Just about this time last month, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed its 11th federal lawsuit challenging a state prohibition on the purchase, ownership and carry of handguns by young adults in the 18-20-year age group.
To the gang at SAF, and their partners in all of these legal actions, it makes sense to clear the path for these younger adults because we expect them to act like (responsible) grownups. After all, as has been pointed out ad infinitum over the past few years, people in that age group can enlist in the military — where they might fight and die to defend our way of life — they can get married, enter into contracts, run for various political offices, start businesses and vote.
If these citizens, who have reached what we call the “legal age of majority,” can be trusted to do all of that stuff responsibly, we ought to at least give them the benefit of doubt when it comes to enjoying their full Second Amendment rights.
The most recent foray is a case called Hague v. Murphy. It was filed in federal district court in New Jersey and the defendants include Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, only because it’s a federal complaint. Not to worry, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is also a defendant.
“New Jersey’s handgun and ammunition ban absolutely infringes on the Second Amendment rights of all resident adults under 21 in the state,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb in a prepared statement. “Each of our age-based lawsuits around the country have the same goal — restoring the rights of adults under 21 who have been disenfranchised by those who think they can trample on their Second Amendment rights purely based on their age.”
“There is not, and never has been, a constitutionally grounded basis for depriving adults under 21 from owning or possessing handguns, period,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “Adults 18-20-years-old are part of ‘the People’ and can exercise their full Second Amendment rights. Unfortunately, residents of this age group living in New Jersey are being selectively discriminated against solely based on their age, and we aim to rectify that.”
SAF is joined by the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate (NJFOS) and a private citizen, Lily Hague.
And In Connecticut
A few weeks before slapping the Garden State with a lawsuit, SAF and its partners hit Connecticut with a similar federal court action, this one called Succow v. Bondi.
In this action, SAF is joined by the Connecticut Citizens Defense League and two individuals, Samuel Towne and Zachary Succow.
“Second Amendment rights cannot be withheld from peaceable adults based on their age,” said SAF’s Kraut. “To do so would relegate the amendment’s guarantees to second-class status, which offends the very notion of the Constitution’s premise. Our nation’s history and tradition does not support this ‘Second Amendment lite’ version being offered to 18-20-year-olds in Connecticut. This lawsuit seeks to vindicate the rights of those individuals who are being unlawfully discriminated against based solely on their age.”
This was the tenth lawsuit filed by SAF on behalf of young adults. And now the $64 question: Who makes the decision whether 18-20-year-olds are mature enough to have a sidearm? Ultimately, it will likely land in the laps of the Supreme Court, unless the nine justices duck for cover and kick the can down the road, like they did last month when confronted by a challenge to Maryland’s ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
Latest GRPC Lineup
Sponsored by the aforementioned SAF and its sister organization, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, this weekend gig always attracts the top names in gun rights action. There are panel discussions, individual reports, election forecasts, updates on legal actions and lots of other stuff.
Ayoob, who also serves as SAF president, will be joined by these other headliners:
Sara Weaver, author and Ruby Ridge siege survivor
Jared Yanis, host, Guns & Gadgets YouTube Channel
Austin Knudsen, Montana Attorney General
Andrew Bailey, Missouri Attorney General
Kenyon Gleason, President, National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers
Ava Flanell, host of the Ava Flanell Show and founder of Elite Firearms & Training
Adam Kraut, SAF Executive Director
Alan Gottlieb, SAF founder and Executive Vice President and CCRKBA Chairman
AWR Hawkins, award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News
Of course there will be other speakers. The folks on this list are likely to draw the most attention, and as Insider gets the lowdown on other top tier speakers, you will read about it here. Registration for the 40th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) is open.
Flatlander Alert!
If you know someone from east of the Mississippi planning a vacation west of the river, take a few minutes to remind them the bison in Yellowstone National Park officially opened tourist season back in May.
KPAX news recently reported on a Yellowstone bull buffalo which gored a man from New Jersey who evidently didn’t get the memo about not getting too close to the dark, hairy cows. They ain’t cows, and they’re not housebroken.
The first casualty came back on May 7 when a man from Florida was gored for getting too close to a surly bison. Here’s some advice from a guy who grew up west of the Mississippi: Anytime you find yourself close to a large animal, give ‘em space. If it’s a bear or wolf, about the length of a football field ought to be about right.