The Heller Ruling, Five Years On

Five years ago, the Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller. By a 5–4 vote, the Court ruled that the strict gun‐​control laws in the nation’s capital—which amounted to a complete ban on any usable weapon for self‐​protection, even in the home—were unconstitutional. The Court finally confronted a long‐​simmering controversy over the scope of the Second Amendment and declared that, yes, that amendment does secure an individual the right to keep and bear arms. Now, five years later, with gun controls being debated both in the Congress and state legislatures, it is a good time to assess the impact of the Heller precedent. Please join us for a wide‐​ranging discussion of the Second Amendment, self‐​defense, and the right to keep and bear arms.