Guns and Gear

Chicago moves toward gun rights

Danny Huizinga Freelance Reporter
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The city with the strictest gun-control laws is finally moving in the other direction, thanks to several court orders.

On Monday, a federal judge ruled Chicago’s ban on gun sales unconstitutional.

“That is one of the fundamental duties of government: to protect its citizens,” U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang wrote in his opinionBut on the other side of this case is another feature of government: certain fundamental rights are protected by the Constitution, put outside government’s reach, including the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense under the Second Amendment.”

The judge issued a temporary stay on his decision until the city could decide whether to appeal, but the decision is still a victory for gun-rights advocates.

“I think it’s a good decision, I’m glad we got the decision, but I do think the city will appeal it and we will have to go through a long process to make sure this actually happens,” Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association told The Daily Caller.

Sunday also marked the first full day that Illinois residents could sign up to get a concealed-carry permit. The Illinois State Police said over 4,500 applications were received on the first day, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Close to 400,000 people are expected to apply for permits by the year’s end, Pearson said.

Previously, the state had kept in place the only full concealed-carry ban in the country, until it was struck down in December 2012 by a federal appeals court. “The theoretical and empirical evidence (which overall is inconclusive) is consistent with concluding that a right to carry firearms in public may promote self-defense,” argued Judge Richard Posner in the majority opinion of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

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