Staff Reports
A federal judge in Illinois just made a wise decision in the ongoing fight for Second Amendment rights. The judge has temporarily halted the enforcement of a ban on some semi-automatic rifles and large capacity magazines, ruling that there is a “reasonable likelihood” that multiple plaintiffs who have sued will be successful in their argument that the law violates their Second Amendment rights. The Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) was passed after a tragic mass shooting in Highland Park.
Second Amendment Win: Federal Judge Blocks Illinois Ban on Some Semi-Automatic Rifles, Magazines
https://t.co/kLROeCawuy— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 1, 2023
It is absurd that PICA appears to be written in spite of the clear directives in Bruen and Heller, not in conformity with them. Citizens have a constitutional right to own and possess firearms and may use them for self-defense. The law infringes on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding individuals in hopes that such crimes will abate or, at least, will not be as horrific.
HUGE #2A VICTORY: Illinois semi-automatic rifle and so-called large capacity magazine ban declared UNCONSTITUTIONAL under #2A. Opinion is here. Mark Smith Four Boxes Diner coming soon. https://t.co/DLVRSm5QPm
— Mark W. Smith/#2A Scholar (@fourboxesdiner) April 28, 2023
There are other means to address gun violence. Law enforcement and prosecutors should take their obligations to enforce existing civil and criminal laws seriously. Families and the public at large should report concerning behavior. Judges should exercise their prudent judgment in committing individuals that pose a threat to the public and imposing sentences that punish, not just lightly inconvenience, those guilty of firearm-related crimes. These are the measures that need to be in place to ensure the safety of the public.
We commend the Federal judge for his decision. However, we expect the Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office to fight for the constitutionality of the Protect Illinois Communities Act. As we all know, the left is always eager to go after Americans’ Second Amendment rights, so this fight is far from over. Rest assured, we will continue working to defend the Second Amendment, and with your help, we will succeed in protecting the rights that our founding fathers have granted us.
