Nearly 83% of voters say the Second Amendment was adopted to protect self, family, and property, and to protect against government tyranny, according to a poll conducted by Trafalgar/Convention of States.
Nearly 56% said the Second Amendment was adopted to protect self, family, and property, while 29.2% said it was adopted to protect against government tyranny.
The Supreme Court on Thursday in a 6-3 decision struck down a New York gun law that restricted the right of firearm possession to people who could show some “special need.”
The century-old law said permits to carry guns in public could only be granted to applicants who demonstrated “proper cause,” which was challenged in court by two New York gun owners who said it was highly discretionary and unconstitutional.
The two were granted a limited license for concealed carry but the state barred them from possessing a weapon in places frequented by the public.
Justice Clarence Thomas in the majority opinion wrote that the Second and 14th Amendments protect an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.
"The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not 'a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees,'” Thomas wrote. "We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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