Supreme Court decision on Second Amendment hailed by NRA

Within the past hour, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Heller case. By a 5-4 margin, the court ruled in favor of private gun ownership as a protected activity. The five in favor were Antonin Scalia, who wrote the majority opinion, plus Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts. The dissenters: John Paul Stevens, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter.

Via AP:

"The basic issue for the justices was whether the amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns no matter what, or whether that right is somehow tied to service in a state militia. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that an individual right to bear arms is supported by "the historical narrative" both before and after the Second Amendment was adopted.

"The Constitution does not permit ‘the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home,’ Scalia said. The court also struck down Washington’s requirement that firearms be equipped with trigger locks or kept disassembled, but left intact the licensing of guns."