Once again, the Constitution prevails over the ill-conceived laws of gun-hating liberals. A ruling by U.S. District Judge Peter Sheridan has threatened to overturn a longstanding ban on popular sporting rifles, effectively dealing a blow to those who wish to infringe upon our Second Amendment rights.
This crucial decision, announced on Tuesday, was carefully crafted with reference to previous Supreme Court judgements.
Federal judge overturns New Jersey's ban on AR-15 rifles.
U.S. District Judge Peter Sheridan said New Jersey residents have a legal right to purchase and keep a Colt AR-15 rifle for home defensehttps://t.co/LASamcPd7o
— 𝓐𝓵 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓪 🇺🇸 (@AChailowa) August 1, 2024
As reported by Reason, Judge Sheridan addressed two lawsuits that contested New Jersey’s oppressive ban on so-called assault weapons and delivered his judgement in one combined ruling.
New Jersey’s Assault Firearms Law identifies numerous specific semi-automatic firearms for prohibition, including shotguns and rifles. Yet Judge Sheridan chose to focus solely on the AR-15 — a popular weapon targeted by liberal fear-mongering.
The law also absurdly bans “street sweeper” shotguns and other unique firearms that an average law-abiding citizen would typically store safely away from harm’s reach.
Federal Judge Strikes Down New Jersey's AR-15 Ban
U.S. District Judge Peter Sheridan ruled New Jersey's AR-15 ban unconstitutional, basing his decision on the Supreme Court’s ruling in DC v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.
The judge stated… pic.twitter.com/XkcG5LPjfD
— Thom Falcon (@realthomfalcon) August 1, 2024
The AR-15 is among America’s best-selling rifles and serves as the standard model for modern sporting rifles. It’s clear why liberals are so afraid: it represents American freedom and self-reliance.
The misguided New Jersey law specifically targets AR-15s produced by Colt. However, Judge Sheridan extended his ruling to include all AR-15 type rifles—recognizing that multiple manufacturers produce their own versions of this popular firearm.
In his decision, Sheridan wrote, “Plaintiffs challenge the Assault Firearms Law as unconstitutional. For the reasons stated previously, this analysis focuses on the AR-15 Provision of the Assault Firearms Law. Under Heller, while the Supreme Court stated that the Second Amendment right is not unlimited, the Supreme Court forbade a complete prohibition on a class of gun ownership.
“Guided by this decision, and for the reasons below, the AR-15 Provision of the Assault Firearms Law which prohibits the use of the Colt AR-15 for self-defense within the home does not pass constitutional muster when applying the Bruen standard.”
Using standards established in both Bruen and Heller decisions, Judge Sheridan tested whether an individual could use this firearm for self-defense and if it’s “commonly used” by law-abiding citizens.
As any clear-minded American would agree, Judge Sheridan ruled that yes—the AR-15 passes these tests. He declared New Jersey’s ban on this widely used self-defense tool as an “assault firearm” to be a direct violation of our Constitution.
The State Defendants’ argument crumbles under scrutiny because they are trying to ban a type of weapon commonly used for self-defense,” asserted Sheridan. Based on clear direction from our Supreme Court, he concluded that any provision banning Colt’s AR-15 for home defense is unconstitutional.
Though his ruling doesn’t address all firearms regulated under New Jersey’s overbearing gun ban law, it represents a significant step towards preserving Americans’ Second Amendment rights against relentless liberal attacks.
Inevitably though, with every victory comes a setback. Despite recognizing AR-15 as a legal firearm commonly used for self-defense purposes, Judge Sheridan upheld New Jersey’s irrational bans on so-called “large capacity magazines,” citing their link to mass shootings – falling prey to the same fear tactics employed by those who wish to strip us of our rights.
Nevertheless, this decision signifies a crucial shift in the fight for Americans’ Second Amendment rights. We can only expect more such victories as we continue to uphold and defend the Constitution against liberal overreach.
Good for America. There is a popular meme that says ‘What part of ‘Shall Not Infringe’ don’t they understand? ‘ They understand perfectly. The Second Amendment is what keeps us free — that’s why they want to disarm us.
stick a large, black stick in her mouth, for awhile, she/it’ll be OK, in a minute