Supreme Court holds that citizens have the right to bear firearms for self defense

[annahearn]

Today, in a 5/4 decision the US Supreme Court struck down a Washington D.C. law prohibiting citizens from owning a hand-gun in their home for self-defense and/or hunting.

Justice Scalia wrote the majority opinion and held that "the Constitution does not permit "the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home." The court also struck down Washington's requirement that firearms be equipped with trigger locks or kept disassembled, but left intact the licensing of guns. Justice Kennedy was the swing vote and was the same justice that wrote the majority opinion yesterday that it is cruel and unsual punishment to put a child rapist to death who ripped an eight year old's inside apart so badly that she will never be able to become pregnant or conceive a child.

Bascially the US Supreme Court has held that it is cruel and unsual punishment to put a child rapist to death but it is not cruel and unsual punishment to kill the SOB, as long as he is in your home. Bottom line: kill him in your own home and you are okay.

I applaud the US Supreme Court in holding that a citizen has the right to bear arms to protect their family and home. A few years ago Texas enacted the "Castle Law" which allows a homeowner to protect his property with deadly force. This law also allows a person to protect his neighbors property with deadly force so long as he has his neighbor's consent. Since the enactment of this law, burglaries and robberies have decreased by 1/3 due to the new occupational hazard of being shot dead.

Anna

[Matt Dagostino]

Ed.................

Remind me to stay away from your motor home at the races.........Lord knows what kind of 'heat' Anna is packing!

Matt

[HRTV]

Today, in a 5/4 decision the US Supreme Court struck down a Washington D.C. law prohibiting citizens from owning a hand-gun in their home for self-defense and/or hunting.

Justice Scalia wrote the majority opinion and held that "the Constitution does not permit "the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home." The court also struck down Washington's requirement that firearms be equipped with trigger locks or kept disassembled, but left intact the licensing of guns. Justice Kennedy was the swing vote and was the same justice that wrote the majority opinion yesterday that it is cruel and unsual punishment to put a child rapist to death who ripped an eight year old's inside apart so badly that she will never be able to become pregnant or conceive a child.

Bascially the US Supreme Court has held that it is cruel and unsual punishment to put a child rapist to death but it is not cruel and unsual punishment to kill the SOB, as long as he is in your home. Bottom line: kill him in your own home and you are okay.

I applaud the US Supreme Court in holding that a citizen has the right to bear arms to protect their family and home. A few years ago Texas enacted the "Castle Law" which allows a homeowner to protect his property with deadly force. This law also allows a person to protect his neighbors property with deadly force so long as he has his neighbor's consent. Since the enactment of this law, burglaries and robberies have decreased by 1/3 due to the new occupational hazard of being shot dead.

Anna

Anna,

Easy for you to say since you dont live in DC like I do where the viloent crime and murder rates are already sky high. Its real easy to be a big of fan of this when you live in a rural area with a zero crime rate. Trust me if you live in DC and own a gun to protect your family good luck trying to get it back from the violent 300lb crack head that just kicked in your front door and took it right out of your hands.

The real sad part is that half of the guns bought to "protect the family" end up killing the wife or kids when the husband snaps.

City life! it aint for the faint of heart no matter what the law says.

[annahearn]

We just got our house burglarized while we were in it on Memorial Day and we did not have anything to defend ourselves or our children, both who are 2 and under. Just because we live in a "rural" community, does not mean that there's no crime.

My point is that not only do the crack heads have a right to bear arms, but the citizens who are trying to protect their home and their families should also possess that right. It is more often than not that the law abiding citizens are getting killed because they have nothing to defend themselves. If the law abiding citzens did, maybe then, the crackheads will think twice before going into someones home and hurting their families and raping their children.

[HRTV]

We just got our house burglarized while we were in it on Memorial Day and we did not have anything to defend ourselves or our children, both who are 2 and under. Just because we live in a "rural" community, does not mean that there's no crime.

My point is that not only do the crack heads have a right to bear arms, but the citizens who are trying to protect their home and their families should also possess that right. It is more often than not that the law abiding citizens are getting killed because they have nothing to defend themselves. If the law abiding citzens did, maybe then, the crackheads will think twice before going into someones home and hurting their families and raping their children.

Anna dont get me wrong I'm with you on protecting your family, I to have a family with a small child. Its just that here in DC whre crime is already out of control I dont know how much good it will do.

[annahearn]

Houston Texas and the other big cities in Texas had the same problem before they enacted the Act. Since the enactment of the law, Houston has seen a dramatic decrease in burglaries and robberies. Taking guns away from the citizens who have not committed a crime is not the answer.

[HRTV]

Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope this helps.

[Kev43V]

Gun control: knowing ones target, and not missing
Dan then why is the crime rate so much lower just outside of DC where the lawful can be armed also? BTW i know i have seen a few crack heads and none of them still weighed 300 lbs joking
in all seriousness if you know you have these thugs preying on the lawful. Why in Gods name, do you want to keep them defenseless? Do you believe that the police can respond in time to protect them? they will be there in time to have a stand off with the perpetrator while you and your family's body's get cold. I am really not as callus as that comment appears. I AM sick and tired of people blaming a tool for the actions of a person.
You should be handing out all those confiscated guns to anyone in the DC area that: 1 have a job, 2 are willing to go through a firearms safety course.
and last but not by any means least, actually want one.

[HRTV]

Disclaimer: I live 20 mins north of the city in Maryland still I work in DC so....

[Kev43V]

ah yes but no answer

[annahearn]

As for waiting for the police to protect you. We called 911 and told them someone was in our house and that we had small children. It took the police 25 minutes to show up.

[ryan_4z]

Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth.
George Washington

[Skoontz]

Inaccurate statistics, Dan. Go to Lexus-Nexus, search for the study that determined that, and you will see the items that were omitted for those who want guns removed from society to make their cases.

Add those legitimate criteria, you those numbers are false and misleading.

[Kev43V]

Anna and from my perspective Valparaiso is NOT a rural area lol even if Dan thinks it is. I thank God your intruders were not "crack crazed 300 pounders".
Hey Im a Mennonite, a pacifist, right up untill someone threatens my (or your) family then i will gladly rot in hell with the attacker knowing my family is still safe.

[swheeler]

I was on our local village council for a few years and after seeing from the inside how local law enforcement works I invested in a security system. Most of the time you are on your own, the police will show up later and take a report.
Also, guns don't kill people, bullets do!!
Wasn't D.C. the city that put there mayor back in office after he was convicted for cocaine?