VOA标准英语2008年-US Supreme Court Rules Americans Have Right to

For the first time in history, the U.S. Supreme¹ Court has issued a definitive² ruling on the right of Americans to own guns. A five-to-four majority of the court ruled that individual citizens have the right to own firearms, and in the process it struck down a 32-year-old ban on handguns in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has more on the high court's landmark³ ruling from Washington.

Writing for the five-member court majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said the Second Amendment⁴ to the U.S. Constitution does protect the rights of individuals to own firearms for personal use.

Legal scholars have long debated whether the Second Amendment guaranteed the right of individuals to possess firearms, or if it merely applied⁵ to state militias⁶.

Attorney Alan Gura says the high court's historic ruling makes it clear that individuals do have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Gura represented a Washington, D.C. resident who wanted the city's 32-year-old ban on handguns struck down.

"People do have an individual right to keep and bear arms, that is very important to remember. That means that the government cannot ban handguns, it cannot regulate guns out of existence. We feel today is a fantastic day for liberty once again," Gura said.
　
Dick Anthony Heller, who won court case overturning US handgun restrictions⁷, speaks in front of US Supreme Court, 26 Jun 2008

Gura represented security guard Dick Heller. Heller lives in a high-crime section of Washington and challenged the city's handgun ban so he could defend himself.

"I am very pleased to have been able to take this case, with help from my attorneys, all the way to the highest court in the land. And I am very happy that now I am able to defend myself and my household in my own home," Heller said.

Among those welcoming the high court's decision was President Bush. The White House issued a statement saying the president strongly agrees with the court's majority opinion.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain also praised the decision as a landmark victory for freedom in the United States.

Democratic candidate Barack Obama issued a statement that said the court decision will provide guidance to local communities trying to balance the rights of gun owners with the need to protect citizens in high crime areas of the country.

The four Supreme Court justices in the minority who wanted to uphold the handgun ban argued that striking down the Washington, D.C. law would open up other gun control statutes⁸ to constitutional challenges.

Gun control advocates were disappointed but not surprised by the Supreme Court ruling.

'We are obviously disappointed and disagree with the majority opinion. This takes off the idea that you can have a near total ban on guns, especially guns for self-defense,' said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence.

But Helmke noted⁹ that in his majority opinion, Justice Scalia said that although the court recognizes an individual right to bear arms, that right is not unlimited¹⁰.

"It is clear that what the court did today was that they limited the extremes. They said that you can no longer have near total prohibitions¹¹ on guns, but they also said you can have reasonable restrictions on guns," he said.

In his opinion, Scalia said the ruling should not be used to cast doubt on existing gun control laws that keep guns out of the hands of convicted criminals and the mentally ill, and prevent weapons from being carried into schools and government buildings.

Gura says Thursday's Supreme Court decision will have far-reaching legal ramifications¹² for government attempts to enact¹³ new gun control measures.

"We are not going to see the end of instant background checks. We are not going to see the end of the ban on felons¹⁴ or lunatics having guns. But, when the government regulates guns, it has to remember that it is potentially stepping on an important individual right and it is going to be made to respect that right," he said

The high court last took up the issue of the Second Amendment and gun ownership in 1939, but legal scholars say the court at that time did not directly settle the question of whether individual citizens have a right to bear arms.

　

 

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

3 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

4 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

5 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

6 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 statutes   

成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程

参考例句：

• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

11 prohibitions   

禁令，禁律( prohibition的名词复数 )； 禁酒； 禁例

参考例句：

• Nowadays NO PARKING is the most ubiquitous of prohibitions. 今天，“NO PARKING”（禁止停车），几乎成了到处可见的禁止用语了。
• Inappropriate, excessive or capricious administration of aversive stimulation has led to scandals, lawsuits and prohibitions. 不恰当的、过度的或随意滥用厌恶性刺激会引起人们的反感、控告与抵制。

12 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

14 felons   

n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎

参考例句：

• Aren't those the seats they use for transporting convicted felons? 这些坐位不是他们用来押运重犯的吗？ 来自电影对白
• House Republicans talk of making felons out of the undocumented and those who help them. 众议院共和党议员正商议对未登记的非法移民以及包庇他们的人课以重罪。 来自互联网