Excuse my exuberance, but I feel like firing my handgun into the sky. The Supreme Court minutes ago handed down a decision on the D.C. gun ownership case, declaring the framers of the constitution meant to give rights to individual citizens to own guns independent of their connection to a militia.
This decision is also a nod to the spirit of independence, the belief that we are all responsible for taking care of ourselves whenever possible. Some of us, particularly older citizens, are at a disadvantage against anyone breaking in our homes to do harm. They don’t call it “the equalizer” for nothing. I would think AARP would celebrate this decision with fireworks. Oops! I’d better think again about that liberal organization.
You know the old advice to writers: If you place a rifle over the fireplace early in your story, you darn well better use it later on. Here’s advice to gun owners: If you have a rifle hanging over the fireplace (or by your bedside) you cut the chances you will have to use it. That is what a small Southern town discovered after passing a law requiring every citizen to own a gun. Crime went down dramatically. Guns in the right hands decrease crime and protect the innocent. And that is what I expect today’s Supreme Court victory to reflect down the road.
This ruling calls for exuberance. Cheers for our Supreme Court, although I disagreed with them yesterday when they struck down the Louisiana decision.
I don’t have a gun over my fireplace but I do have one in about eight other places in my home, including within reach of where I’m sitting right now. Sometimes the Supremes do get it right. I just wish they could get it right more often.