Gun control ruling and the Bill of Rights

Published Thursday, March 15th, 2007

Constitutional purists and social engineering activists may be headed for the ultimate venue in the battle over gun control and the Second Amendment.

That venue is the Supreme Court of the United States.

Count us among the purists. We believe the Bill of Rights means what it says.

The issue arises because the District of Columbia's anti-gun city officials just lost an important decision in the U.S. District Court of Appeals.


The city council outlawed handguns in 1976. Further, the district argued in federal court that it had the power to outlaw all guns if it wanted.

It got a federal district trial court judge to agree.

But now a three-judge appeals panel has ruled 2-1 that the city has no such right, and the trial judge was wrong.

The city plans to appeal.

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