Court Strikes Down Illinois' Concealed-Carry Ban
An appeals court has decided Illinois' ban on carrying a weapon in public is unconstitutional.
Photos
A U.S. Appeals Court has ruled Illinois' ban on carrying a weapon in public is unconstitutional, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Under the 2-1 ruling, the state would have to allow residents to carry weapons. But the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has given lawmakers 180 days to "craft a new gun law that will impose reasonable limitations, consistent with the public safety and the Second Amendment as interpreted in this opinion, on the carrying of guns in public," The Tribune reports.
Illinois is the only state to not have some form of conceal carry, according to the Tribune.
Here are some excerpts from the court's opinion:
"We are disinclined to engage in another round of historical analysis to determine whether eighteenth-century America understood the Second Amendment to include a right to bear guns outside the home.
The Supreme Court has decided that the amendment confers a right to bear arms for self-defense, which is as important outside the home as inside ...
Illinois had to provide us with more than merely a rational basis for believing that its uniquely sweeping ban is justified by an increase in public safety. It has failed to meet this burden."
The Tribune said the decision is a major victory for the National Rifle Association.
Patrick Sennett
8:05 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Of course the Tribune would report the ruling as being a victory for the NRA, rather than law-abiding citizens who only wish the right to defend themselves in extremis.
Nucky Thompson
8:28 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Its about time! Its sad when you have to go all the way to the supreme court to be able to exercise your 2nd amendment right! The insane socialist gun haters in Illinois still believe that guns are animate objects and travel around by themselves and shoot people. They really believe that and that is scary!
Ed Sapeta
10:17 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Another Victory for the Gun Crazies and the dollars the NRA throws at politicians. God help us all. The violence will continue and now escalate. .
G.G.
11:27 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Ed, you are uninformed. Please educate yourself before someone takes what you say as anything more than a rant. there are no statistics/facts that back up your claim. This is not a victory for anyone, it's an affirmation of the constitution. It's sad that the constitution needs to be defended by groups like the NRA from the people who have taken an oath to defend and uphold it.
Ed Sapeta
11:45 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Don't presume to tell me I am uninformed. The Murder rate in the country speaks for itself. The NRA and gun manufacturers spend billions to keep handguns on the streets. The Constitution was written at a time when it took about a full minute to load one round into a handgun, the time it now takes to fire hundreds of rounds. While I can't read their minds, I trust the framers of the constitution would be wise enough to see that, and support a rewrite based upon modern technology. No one wants to take away any one's right to hunt or use rifles for target shooting, but a handgun has one purpose, to kill people, and they have no place in a civilized society. You can quote all the BS statistics you want from your NRA buddies and redneck friends, but pure logic and common sense beats all of that.
G.G.
4:27 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Again, a demonstration that you are uninformed. Look at the crime data. For example:
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/guns.cfm
I'm sorry you don't like the story data tells. you are entitled to your opinion, but facts are facts.
Statistics are all over the place available for you, research the data.
The 2nd ammendment has nothing to do with rifles, target shooting or hunting.
Handguns have more than one purpose (collection, target shooting, self defense).
Ed Sapeta
5:22 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Have a nice life in your world of Violence and misleading statistics ( Certainly not facts) . EOF. I am done here.
Jay Shay
5:33 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Good to hear!
Oso Campana
10:42 am on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Ed,
You're an idiot. An armed society is a friendly society and if you want statistical analysis, look no further than the violent crime levels of California and Illinois as opposed to Texas where being a jackass might just be the reason why someone puts a cap in your ass.
Ed Sapeta
11:02 am on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Wow, It takes a real genius to come up with such an insightful comment Oso. Are oyu off your Meds?