The Supreme Court struck down a New York gun control law in a 6-3 decision Thursday.
The court found New York’s regulations which made it difficult to obtain a license to carry a concealed handgun unconstitutional.
“In this case, petitioners and respondents agree that ordinary, law-abiding citizens have a similar right to carry handguns publicly for their self-defense. We too agree, and now hold, consistent with Heller and McDonald, that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the Court’s opinion. “Because the State of New York issues public-carry licenses only when an applicant demonstrates a special need for self-defense, we conclude that the State’s licensing regime violates the Constitution.”
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Thomas argued that the Second Amendment is not a “second-class right” and should be treated like all other constitutional rights.
Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor all dissented.
Justice Samuel Alito, concurring with Thomas, wrote, “And how does the dissent account for the fact that one of the mass shootings near the top of its list took place in Buffalo? The New York law at issue in this case obviously did not stop that perpetrator.”
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National radio host Todd Starnes weighed in on the court’s decision.
“The Supreme Court made the right call here in defending the Second Amendment,” Starnes said. “New York’s policy made it easier for criminals to acquire guns than law-abiding citizens.”
Starnes also said former President Trump deserves some credit.
“He nominated strict constitutionalists and all three sided with law-abiding gun owners,” he said. “Thank you, President Trump.”
The Supreme Court STRIKES DOWN a New York gun-control law that required people to show “proper cause” to get a license to carry a concealed handgun outside the home. The vote is 6-3. https://t.co/jA2Gl7lTiG
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 23, 2022
Bottom line, since I am fielding lots of Qs. Today's #SCOTUS opinion does NOT mean people can simply start carrying guns wherever/whenever they want. States can still require licenses/permits, but the criteria for getting them must be objective.
— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) June 23, 2022
I love that Justice Thomas went there. LOL. pic.twitter.com/011Tb0X57x
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) June 23, 2022