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Vindication for Hunters and Shooters in the Supreme Court |
Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the individual right to keep and bear arms.
Ray Schoenke, President of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA) stated: "On behalf of our many thousands of members, we applaud this decision, which is critically important for all of us who believe in gun rights. This balanced, thoughtful approach to the Second Amendment is shared by an overwhelming majority of the nation's 80 million gun owners, including AHSA's members. The Supreme Court has soundly rejected the extreme views of the N.R.A., which espouse unlimited access to any weapon. "
In fact, of the 70 amicus briefs filed, AHSA's brief, which advances unique arguments that were joined by a number of top-ranked military leaders, was one of the few cited by the Court during oral argument in March and in today's opinion. The Supreme Court's opinion completely validates AHSA's position.
The AHSA, unlike the N.R.A., takes a responsible approach to firearms policy. Firearm rights must be balanced with important civic responsibilities. Hunters and shooters fully accept their civic responsibilities. The Second Amendment does not bar reasonable public policies, which are good for gun owners and the public alike. Such safety measures also ensure that all Americans will continue to enjoy the benefits of this basic and historic liberty.
Today, Justice Scalia confirms what AHSA has long advocated: Americans enjoy an individual right to keep and bear arms, but that right is not unlimited. As Justice Scalia wrote:
"Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited…
Although we do not undertake an exhaustive historical analysis today of the full scope of the Second Amendment, nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms."
We are deeply grateful to all AHSA members, and the many top-ranking military officers of all our armed services who signed onto and supported AHSA's brief in this historic case.
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