Alito’s draft Roe opinion has us marching, yelling, protesting. Yes.
In the back of my rage against the SCOTUS machine, I had a nagging small thought. Yesterday, after the soul-shattering racist mass murder in Buffalo, the thought became larger. And today, the thought has exploded.
Back in November, SCOTUS heard a case a couple of gun dudes brought against a gun club in New York. SCOTUSBlog covered the oral argument and wrote:
When Wednesday’s oral argument in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen drew to a close after roughly two hours of debate, it seemed likely that New York’s 108-year-old handgun-licensing law is in jeopardy. But the justices’ eventual ruling might be a narrow one focused on the New York law (and others like it), saving broader questions on the right to carry a gun outside the home for later.
The law requires anyone who wants a license to carry a concealed handgun to show “proper cause” for the license. Courts in New York have defined “proper cause” to require applicants to show a special need to defend themselves, rather than simply wanting to protect themselves or their property.
What will happen to his Supreme Court if — when — John Roberts can’t convince his religious pals that in this case, after what just happened in Buffalo, ignoring public sentiment, ignoring public opinion, ignoring the supreme rationality of us the public about guns would be vile and stupid beyond redemption?
I believe, as with Roe, New York — as well as the other sane, smart states — will ignore and/or bypass SCOTUS’s gun decision entirely and strengthen its own commitment to civil and human rights.
If killing Roe isn’t the death of the Supreme Court as it now stands, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, could be the coup de grâce.