The Illinois “assault weapons” ban has been given the green light by the U.S. Supreme Court, leaving the state free to enact the far-reaching law on Jan. 1. This ruling comes after multiple failed attempts to block the law, which restricts the sale and purchase of semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines.
This ban has been touted as a safety measure following a tragic shooting in 2022, but in reality, it will only disarm law-abiding citizens and do nothing to address the root causes of violence. These measures do not distinguish between criminals and responsible gun owners, instead targeting law-abiding citizens who simply want to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
The law requires citizens who already own the banned weapons to register with the state, effectively creating a gun registry that could potentially be used against law-abiding gun owners in the future. This is a gross violation of privacy and rights, and it is no wonder that only a minuscule percentage of gun owners have complied with this requirement.
Even worse, this ban blatantly disregards the Constitution and the Founding Fathers’ intentions. The Second Amendment states that the right to bear arms “shall not be infringed,” and this ban clearly violates that principle. The Founding Fathers intended for all Americans to have the same firearms as the military, in order to form a well-regulated militia. By limiting ownership to only certain “trained” individuals, the state is essentially declaring that it has all the power and the people have none.
Many sheriffs in Illinois have already stated that they will not enforce this unconstitutional ban and have reiterated their commitment to upholding the Second Amendment. LaSalle County Sheriff Adam Diss has called this law a “clear violation” of the Constitution, and he is not alone in his stance.
This ban also sets a dangerous precedent for other states to follow in the future. If this law is allowed to stand, it won’t be long before other states start enacting similar measures, further eroding the rights of law-abiding citizens.
The fight against this ban is far from over. It is a temporary defeat, and the war against gun bans and infringement on our rights continues. It is up to responsible gun owners and Americans everywhere to stand up against these unconstitutional laws and protect our God-given rights.
In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” We must not allow fear and emotion to cloud our judgment and give the government carte blanche to infringe on our rights. We must continue to fight for our rights and hold the government accountable for protecting our freedoms, not restricting them.