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WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Supreme Court defended on Thursday Americans constitutional rights to own guns for self-protection in their houses.
   
The top court, by voting 5-4, ruled that the handgun ban in the District of Columbia was incompatible with gun rights endowed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution ratified in 1971, reading "a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

    It was the first time in roughly 70 years that the U.S. Supreme Court took up a gun control case.

    The ban that has been in force for over 30 years was firstly challenged by some citizens in the capital, saying that they deserved rights to own a gun to avoid being constant victims of crime. It was ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals court in March.

    When the Supreme Court took over the case, lawyers from both sides argued whether an individual is entitled by the Constitution to own a weapon and whether the governments could impose reasonable gun--control legislation.

    Lawyers for the plaintiff cited the Second Amendment while those representing the city defended the ban by saying there should be a "reasonable standard" to allow cities to pass gun-control law.

    The issue of gun rights has frequently grasped Americans nerves since mass killings took place every now and then, including those in college campuses, shopping malls and even city hall buildings. As the latest one, a man shot dead five co-workers at a plant in Kentucky before turning the gun on himself.

    Despite those tragedies, a number of Americans still value their gun ownership, which as they consider is a part of American tradition and constitutional rights.

    Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that the handgun is Americans preferred weapon of self-defense in part because "it can be pointed at a burglar with one hand while the other hand dials the police."

    At hearing the Supreme Court ruling, Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, said that it was "the opening salvo in a step-by-step process of providing relief for law-abiding Americans everywhere that have been deprived of this freedom."

    But it also draw criticism from opponents including Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, saying "the people of this great country will be less safe because of it."

    The White House s reaction was complex with Vice President Dick Cheney supporting the ruling, but others concerning it could result in the undoing of other gun regulations.

    "We re pleased that the Supreme Court affirmed that the Second Amendment protects the right of Americans to keep and bear arms," spokesman Tony Fratto said.

    The ruling also sparked another round of debates between two presidential candidates with Republican John McCain applauding it while Democrat Barack Obama upholding that Americans should act more responsibly to "both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe."

    According to CNN, as one of the cities with high crime rate in the U.S., District of Columbia reported 143 gun-related murders last year, compared to 135 in 1976 when the handgun ban was enacted.

    In the U.S., 44 state constitutions contain gun rights in this form or that, and would not be affected by the ruling on the capital s handgun ban.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Source  : http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/27/content_8446351.htm

Photo  : http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2006/08/gun_tiny.jpg

 

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