Nevada ACLU Supports The Individual Right To Bear Arms

Breaking from the national ACLU flock, the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has announced it supports the individual right to keep and bear arms.

"The Nevada ACLU has declared its support for an individual’s right to bear arms, apparently making it the first state affiliate in the nation to buck the national organization’s position on the Second Amendment.

"The state board of directors reached the decision this month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects the rights of individuals to own handguns.

“The Nevada ACLU respects the individual’s right to bear arms subject to constitutionally permissible regulations,” a statement on the organization’s Web site said. “The ACLU of Nevada will defend this right as it defends other constitutional rights.”

“This was the consensus,” said Allen Lichtenstein, general counsel for ACLU of Nevada. “There really wasn’t a lot of dissent.”

Of course, such a position puts the organization at odds with the national ACLU. In fact, the national organization issued a statement saying it disagrees with Heller.

"The New York City-based ACLU disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling, saying in a statement that it interprets the Second Amendment as a collective right to own guns and not an individual one.

“In our view, neither the possession of guns nor the regulation of guns raises a civil liberties issue,” according to the position on its Web page."

It does not raise a civil liberties issue? Sadly, their position reminds me of the old joke about how an ACLU lawyer counts to 10: "1, 3, 4, 5, 6, . . . . ."

Good for you, Nevada ACLU, for thinking with a brain. Its refreshing.

h/t to Alphecca