“Our Core Second Amendment Rights”: Part I

Originally posted August 8, 2013.

Over four decades ago, I met Cato Institute Chairman Bob Levy. Bob and I were both associated with a New York-based institutional research and trading firm. In recent years, Bob became chairman of the Cato Institute. Since then Debbie and I have become closely involved with Cato thanks to Bob and also to our friend and Cato co-founder Ed Crane.

Bob Levy was co-counsel in the landmark Supreme Court case, District of Columbia vs. Heller. In Cato’s most recent Quarterly Message on Liberty, Bob has provided a fact-filled, compelling argument for the Second Amendment. In my multi-part mini series, I want to share a few of Bob’s comments with you. The Supreme Court declared in both Heller and McDonald that the right to bear arms is considered a fundamental right. Regarding so-called assault weapons, Bob writes, “Criminals do not typically use assault rifles. They use handguns. As assault weapons are expensive and very difficult to conceal. And even if they were to reinstitute the ban, (assault rifles), we would be unable to deal with the number of these guns already owned.”

More Second Amendment thoughts from Bob Levy in part II.