Social Issues Fri Oct 02 2009

Rep. Quigley on Supreme Court Guns Case

The Supreme Court will be making a major decision regarding Chicago's handgun ban. Gun rights is an issue that I've moved on over the years. I'm not certain that we want the Supreme Court to err on the side of collective rather than individual rights.

Congressman Mike Quigley, who I agree is sounding a touch Mayoral, discusses the case:

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to review McDonald vs. City of Chicago, a case that challenges whether or not Chicago's local handgun ban is legal. It is a development that deeply concerns me.

Since 1983, it has been illegal to purchase or own a handgun within Chicago's city limits. Over the course of the 26 years since, Chicago has seen the number of registered handguns drop from more than 400,000 to fewer than 200,000. Guns have become scarcer, saving lives and creating safer neighborhoods in the process.

But the threat of gun violence has by no means dissipated. Chicago communities are still reeling from losses of neighbors, children and friends -- innocent bystanders caught by a stray bullet, someone in the wrong place at the wrong time. The last thing our city needs is more guns on the street and more children fearing for their safety.

— Ramsin Canon / Comments (0)