The Supreme Court said on Monday a complete ban on handguns is unconstitutional, ruling individuals have a fundamental right to protect themselves. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito reaffirmed a decision two years ago that the Constitution's Second Amendment protects an individual's right to "keep and bear arms" for self defense. That decision struck down Washington D.C.'s handgun ban. The Second Amendment, Alito wrote on Monday, "applies equally to the federal government and the states."
Retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, in his last day on the Court, said in dissent, that the ruling would prove "destructive…to our nation's communities and to our constitutional structure." The ruling was a victory for the NRA, which has fought for decades to establish a constitutional right to own guns. "It's a vindication for the great majority of Americans all across this land," said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre.
Source:
CBS News
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