We mentioned this when it first came out. The Blogfather, Jonah Goldberg of National Review, has a column on it today, that Oldloadr and I thought of interest. You should, of course, read the whole thing.
Considering how badly things have been going for conservatives, right-wingers, Republicans and anyone else whose brain doesn’t explode like one of those guys from the movie Scanners at the thought of another Republican president, it’s worth noting that one of the greatest conservative victories of the last 40 years is quietly unfolding right in front of us. On March 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an epochal ruling. The court found that the Second Amendment actually protects the right to bear arms for individuals.
Jonah goes on to observe:
Now, that in and of itself is huge. For decades, the courts, the legal and academic establishments, the press and all right-thinking people everywhere have been arguing that not only is the Second Amendment a chestnut from a bygone age, but that enlightened judges should just go ahead and void the darn thing like a bad parking ticket.
Jonah goes on to chronicle some examples of an unpleasant (to them) truth that some intellectually honest anti-gun liberals are coming to accept - the 2nd Amendment *does* protect an individual right (though I'm sure, deep in their heart of hearts, they hope that if it ever gets to the Supremes, they'll just wave that away).
While Jonah is fine with all that, it's *not* his real point. This is:
Now, you might think this is what I have in mind when I say that the Court of Appeals ruling was an epochal victory for conservatives. But it’s not.[emphasis mine]No, the real victory is that liberals are starting to accept the fact that the constitution has a meaning separate and distinct from what the most pliant liberal judge wants it to mean. Therefore, writes Wittes, “perhaps it’s time for gun-control supporters to come to grips with the fact that the (Second Amendment) actually means something ... For which reason, I hereby advance a modest proposal: Let’s repeal the damn thing.” Wittes isn’t alone. A number of left-wing commentators have picked up the idea as well.
Personally, I would oppose repeal, and I have problems with many liberal arguments against the Second Amendment. But that liberals are willing to play by the rules is an enormous, monumental victory that transcends the particulars of the gun-control debate.
Personally, I think that Jonah is too optimistic. But I'd like him to be right. Which, based on some levels of political thought, should be sufficient to make it so, no?
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