Eagleionline

In late June, the Supreme Court handed down what may be regarded as one of the most controversial decisions this decade when it ruled that the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms was an individual right in District of Columbia v. Heller.

Surprisingly, there is little controversy as to the opinions expressed by BC Law’s two constitutional law groups, the American Constitutional Society (ACS) and the Federalist Society, which often hold diametrically opposite views.

In fact, both of the organization’s leaders offered praise for Justice Scalia’s majority (5-4) opinion.  ACS President Austin Evers ‘09 noted “Justice Scalia’s opinion is a fine, plausible exercise in constitutional interpretation,” while Federalist Society President Guillaume Buell ‘09 was a bit more effusive in his praise, calling the opinion “brilliantly written, brilliantly reasoned.”

Both leaders also expressed a need for gun control, with Buell applauding “the Court’s recognition of the need for reasonable restrictions on gun ownership - such as keeping them out of the hands of felons.” Evers agreed, noting that “it will be a challenge to craft laws that are able to limit gun ownership to its newly minted constitutional bounds, but it is incumbent upon us to find a way.”

To read the Court’s opinion, click here.  To hear the oral arguments, including Justice Scalia’s reference to
Blackstone, click here.