Supreme Court Overturns Chicago's Gun Ban
Second Amendment Decision Upholds Common Sense Gun Laws
CHICAGO, June 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in McDonald v. Chicago today, striking down Chicago's longstanding handgun ban. Today's ruling is an extension of the Court's 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, which struck down Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban and trigger lock requirement, but did not resolve whether this new and controversial interpretation of the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments.
In line with Heller, the Supreme Court emphasized that the ruling does not give U.S. citizens an inalienable right to own a gun. The opinion confirms that common sense gun laws noted in Heller remain presumptively lawful, including "prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill" and "laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places, such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of firearms."
In response to the opinion, Mark Walsh, director of the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (ICPGV), stated, "Today's ruling is confined to handgun bans and does not affect the legality of our current state gun laws, nor proposed legislation that would require universal background checks and ban military-style weapons and ammunition."
Mr. Walsh went on to explain the importance of gun violence prevention efforts following the decision, noting, "Unfortunately, handgun ownership may go up in Chicago because of this ruling, which means it is more critical than ever to ensure that felons, gun traffickers, domestic violence offenders, mentally ill individuals, and youth are prohibited from purchasing guns. Our campaign intends to turn our outrage at this ruling into outreach to the voters, who overwhelmingly want sensible regulation to protect citizens from gun violence."
Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (ICPGV), a project of Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence (ICHV), is a research-based public education campaign to promote meaningful gun policy reform in Illinois. Working with a statewide advisory group representing law enforcement, the medical and public health communities, faith-based organizations, local and state policymakers, victims and advocacy groups, ICPGV informs the public and the media on the facts about gun violence and prevention policies. To learn more about ICPGV and our policy agenda, visit our website at www.icpgv.org.
SOURCE Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
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