A Ray of Hope?

MARYLAND RULING A ‘HUGE VICTORY’ FOR SECOND AMENDMENT, SAYS SAF

BELLEVUE, WA – A federal court ruling in Maryland, that the Second Amendment right to bear arms extends beyond the home and that citizens may not be required to offer a “good and substantial reason” for obtaining a concealed carry permit, is a huge victory, the Second Amendment Foundation said today.

Ruling in the case of Woollard v. Sheridan – a case brought by SAF in July 2010 on behalf of Maryland resident Raymond Woollard, who was denied his carry permit renewal – the U.S. District Court for Maryland ruled that “The Court finds that the right to bear arms is not limited to the home.”

Dare folks living in "May Issue" states like MD, NY, CA, HI, and, yes, even MA dream? Money quote from the judge:

“A citizen may not be required to offer a ‘good and substantial reason’ why he should be permitted to exercise his rights,” Judge Legg wrote. “The right’s existence is all the reason he needs.”

Huzzah!!!

This is especially of note in Massachusetts, where one's right to merely own a handgun or a large-capacity semi-automatic rifle can be revoked for any reason whatsoever. In MA, a permit is required to own firearms regardless of type. The permits that cover handguns and semi-automatic rifles that accept high capacity magazines are entirely discretionary, meaning that they can and sometimes are denied for no reason whatsoever other than "the Chief doesn't issue those permits".

It also means, like in the case of our cause celebre TJIC, if the Chief decides that something you wrote on the internet is unpalatable, all of your firearms can be taken away with a single declaration. You are declared "unsuitable" - and the Chief is the sole arbiter of what is and isn't "suitable". This is what happens in "May Issue" states. In "Shall Issue" states, you cannot be denied your permit as long as you meet the requirements set forth by the issuing office. In "May Issue" states, you are entirely at the whim of whomever grants the permits. That ain't right.

Help us Alan Gura - you're our only hope!

That is all.