Supreme Court Rules Second Amendment Applies to States

Finally something positive to post. Today the US Supreme Court ruled 5/4 that the Second Amendment grants and INDIVIDUAL right to keep and bear arms and that it was a protection against State and local laws. Before we get all giddy though this does not overturn any existing laws, but it does lend support to any lower court cases challenging such laws. Also this may not necessarily negate any and all gun control laws, possibly leaving it open to allowing state and local governments to have "common sense" laws that "protect the public" without being over restrictive. Unfortunately many of these "common sense" gun control laws come with prohibitively high fees that effectively limit the ability of those with low income from obtaining or possessing a firearm. Unfortunately citizens of lower income are often more likely to live in areas of high crime and insufficient police protection. One more thing, before you decide to strap on that iron before you leave the house, this ruling does not necessarily mean that you can roam the streets armed, though in my thinking the right to bear arms should apply away from home as much as on your own property. What good is a handgun locked up in the safe at home do for you when you're getting mugged outside the local Quickee Mart? I haven't read the McDonald v. Chicago decision yet but I heard some bits of it on the radio and it sounds worth the effort to read. Check out the links below for more info. The fight is just beginning but it's nice to see freedom making some headway for a change.

McDonald v. Chicago decision text (PDF)
John Stossel - Some good graphs and statistics relating to gun control
BBC News - US Supreme Court extends gun rights
Los Angeles Times - Supreme Court strikes down ban on handguns
Washington Post - Gun rights case: Supreme Court rules on second amendment

Australian Police Knocking on Doors to Inspect Guns

If you ever want to see where America is heading just look at the rest of the world. I think the U.K. and Australia are very analogous of where the US will be in a few years if we don't protect our constitutional rights while we still have them. Many of the anti gun lobby would love to see legislation that would completely do away with all legal gun ownership, but since an all out assault always fails they have to chip away at your rights by going after the 'evil guns' like so called assault rifles or making it harder and more expensive to purchase ammunition legally like California just did with Assembly Bill 962. Many anti-gunners have voiced support for legislation controlling the storage of firearms. So far such legislation been defeated since this would require inspection of your storage solution in your home which would be a complete violation of the Fourth Amendment. Thank GOD we have a Constitution!

Australia almost completely banned guns insuring that only criminals and the wealthy can own a firearm. Criminals immediately seized the opportunity presented by their newly disarmed victims and violent crime went through the roof, especially in rural areas where the police were too far away to help anyone. Now to add insult to injury Australian police will be conducting searches of the private residences of the few legal gun owners left in their country.

California Assembly Bill 962 Signed Into Law by Governor Schwarzenegger

Grab your ankles Kalifornians! The Governator just put it to all law abiding gun owners and we're not going to get so much as a kiss. California Governor Schwarzenegger just signed Assembly Bill 962 into law, dealing another crippling blow to retailers, sportsmen, and anyone who wishes to legally protect themselves and their families from criminals who could care less if they obtain their ammunition legally. Thanks to Assembly Bill 962 you can now depend on spending quite a bit more for your ammunition. Like it wasn't already hard enough to get ammo, right? Assembly Bill 962 will require, among other things, that anyone selling ammunition take the fingerprints of their customers and keep them on record for the DOJ to review at any time.
As with most stupid gun control laws, this will do little if anything to lessen crime and will in fact deprive many Californians of the ability to protect themselves because they will not be able to afford ammunition as prices skyrocket in an economy where people can barely afford food. These citizens are often times the ones that have the greatest need to protect themselves, many living in high crime neighborhoods.
Here's a little newsflash from the land of unintended consequences: This law could actually lead to more deaths and injuries from accidental shootings/collateral damage as gun owners spend less time on the range familiarizing themselves with their firearm due to the outrageous price of ammunition. Even the best sharpshooter needs to spend time on the range to keep his or her skills honed and insure that their bullets reach only the intended target. Will someone please tell me why our government seems to have lost all common sense! I am beginning to think it is time to take my family and my taxes to a state where our rights matter!
So if you think there was a run on ammo when people started to realize that Obama might become president, get ready for California's ammunition to dry up completely. As Californians attempt to stock up before the law goes into effect the rest of the US can expect to be affected by another ammunition shortage. I guess if the gun control lobby can't make our guns illegal they will make it too expensive to use them. An unloaded gun is a very expensive paperweight.
There are two bright spots. The law does not go into effect until February 2011. There may be a legal grounds to strike down this law thanks to the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994, Section §41713. Preemption of authority over prices, routes, and service, which basically prohibits a state from enacting or enforcing a law that could effect prices, routes, and service of Common Carriers.

Links
California: Governor Takes Action on Two Anti-Gun Bills in Sacramento
California Assembly Bill 962 Hurts Small Businesses and Puts Law-Abiding Citizens at Risk
The Calguns Foundation