Chicago is well known for many things: Michael Jordan’s legendary basketball career, the most devoted baseball fan base in the country, top notch universities, the Sears Tower, windy-ness, and its ban on handguns. Made up words aside, this city will no longer be known for one of its namesakes (and this is a good thing).

On June 28, 2010 the Supreme Court of the United States formally ruled that Chicago’s ban on handguns is Unconstitutional. In a 5-4 split, the Court held that the Second Amendment not only applied to the Federal government, but State governments as well. This decision comes two years after the Heller v DC invalidating the DC’s prohibition of handguns. I’ll leave discussion of the legal merits of the case to those far more qualified than I, but I will comment as to what this means for the ideology of the current administration.

Having been raised “a good Southern boy” I’m still a little insulted at Obama’s “small town guns and religion” campaign remark. This landmark decision demonstrates that while the religion aspect of the gaff is still up for debate, the guns portion has been settled. While the Ivory Towers of the Ivy league and other arenas of academia have no need for firearms, the streets of the real world most certainly do. Study after study shows that less gun regulation means less crime. After all, knowing that there is a good chance your mugging will end in acute lead poisoning will make anyone think twice.

America was made possible by the bravery of our militia and the weapons they carried. America rose from the flames of revolution by grasping hold of the cold steel of a Flintlock Musket and never letting go. To deny an American the right to bear arms is treasonous. The American people look to none other than themselves to be the vanguard of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.