Posted on 06/27/2008 11:44:10 PM PDT by Schnucki
A powerful gun lobby group in the United States has filed legal challenges to handgun bans in San Francisco and Chicago.
The lawsuits come a day after the US Supreme Court ruled that a ban on the private possession of handguns in Washington DC was unconstitutional.
A National Rifle Association lawyer said the cases were necessary to expand the ruling to other states and cities.
San Francisco's mayor says he plans to fight the NRA challenge.
The San Francisco lawsuit challenges the city's handgun ban in public housing, while in Chicago it challenges a ruling that makes it illegal to possess or sell handguns in the city.
Self-defence
The NRA is joined in the San Francisco suit by a gay man living in a government-owned housing development who says he needs a gun to protect himself from potential hate crimes.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city will "vigorously fight the NRA" and said the ban was good for public safety.
"Is there anyone out there who really believes that we need more guns in public housing? I can't for the life of me sit back and roll over on this. We will absolutely defend the rights of the housing authority," Mr Newsom said.
The Supreme Court's ruling says that the constitution "protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defence within the home".
The ruling enshrines for the first time the individual right to own guns and limits efforts to reduce their role in American life.
"The Supreme Court's decision was very encouraging, but it is just a start," NRA lawyer C D Michel said.
**”Is there anyone out there who really believes that we need more guns in public housing? I can’t for the life of me sit back and roll over on this. We will absolutely defend the rights of the housing authority,” Mr Newsom said.**
No you can’t. You liberals had your chance, now it’s time to reap the whirlwind.
The housing authority has rights that trump the rights of citizens?
Yeah, the rights of a government agency always trump individual rights.
You will be rolling over soon Fido, the NRA is on the march and the likes of you will be trampled. And why should you care anyway, millions of unborn children are murdered every year and you are gleeful for this "choice"......deaths from guns pale in comparison.
perhaps you could challenge our handgun ban here in the UK...:D
You got that right! Being a member has it;s privs...
Funny how 2 weeks ago the LA Times had a frontpage story that the NRA has lost it’s power. Being probably’ the lone rwcon in Hollywood 90028 area, I laughed so hard at the fluff piece the walls shook.
It shows that sometimes politics create a strange bed-fellow...
“San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city will “vigorously fight the NRA” and said the ban was good for public safety.”
Didn’t he even read Scalia’s opinion on this one? Public safety is not a reason to suppress a Constitutional right. Guess ole Newsom can’t read worth a dang.
The ban isn't good for public safety. It is good for criminal safety...
Strange um...bedfellows. Gays need guns too though.
Allow me to translate. What Mayor Newsome is really saying is:
"Is there anyone out there who thinks black people should trusted to defend themselves with guns? We will vigorously defend the bureaucracy's right to enforce tyranny on the citizenry (especially the minority citizenry), and the constitution be damned!"
There... rational people should be able to make some sense of it now.
The housing authority has no rights.
Mr. Newsome does’nt think the honest citizens in those
housing projects should provide for their own protection.
Government has not given the people protection against
crime.
The liberal establishment in these cities are proven failures
and they want to keep their constituents
hostage to crime.
Mr. Newsome does’nt think the honest citizens in those
housing projects should provide for their own protection.
Government has not given the people protection against
crime.
The liberal establishment in these cities are proven failures
and they want to keep their constituents
hostage to crime.
I’m sure not everyone in the projects is a murdering gangsta druggie.
Those people need to defend themselves too!
I saw Harris, Newsom & Fong all at once on the nooz. These are the people in charge of that city?
The best thing for SF would be to send those asshats packing!
Note to liberal commie scum...we are just getting warmed up!
This is how they use the gangs as shock troops.
I have often wondered if that isn’t why they continue to let them stream into our country and why they don’t seem to be too interested in eliminating these gangs no matter where they are from.
They can build a voting bloc and have an army when it hits the fan.
It’s a riff-raff mentality I believe.
They’re just gangsters in suits.
Yup. If the Dirty Harry movies didn’t show enough of the underworld then nothing can. It’s always been there and the police will arrest when given the green light.
That we might see this full court press by the NRA and the other pro-gun groups had not occurred to me prior to the ruling --- but I am certainly happy to see it!
Governments and government agencies have no “rights” and I don’t know where the idea that they did even came from.
Michael Savage played an audio clip of Gavin Newsom blaming the NRA for a bay area triple homicide by an illegal alien. Newsom’s ignorance is breathtaking.
Now this is rich, Newsom has found something he won't roll over for, while the NRA is defending the rights of an individual that Newsom would undoubtedly roll over for under different circumstances. Arrogant little punk...wonder if O'Reilly still thinks he's a "stand up guy"?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Did you really have to phrase it that way?
Blech.
Same here on both counts. :)
Think Skokie!
"We will absolutely defend the rights of the housing authority [!] "
Well, like "Aux barricades!" to you too, baby.
Man, what are the Jesuits turning out these days? Mercy!
Trix are for kids, man. Rights are for Men, man. Government (and this includes any "housing authority") doesn't HAVE Rights. "To secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men..." Doesn't that like ring a bell man?
Damn, it's a good thing Newsom ain't building dams, he'd be puttin' concrete where the water oughta be.
Sad to say it's more likely that Newsom knows, but knows no one in 'Frisco will notice. (Yeah, I know that "'Frisco" thing bugs 'em. T.S.)
After the NRA litigiously tears the SF City Fathers a collective new one, and 'Fiscans all have a gun at home, let's declare a 3-day holiday, flood the place with Colts, Coca-Cola and Twinkies, quarantine for 72 hours, and welcome what's left back to the United States.
Kamala Harris and Heather Fong are just as bad.
I pity the decent people of SF.
Now that Heller is the Law of the Land, the NRA is using this opportunity to challenge bans across the country. This is going to be expensive. They're going to need all the help they can get.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city will “vigorously fight the NRA” and said the ban was good for public safety.
Hey, Gavin, if you don’t like guns, don’t have any. Same for your bodyguards.
What you may not have heard is that San Francisco is losing much of its black population, which is moving out because of crime. The SF Board of Supervisors, which comprises all democrats, all beyond the pale radical liberals who think that even the Mayor is a right-wing fascist, is beside itself. They’re upset because of the image the exodus creates of a beloved liberal city whose favorite clients have seen the light.
Look for laws soon in San Francisco restricting travel out of the city.
“Michael Savage played an audio clip of Gavin Newsom blaming the NRA for a bay area triple homicide by an illegal alien. Newsoms ignorance is breathtaking.”
So in other words, it’s the NRA’s fault? Not the fault of someone who broke the law by being here therefore is a criminal to begin with? I’m guessing Newsom thinks that the NRA placed the gun in the illegal alien’s hand and forced him to pull the trigger three times? Liberals will say anything to further their cause, no matter how stupid it makes them look.
That’s precisely what Newsom was implying. Savage said it was one of the most disturbing displays of ignorance he’s ever heard from a politician’s lips, and I agree. A real jaw-dropper.
So San Fran is anti-gay? That’s how the NRA should play it. Make Newsome drink from his own cup.
That’s how the expression goes.
The more the left loses on this issues the more extreme they become. If it weren’t so serious, it would be amusing to watch them melt down like this.
They are grasping at straws, it’s the last gasp of the dying. Of course a dying animal is the most dangerous....so care needs to be taken as we watch their death throws.
Does government have the right to say, you are living in public housing and therefore are not permitted any weapons? Don’t like the rules, move out and pay your own rent.
Personally I think that’s fair but I don’t think the law actually says that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.