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Thursday, October 10, 2024 - 03:05 PM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

SCOTUS Delivers Wins for Conservatives

After what feels like the longest year under the Biden administration, the Supreme Court finally delivered conservatives solid WINS through strong constitution-based decisions! Rulings on gun rights, religious freedom, and of course the most important issue — the right to life — resulted in righting wrongs and sending the left into a tizzy.

Last week, SCOTUS struck down a restrictive gun law in the state of New York. Not only did New Yorkers have to apply for a license to carry a gun outside of their home, but they had to give a “proper cause” to do so. After two residents were denied a permit after citing “self-defense,” the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association sought to uphold their Constitutional rights. The 6-3 decision puts similar laws in eight other states and the District of Columbia at risk of being overturned. Gun Owners of America Senior Vice President Erich Pratt issued this statement:

This is a tremendous victory for all American gun owners who cherish their God-given right to protect themselves and their families. At GOA, we proudly fight to overturn restrictive gun laws, and we are excited to see may-issue concealed carry laws permanently relegated to the history books. After all, allowing the government to decide which citizens are permitted to carry a firearm outside the home downgrades our God-given rights to mere privileges. This is why the Second Amendment says our right to keep and bear firearms ‘shall not be infringed!

Ironically, Biden signed a gun control bill the same week. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was spurred by the school shootings in Uvalde, Texas even though the measure did little to prevent these situations. Instead, it incentivizes states to create “red flag” laws without the necessary due process protections, forces private sellers into the category of gun dealers, and creates a new category of individuals who are prohibited from purchasing a firearm. The bill easily passed both chambers with 15 Republican Senators and 14 Republican House members voting in favor.

After protecting the Second Amendment, the Court defended Americans right to religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. As laid out in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, Coach Joseph Kennedy was fired in 2008 for kneeling to pray on the field after football games. Eagle Forum joined an amicus brief drafted by former Vice President Mike Pence in favor of Coach Kennedy’s right to religious expression. Fortunately, the Court agreed in their 6-3 ruling. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion:

Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse republic – whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head. Here, a government entity sought to punish an individual for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance doubly protected by the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment.

Of course, we have saved the best for last! Roe v. Wade will not see its 50th birthday! In the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Court not only upheld Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban in another 6-3 ruling, but clearly overturned Roe by stating that there is no constitutional right to abortion in the United States of America. The decision ultimately gives the ability to regulate abortion to the people through their democratically elected representatives. Immediately after the decision, trigger laws restricting abortion in 13 states went into effect. Governors in other states, like Virginia, are calling for pro-life legislation. Eagle Forum’s President Kris Ullman stated:

Today’s Supreme Court Ruling upholding the Mississippi 15-week abortion ban is a victory for women and their preborn babies. Our work is not over, but a new phase in the fight for life is just beginning. We will continue to advocate for strong pro-life laws and resources for women who are facing unexpected pregnancies.

Eagle Forum will continue to advocate for the policies needed to protect all human life. We have created a toolkit that has every resource you will need to advance strong state and federal policies needed to protect life. In order for a post-Roe society to be successful, we need our elected officials to be pro-life. Check out our website to learn how you can be instrumental in creating a pro-life majority in both the United States House and Senate.