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January 1, Standing Up for the Second – A Virginia Judge Upholds the Rights of Young Americans

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In a bold and refreshing defense of the Constitution, a federal judge in Virginia has struck a significant blow to overreaching gun control efforts. Judge Robert Payne has ruled that barring firearm sales to individuals aged 18-20 is unconstitutional, reinforcing the age-old wisdom of our nation’s founding fathers that the right to bear arms is integral to our freedom.

This decision follows in the wake of last year’s Supreme Court case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v Bruen. The Supreme Court held that gun laws must align with the U.S.’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Payne’s ruling echoes this principle, stating that restrictions on firearm purchases for 18-20-year-olds are inconsistent with the nation’s history and tradition.

As Payne rightly points out, there’s no evidence of age-based firearm restrictions in the founding era. An important fact he highlights is that if 18-21-year-olds are excluded from the Second Amendment’s protection, we would be imposing limitations that don’t exist with other constitutional guarantees.

Predictably, pro-gun control groups like Everytown For Gun Safety are up in arms over the decision. They argue that 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 and older, and that the decision puts lives at risk.

However, the critical point being overlooked here is that we cannot abridge the rights of law-abiding citizens based on the actions of a few bad apples. Every American has the right to defend themselves, and we can’t strip young adults of that right simply because some individuals in their age group commit crimes.

What we should focus on is promoting responsible gun ownership and tackling the root causes of gun violence, rather than limiting constitutional rights. As Elliot M. Harding, attorney for one of the plaintiffs, notes, the ruling allows future buyers to purchase firearms through the federal system, which includes background checks and other requirements.

This decision should serve as a reminder that our constitutional rights are not negotiable. They are the bedrock of our society, and any attempts to restrict them should be met with the utmost scrutiny. It’s high time we stop treating the Second Amendment as a second-class right.


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4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Rev. Joseph Marotta

    May 21, 2023 at 11:51 pm

    If the Govt. can give you a ticket and a fully automatic gun and a pistol too at 18 years old to go to war. Then you should be able to buy a gun as a civilian no casket included.

  2. Terry

    May 22, 2023 at 12:04 am

    If youth 18-21 are not allowed to own a firearm, then how can we draft them into the military where they are issued an M-16/M-4. When we changed the definition of an adult from 21 to 18 back about 50 years ago, adults were allowed to enter ALL the complexities of life. I was/am part of the generation that feels if I am old enough to be drafted into the military I am old enough to make my own decisions in MY life.

  3. Jim

    May 22, 2023 at 10:49 am

    Don’t be distracted by the anti-gun crowd’s argument that ‘gun control’ is about crime, ‘gun violence’ or the public’s safety. Their end game is to ban ALL private ownership of firearms so that they can impose a Socialist dictatorship in America without having to fight ‘We the People’ to do so. The Commies have used these excuses for years to try and get the public to go along with their ‘common sense’ gun control. BS! Like everything else that they push for, it is all a lie to fool the public into unwittingly going along with their agenda. Don’t let them fool you. They do not have our best interests in mind.

  4. grrumpa

    May 22, 2023 at 5:56 pm

    Everytown For Gun Safety seems to have left out a little fact in their quote. The word black shouls be inserted just after “They argue that”.

    “Predictably, pro-gun control groups like Everytown For Gun Safety are up in arms over the decision. They argue that 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 and older, and that the decision puts lives at risk.”

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