | | | | Justice John Paul Stevens weighed in with this opinion: |
| outnumbered the wannabe activist judges who revel in | | | | the majority "would have us believe that over 200 |
| putting their own stamp of authority on the U. S. | | | | years ago, the Framers made a choice to limit the |
| Constitution. The U. S. Constitution is a document that | | | | tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate |
| justices of the Court should be applying and not | | | | civilian uses of weapons." This is EXACTLY what the |
| rewriting to suit their own liberal ideas and social | | | | Second Amendment is implying. |
| engineering. | | | | Stevens would give more power to our government |
| In a too close 5-4 decision recently (6-26-08), the | | | | by taking away our individual nights, a position that |
| Supreme Court ruled that Americans have a right to | | | | Breyer and the other two dissenting justices-Ruth |
| own guns for self-defense in their homes. The decision | | | | Bader Ginsburg and David Souter-could easily agree |
| was the first in U. S. history to tackle the issue of gun | | | | with. |
| rights that was so CLEARLY enunciated in the | | | | Here is what was not said by the media today: The |
| Second Amendment to the Constitution that was | | | | Framers of the Constitution and its Second |
| ratified in 1791: | | | | Amendment were probably not as concerned about |
| "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security | | | | intruders in their home as we are in America today. |
| of a free state, the right of the people to keep and | | | | I believe that the Framers understood, as I do, that if |
| bear arms, shall not be infringed." | | | | you take away our Second Amendment right to bear |
| Question: What part of this Second Amendment to | | | | arms, then the only people in society carrying guns that |
| our Constitution did the 4 dissenting justices not | | | | kill people are our government through its armed |
| understand? Answer: All of it. | | | | military, law enforcement and associated officers, and |
| Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said the | | | | criminals. This circumstance is what breeds thug |
| Constitution does not permit "the absolute prohibition of | | | | violence and dictatorships. |
| handguns held and used for self-defense in the home." | | | | The Framers of our Constitution were much more |
| The Court also struck down Washington's (DC) | | | | concerned about our government and its officials |
| requirement that firearms be equipped with trigger | | | | becoming too powerful and dangerous, than they |
| locks or kept disassembled, but left intact the licensing | | | | were with the populace our government is supposed |
| of guns. | | | | to represent and protect. |
| Joining Scalia in the majority decision were Chief | | | | Handgun violence in this country is a huge problem, but |
| Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, | | | | taking away a citizen's right to bear arms would not |
| Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. | | | | solve but only increase and exacerbate the problem. |
| Justice Stephen Breyer wrote a separate dissent in | | | | Criminals that want guns do not buy them at the gun |
| which he said, "In my view, there simply is no | | | | store where they can be identified and sent away; |
| untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the | | | | they buy stolen guns from other criminals involved in |
| Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the | | | | burglaries. |
| house in crime-ridden urban areas." | | | | Forty-four state constitutions contain some form of |
| Perhaps Breyer would suggest taking up a wiffleball | | | | gun rights, which are not affected by the Court's |
| bat to defend ourselves against an armed intruder | | | | consideration of Washington's (DC) restrictions. |
| intent on taking our goods and killing us to eliminate any | | | | Given the opinions in this case (District of Columbia v. |
| witnesses. Let Breyer, rather than me, be the first with | | | | Heller, 07-290), it is pretty easy to see why not |
| the wiffleball bat defense. Breyer is trusted with | | | | everyone on the U. S. Supreme Court is a bright light. |
| upholding the Constitution and protecting me as a | | | | Some justices have absolutely no problem taking |
| citizen; he is doing a better job in helping promote | | | | away my individual rights as an American citizen and |
| criminal activity. | | | | giving them to the government. |
| Breyer, a Harvard law grad, is seen by some as the | | | | No wonder Thomas Jefferson said, "The government |
| intellectual leader of the liberal wing of the Court who is | | | | is best which governs least." Amen, Tom, amen. Let |
| diametrically opposed Justice Scalia, who some see as | | | | the citizens bear arms. An armed society is a more |
| a conservative member of the Court. I can certainly do | | | | polite society. Criminals understand this concept better |
| without any intellectual brilliance Breyer MIGHT | | | | than some Supreme Court justices. |