Politics

A Friend's Murder, A Landmark Case

By Matt Cooper

In the February issue of Conde Nast Portfolio, I wrote about an upcoming Supreme Court case that could effect everyone. Are gun bans constitutional? After an incredible 70 years of more or less ignoring the gun issue, the Courts is going to take up the District of Columbia's near total ban on handguns.

My take? I think the ban is draconian, ineffective. But I hope they leave it in place. Who decides is as important as what's decided and I hope the District gets to keep its ban, no matter how ill conceived.

Interestingly, the National Rifle Association and the gun makers were never the ones driving this case. They didn't want to take a chance on the courts where things could be dicey for them. I explore the interesting, Libertarian roots of the case--a legal Ron Paul insurgency if you will.

The case is personal for me. A friend of mine was murdered last year in the District. When something like that happens, your first instinct--at least mine--is to support any measure that would limit handguns. But upon further reflection, while I favor reasonable gun control the District's ban goes too far. The more important issue, though, as I said is who decides.

Hope you find it interesting.

Full post as published by Portfolio.com: Capital on January 15, 2008 (boomark / email).