By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court disappointed gun rights groups Monday, refusing to consider whether the U.S. Constitution guarantees people a personal right to own a gun.
The court has never said if the right to “keep and bear arms” applies to individuals.
Although the Bush administration has endorsed individual gun-ownership rights, it did not encourage the justices to resolve the issue in this case involving a challenge of California laws banning high-powered weapons.
Many other groups wanted the court to take the politically charged case, including the National Rife Association, the Pink Pistols, a group of gay and lesbian gun owners; the Second Amendment Sisters; Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws; and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.
“Citizens need the Second Amendment for protection of their families, homes and businesses,” California lawyer Gary Gorski wrote in the appeal filed on behalf of his rugby teammates and friends.
The challengers included a police special weapons officer, a Purple Heart recipient, a former Marine sniper, a parole officer, a stockbroker and others with varied political views.
Timothy Rieger, California’s deputy attorney general, said the case involved regulations on “rapid-fire rifles and pistols that have been used on California’s school grounds to kill children.” Even if the challengers won, there are virtually identical national assault weapons restrictions passed by Congress, he told the court.
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”