Supremes right to uphold 2nd amendment on guns

Responsible gun ownership rights are a core American value

TUCSON -- I agree with today's decision by the US Supreme Court in Washington to uphold the US Constitution's second amendment right 'to keep and bear arms'.

Sen. Barack Obama is also in agreement that the second amendment is 'an individual right', and nearly 70% of Americans agree the second amendment gives individuals the right to own guns. The right to bear arms responsibly is a core American value, hardly on the fringes.

The second amendment is not just about hunting or militias, it's about our individual freedoms.

America's founders knew that the right to bear arms was important to protecting our democracy. They wisely understood that a nation where only the government could own guns was not in the best interest of freedom.

I am concerned about gun violence, and I support reasonable gun laws to try to keep guns away from dangerous criminals, just as I support the right of law abiding Americans to own guns to protect their families.

If a criminal is threatening you at your home with deadly force, you don't have time to call 911 and wait for the police to arrive, you either have the ability to strongly protect yourself and family, or you are dead.

The DC handgun ban was unconstitutionally over the top, blocking everyone from owning a handgun for any reason, and the high court was right to knock it down.