WTAF?
A federal court in Fort Worth on Thursday struck down a Texas prohibition that limited adults under 21 from carrying handguns.
Texas law bars most 18- to 20-year-olds in the state from obtaining a license to carry a handgun or carrying a handgun for self-defense outside their homes. Two plaintiffs, who fall within that age range, and the Firearms Policy Coalition Inc., filed a lawsuit against the state to challenge the statute. The suit says the Texas law prevented the plaintiffs from traveling with a handgun between Parker, Fannin and Grayson counties, where they lived, worked and went to school.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman wrote that the Second Amendment does not specify an age limit and protects adults under 21 years old.
“Based on the Second Amendment’s text, as informed by Founding-Era history and tradition, the Court concludes that the Second Amendment protects against this prohibition,” Pittman wrote in the ruling.
The order will not go into immediate effect. Pittman stayed the ruling for 30 days pending appeal.
I didn’t know this lawsuit existed; it was filed last November, apparently. The under-21 law is nothing new, I guess it was just a matter of someone deciding that now was the time to sue. I find the reasoning specious – if there’s no age limit in the constitution, then why allow the restriction for anyone under 18 as well? Sure, there are plenty of laws restricting other things that minors may want to buy, but if we are talking about Our Sacred God-Given Unalienable Right To Own Guns, then who cares about that? Eighteen is just as arbitrary as 21 when you get right down to it.
The ruling is on hold pending appeal, and I have questions about whether it actually will get appealed. Do you expect Greg Abbott and Ken Paxton to want to appeal this, and to have their hearts in it if they do? Color me suspicious. We’ll see what happens next.
https://mailchi.mp/houstontx/mayor-turner-haley-carter-respond-to-court-ruling-on-handgun-prohibition?e=6b50b659fa