Chicago mayor vows new gun controls after Supreme Court ruling

From NBC Chicago:

As expected, Mayor Daley and Chicago's City Council are circling the wagons to defend against an unfavorable decision by the Supreme Court concerning the city's gun ban.

Daley said the city would have in place a new ordinance aimed at making it difficult to purchase and own a gun in Chicago. [emphasis added]

"We'll publicly propose a new ordinance very soon," Daley said at an afternoon press conference concerning the gun ban.



"As a city we must continue to stand up ..and fight for a ban on assault weapons .. as well as a crackdown on gun shops," Daley said. "We are a country of laws not a nation of guns."

The Supreme Court did not overturn Chicago's gun ban outright, but sent the case challenging it, McDonald vs. the City of Chicago, back to the lower courts for a final decision.

Once that comes, the city should have new ordinances in place to limit gun ownership.

Read it here.

Bravo to those who open carry their weapons

Article on open carry from Denver Gun Rights Examiner Dan Bidstrup:

Those who choose to carry their weapons openly are making a statement every time they step out their door. It forces everyone who sees them to confront the whole gun issue. There may be some who are morbidly afraid of the kind of people who would carry a gun, and they will run away. There may be some who come over and slap you on the back and commend your civic spirit. There may be some who promptly call 911 to report you, and when the police come you get to have a nice conversation about municipal laws and the Second Amendment to the US constitution. Educating is important, but it might make you late to a meeting.

...

Openly carrying a gun also shows the general public over and over that a person who is not a police officer can carry a weapon and not shoot anybody at the grocery store or otherwise going about their business. There will be a slow desensitization in our society that will go on, until spotting a pistol on someone's belt is observed and evaluated by the average person like an interesting car or unusual boots, just part of the landscape. There is also the salutory effect on criminals who choose not to attack in a place with armed citizens. Even if they don't choose to attack the person with the gun, they don't know if that person might seek to rescue your un-armed victim. It makes their life harder. ...

Read the article here.

Supreme Court rules that Second Amendment applies to state and local governments

Today, the Supreme Court issues its long-awaited decision in McDonald v. Chicago, the Chicago gun ban case, ruling that the Second Amendment applies not only to the federal government, but to state and local governments as well.

Read the Court's ruling here.

Justice Alito wrote the majority decision, joined by Chief Justice Roberts, and Justices Scalia, Thomas, and Kennedy. Justices Stevens, Breyer, Ginsburg, and Sotomayor dissented.

As expected, the Court incorporated the Second Amendment using the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process clause, rather than the Privileges and Immunities clause advocated by plaintiffs' attorney Alan Gura (the plaintiffs were the petitioners at the Supreme Court, having lost in the lower courts).

Some good news to start the week.

[KY] Gun toting 89-year old grandmother gets carry permit

From Kentucky:

[AK] Some Convicted Felons Allowed to Own Guns

Alaska governor signs law restoring gun rights to certain felons convicted of non-violent crimes:

Governor Sean Parnell signed House Bill 408, known as the Second Amendment Rights Restoration Bill, into law on June 22.

The bill signing took place in Palmer at the Matanuska Valley Sportsmen's Range. "Great chance for government to restore rights, rather than taking rights away," said Governor Sean Parnell, R-Alaska.

Alaskan lawmakers created the bill after the US Supreme Court ruled the Second Amendment rights restoration must pass an all-or-nothing test and that state and federal laws must be the same.

The legislation, sponsored by the House Judiciary Committee, states it is now legal for a selected few convicted felons to bear arms. "We tend to turn the screw one way and tend to tighten things, and in the process, we take a lot of liberties away from people," said Rep. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks.

The law applies to felons convicted of non-violent crimes, so long as they have completed their time, have had a pardon, fulfilled all the requirements with the state correctional system, or at least ten years after their felony conviction. ...

Read it here.

[DE] Del. House Votes To Allow Guns In Public Housing

Delaware House votes to repeal public housing gun ban:

DOVER, Del. (AP) ― The state House has approved a bill allowing tenants in government-run public housing to own firearms.

The bill was approved on a 31-to-9 vote Tuesday despite opposition from Democrats representing districts in Wilmington, a city with several public housing units and a problem with violent crime.

Bill sponsor John Atkins, a Democrat from southern Delaware, said public housing residents were being denied their constitutional right to bear arms. ...

Article here.

[MI] Flint moves forward on gun control ordinance change, despite fears of increased violence

Flint, Michigan voted to repeal city's illegal open carry ban:

FLINT, Michigan — The Flint City Council moved forward on eliminating the city's illegal ban on openly carrying loaded weapons in public — but some council members weren't happy about it.

A local ordinance that bans people from openly carrying a loaded gun isn’t consistent with state law, which allows people to carry handguns openly as long as they are visible and in holsters.

The city attorney said the city must update its ordinance to comply with state law, or risk legal challenge. ...

Article here.

[WA] East Wenatchee repeals ordinance banning gun in parks

Washington city repeals park carry ban that violated state preemption law:

EAST WENATCHEE - Guns are now allowed in parks in East Wenatchee - with a few restrictions, that is.

A city ordinance banning guns in parks was amended by the East Wenatchee City Council during Tuesday's council meeting.

The ordinance was changed to allow guns in parks under certain conditions. Those without a concealed-carry permit still may not carry a loaded firearm in a public park. Those without the concealed carry license can carry a firearm only if it is unloaded and in an "opaque case or secure wrapper" or if it is in a designated recreation area for firearms, according to the ordinance. ...

Read the rest here.

Welcome

Welcome to the Spartan Press blog. Visit us for legal updates and news of interest to the armed citizen, including news for travelers, hunters and concealed-carry permit holders.

Visit our website at SpartanPressOnline.com.