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Senate to Lift D.C. Gun Ban?

March 29th, 2007 by Syd

SENATOR HUTCHISON INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO LIFT D.C. GUN BAN

Bill restores constitutional rights to Washington, D.C. residents

WASHINGTON, DC — Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) introduced the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act of 2007, a bill to restore Second Amendment rights in Washington, D.C.
“The constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens do not end when they cross into the borders of the District of Columbia,” said Sen. Hutchison.
“The gun ban has been proven ineffective by the trend of increased violent crime in the District. The citizens of Washington, D.C., deserve to have the same right to defend themselves and their families in their homes that lawful Americans enjoy.
“This requires both a legislative and judicial remedy. I hope the Parker case goes before the Supreme Court and that the court asserts that the right to bear arms is an individual, and not a collective, right as the D.C. Circuit and Fifth Circuit Courts have affirmed.”
The District of Columbia enacted the Firearms and Control Regulations Act in 1976 that banned handguns and required rifles and shotguns to be registered and stored unloaded and either locked or disassembled, giving it the most restrictive gun control laws in the nation. Prior to the gun ban’s implementation, the murder rate in the District was on the decline. Following the ban, the murder rate began to rise while violent crime was decreasing nationally. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, in 2005, the most recent year from which statistics are available, the District of Columbia led the nation in violent crime. Source

I’m one of those folks who has very mixed emotions about the Parker case going to the Supreme Court. I would like to think that the justices would rule in the way I think they should, but strange things can happen in Washington and nothing is for certain.

I think the justices will rule rightly and uphold the ruling of the appeals court that the D.C. handgun ban is indeed unconstitutional, but what if, on the off chance, they didn’t? While it has the potential to be a huge victory for gun rights, it also has the potential for being a total disaster.

Were the Senate able to rescind the D.C. handgun ban, it would prevent the case from going before the Supreme court, and remove the risk that SCOTUS might make the wrong decision.

It seems to me that either route, Senate or SCOTUS, is a crap-shoot. In some ways, the Senate route seems safer, but if we were to win at the Supreme Court, it would have far-reaching implications such as invalidating Chicago’s handgun ban. A positive ruling from SCOTUS on Parker would be the death knell for the gun control movement. There is nothing to win nationally if the Senate deals with the problem, but there is also nothing to lose unless the Senate was unable to get the bill through.

Decisions, decisions…

5 Responses to “Senate to Lift D.C. Gun Ban?”

  1. on 29 Mar 2007 at 10:57 am1 vinnie

    It needs to go to court. AT LEAST 80 million voters own guns.
    If the SCOTUS declares the second amendment defunct I think for one election they will be on the same page.

  2. on 30 Mar 2007 at 9:22 am2 anon

    If the SCOTUS declares the second amendment defunct, who gets elected will no longer matter!

  3. on 31 Mar 2007 at 1:42 pm3 jack

    -
    Isn’t it blatantly obvious - The criminal minds that be in
    Washington know the General Public is easy pickens! They
    are usually law abiding and would’t break the law by having
    a weapon (Gun) - Thus Crime is flying high. Look at
    England, Look at Australia. No chance of reprisial then
    criminal is in their glory. -

  4. on 03 Jul 2007 at 1:48 pm4 Dion

    This NEEDS to go to SCOTUS!

    We need a definitive answer one way or another on this. The DC act won’t have any impact on those of us in NY that don’t have the same rights as other states and can be repealed next year.

    Be honest, with the list of candidates right now, the next Pres is going to be a liberal Democrat even if a republican wins.

  5. on 20 Aug 2007 at 9:20 pm5 Sergio Antonio Graciano

    Dear american citicens:

    I write from Argentina.
    I fight for civil rights here, and among them, the right to keep and bear arms.
    I am inspired by you gun owners of america and the NRA.
    During the last two years I have been denouncing and fighting Chavez Bolivarian Circles in Patagonia.
    They try to foment rebelions in the indian reservations, in the poor inmigrant neighbourhoods, spreading the marxist gospel.
    They are trying to create a new Cuba in Argentina.
    The betrayal and claudication of the political parties and of the learned classes makes this possible.
    We, the free citicens of the world, must definitely defeat the marxists and the slavists that are forever attacking our freedom.
    Go to the Supreme Court.
    If they do not uphold freedom and the fundamental rights of which the Founding fathers spoke so well, then make a revolution and let´s finish with the whole thing.
    Note that the Kirchners here have Hillary Clinton as an example to follow.
    Me, as long as I have my 45 Colt and my High Standard Riot Gun, will not live in a communist country.
    God save America !
    If you fall, we all fall with you !
    Good Luck !
    SERGIO ANTONIO GRACIANO

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