Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition
Simple Justice: Here we are, Heller +1, with a chance to breath a little more deeply and consider whether initial reactions, coming mere seconds after the opinion was issued and read, taste any different after a suitable digestion period.
Part of the process is considering what others have to say, whether they see something we missed, or whether they offer a clarity of thought when our own was compromised and cloudy. Not surprisingly, newspaper editorials abound. From my neck of the woods (since this is a New York blog, after all), the New York Times:
In a radical break from 70 years of Supreme Court precedent, Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority, declared that the Second Amendment guarantees individuals the right to bear arms for nonmilitary uses, even though the amendment clearly links the right to service in a “militia.” The ruling will give gun-rights advocates a powerful new legal tool to try to strike down gun-control laws across the nation.
This is a decision that will cost innocent lives, cause immeasurable pain and suffering and turn America into a more dangerous country. It will also diminish our standing in the world, sending yet another message that the United States values gun rights over human life.
Whew. That was close. I was afraid the Times might be a bit hyperbolic. It’s understandable that an editorial board dedicated to causes would jump to the end of the decision to check out the bottom line, then extrapolate from its own result-oriented viewpoint what the end of the world is upon us. This, after all, the New York Times.
On the other hand, Adam Liptak’s analysis is far more sober.
Most state and city gun restrictions appear to be allowed under the ruling, including licensing laws, limits on the commercial sale of guns, restrictions on…