KPCC Election 2008
Presidential candidates respond to Supreme Court ruling on 2nd Amendment
Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a gun. Read the court's opinion and two dissenting opinions on the 5-4 ruling here. (PDF document) Both the Obama and McCain campaigns issued statements supporting the ruling.
Senator McCain's statement called the decision "a landmark victory for Second Amendment freedom in the United States." He praised the decision further and went on to criticize Senator Obama. "Unlike Senator Obama, who refused to join me in signing a bipartisan amicus brief, I was pleased to express my support and call for the ruling issued today. Today's ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller makes clear that other municipalities like Chicago that have banned handguns have infringed on the constitutional rights of Americans. Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right- sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly." You can read the rest of McCain's statement here.
Senator Obama's statement said "I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe." You can read the rest of Obama's statement here.
What do you think about the Supreme Court's ruling? What's your opinion on guns and the Second Amendment? Do you agree with either of the candidates on this issue, and why or why not? Tell us your thoughts by commenting below!
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- June 26, 2008 3:36 PM
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1 Comments
Justice Kennedy, once again, as in the "rape" case, correctly sided with the majority. Senator McCain's comments reflect the views of the American people and have been consistent throughout whereas Mr. Obama, no stranger to the flip-flop, appears once again to straddle the fence hoping to reap a political benefit by "agreeing" to all sides of the issue. It is obvious, however, as evidenced by the "bitter gun and bible clingers," barbs/insults leveled by Mr. Obama during the Primaries, what his true position is. Unfortunately, but to no surprise, the Illinois Senator erroneously feels that taking guns from the law-biding citizen will help in reducing crime. The Democratic Party, hurt in past elections by its anti 2nd Amendment stance, had hoped to avoid the issue this election year but, because of this decision and Mr. Obama's flip-flops, it appears to be gaining center-stage attention.
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