A three-judge panel for the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the rights of young adults in the 18-20 range to buy semiautomatic rifles.
The appellate court remanded the Jones v. Bonta case back to the district court for further proceedings in a big win for the Second Amendment Foundation.
To learn more about this victory, we’ve invited a spokesperson from the 2nd Amendment Foundation to give us details.
Q&A:
- What does this case mean for 2nd Amendment rights?
Answer: It’s a clear victory that we must continue to press forward to protect the right to bear arms as enshrined in the 2nd Amendment but constantly trying to be stripped by liberal politicians. Continual vigilance is still needed to keep our freedoms.
- What other anti-gun cases might get dropped based on this victory?
Answer: The judge noted this ruling could impact another case challenging a similar prohibition in Washington State, which is also part of the Ninth Circuit. The ban was adopted via a citizen initiative in 2018 and challenged by SAF and the National Rifle Association.
- Judge Nelson, writing for the majority, said, “(T)he Second Amendment protects the right of young adults to keep and bear arms, which includes the right to purchase them. What’s your read on that?
Answer: That the judge understands young adults are not second-class citizens, and the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution includes them.
- Judge Nelson wrote that the district court reasoned otherwise and held that the laws did not burden Second Amendment rights. Tell us about that opinion.
Answer: Judge Nelson indicated that it was a legal error, writing that the district court erred by applying intermediate scrutiny, rather than strict scrutiny, to the semiautomatic centerfire rifle ban. And even under intermediate scrutiny, this ban likely violates the Second Amendment because it fails the ‘reasonable fit’ test.”
- How do you feel about the decision?
Answer: We are delighted with the opinion. The court majority rightly recognized that delaying the exercise of a right until age 21 does irreparable harm. It also applied strict scrutiny to the semi-auto ban.
- Where may we learn more about 2nd Amendment rights and your organization?
Answer: SAF.org
Second Amendment Foundation spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community, a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is the editor at Bearing Arms-dot-com and hosts the popular podcast Cam & Company that focuses on Second Amendment news and information. Cam is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has worked in radio, television, and online media for over two decades. He currently lives on a small farm with his family near Farmville, Virginia, and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001orjerry.specialguests@gmail.com
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