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The Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals heard the case
challenging state and local gun bans last month. Defending the
law, Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Hunger said the ban on
semi-automatic firearms is justified because of increased
instances of gun violence.
“They are the perfect instrument for lone shooters with little
to no training to take an assault weapon and large capacity
magazines and murder people within minutes if not seconds,”
Hunger said during oral arguments.
Reflecting on the hearing, gun rights advocate Rhonda Ezell said
the issue isn’t about the gun. She said policymakers are soft on
crime.
“‘Well, we don’t think incarceration is the answer,’ but yet you
run to gun control that does nothing to stop the violence and it
only affects law-abiding Americans and we’re not the ones that’s
out here committing the crime,” Ezell said.
Last week in Highland Park, Illinois, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin,
D-Springfield, said more gun control is needed.
“After Uvalde [Texas] last year, after Highland Park [Illinois]
last year, Congress did do something,” Durbin said. “It’s not
nearly enough, not nearly enough and it doesn’t address assault
weapons which I think is one of the key elements here if we’re
going to put an end to this gun violence.”
Psychiatrist Carole Lieberman said it’s not the gun that’s
causing problems.
“A lot of people who are committing crimes, especially crimes
where there is more than one person killed or injured, it does
have to do with mental illness,” Lieberman said.
In St. Louis, KSDK TV reported private text messages from Mayor
Tishaura Jones that said, “Chicago has strict gun laws … but
that doesn’t deter gun violence.” She said: “it’s about
investing in the people.”
Her office later said “gun laws are just part of the solution.”
It’s unclear when either the Illinois Supreme Court or the
Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will release their
opinions in separate challenges.
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