On the Occasion of the Heller Decision... On the Occasion of the Heller Decision our local paper, the Staunton Daily News Leader published an editorial as shown below. Sadly, these "educated" newspaper people don't get that the 2nd Amendment isn't about hunting squirrels but resisting squirrely politicians just as the 1st amendment isn't about calling people names but about calling down lying politicians...

There's likely lots of champagne and cigars at the NRA headquarters in Northern Virginia after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 32-year-old handgun ban in the District of Columbia.The 5-4 decision upholds and strengthens the Second Amendment, which gives us a right to own guns for hunting and self-defense.Now, all the deer and bear hunters in the District of Columbia can once again put food on the tables for their families. The squirrels on the Mall should hop the Metro out of town quickly.More importantly, the ruling limits what governments can do to control handgun violence. The D.C. gun ban was not meant to violate the Constitution. It was designed to keep people alive. The District of Columbia and other cities across America are certainly not safer today after this ruling. The Supreme Court has struck down a potential solution to the problem of gun violence. Now, another solution must be found.The problem of gun violence in America is not going away. Even this gun ban did not solve the problem in the District of Columbia. Gun advocates would say it made the matters worse by taking away the option for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves. But more guns does not mean less gun violence.The Supreme Court is often frustrating in that it never solves problems. It only kicks out solutions that go against the Constitution without giving suggestions about what might work in its place. The decision hinges on the disagreement between the two sides of whether the Second Amendment offers gun rights only to citizens in a formed militia or all citizens for the purpose of self defense. The majority opinion, written by Justice Scalia, states that the Second Amendment is meant to provide the right of gun ownership for anyone's self defense.Of great concern is what this ruling does to other gun laws. Thankfully, the opinion makes it clear that this decision does not cast doubt on the legitimacy of concealed weapons laws or the assault weapons bans. The decision holds that the Second Amendment's rights are not unlimited.Hopefully this ruling is not the top of a slippery slope of loosening gun laws. It would be extremely unfortunate if this court's narrow majority ruling is used as a pry bar by gun lobbyists to turn our modern-day environment into a gun-slinging, Old West B movie.The message to the District of Columbia was go back and try again. But any regular reader of the Washington Post would realize that they need to try again regardless of what the Court ruled. And we as a society need to work for solutions to control gun violence not only in D.C., but in cities and communities large and small throughout America.The Court isn't going to help us with this one and it is unlikely that government will be much help either. We will have to make these necessary changes as a society and that is going to be a huge challenge. But it will not come with everyone carrying a six-shooter. Fewer guns, not more, is the key to solving the problem of gun violence.Opinions expressed in this feature represent the majority opinion of the newspaper's editorial board, consisting of: Roger Watson, president and publisher; David Fritz, executive editor; Cindy Corell, community conversations editor; and Jim McCloskey, editorial cartoonist.

Yep, real geniuses at our local paper... *sigh*

Labels: Politics

  ¶ posted by The Editor 8:13 PM