The "Love Gov" Hates On SCOTUS 2A Case

Mike Groll/Office of Governor of Andrew M. Cuomo via AP

Governor Andrew Cuomo has been a thorn in the side of gun rights for quite some time. His push is directly responsible for many banks severing ties with companies within the firearm industry, and he’s proud of that fact. He also took on the NRA and is likely, at least in part, behind the company’s current legal woes.

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Now, though, gun laws in his state are up for review before a Supreme Court that has every indication of being very pro-gun. Needless to say, he has thoughts.

The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear an appeal to expand gun rights in the U.S., in a New York case over the right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense.

Governor Cuomo released a statement regarding the appeal saying in part quote “This NRA-backed case is a massive threat to that security. Imagine someone carrying a gun through Times Square, onto the subway, or to a tailgate outside of a Bills game.”

Oh, he doesn’t care about security in the least. If he did, he wouldn’t have shoved COVID-positive patients back into nursing homes, killing an untold number of people in the process.

However, let’s point out a few things that the governor is failing to note.

First, people are already carrying a gun through Times Square. The only difference is that right now, those are only the criminals. Good guys in Times Square are defenseless. The same for the Bills games or the subway.

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In fact, in many other states, people are carrying guns in all of those places, and guess what happened? Nothing. Nothing at all. None of these law-abiding citizens are pulling out their guns and shooting innocent people.

That fact is pretty shocking to Cuomo, I’m sure, but it’s the truth.

Cuomo’s statement is interesting in that he’s generally talking about places that are public. Arguably, the Bills game isn’t, but the subway or Times Square? That’s out in public, the very place someone would want to lawfully carry a firearm. What Cuomo is saying is that people shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun anywhere.

Of course, that’s hardly surprising. If people could carry guns, sexually harassing one’s female employees (allegedly) might be met with a lot more resistance than some uncomfortable laughs.

My sincere hope is that the Supreme Court essentially overturns all “may issue” laws and requires states to go to shall-issue. While I’d prefer them to say that permits are unconstitutional, I don’t think we’re likely to see that, even from this Supreme Court. However, I think we all know that Cuomo and company are unhappy the Court decided to hear this case because he knows he’s going to lose.

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Needless to say, this will spark some lawmakers beating the court-packing drum even harder, but unless something strange happens in the midterms, I don’t see that happening. Likely, neither does SCOTUS.

Frankly, I’m glad to see them finally take up a Second Amendment case. With luck, this one will just be the first of many as the Court makes it a point to defend the right to keep and bear arms and make it clear that it’s not up for grabs.

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