U.S. District Chief Judge Thomas S. Kleeh determined that there is no historical precedent for Washington to prohibit 18-to-20-year-olds from purchasing handguns. His determination was based on last year’s monumental Supreme Court Bruen decision, which established a high bar for gun regulation.
Young Americans who are old enough to put their lives on the line for the country are certainly of age to exercise their right to keep and bear arms.
Judge Kleeh wrote in Brown v. ATF, “Because Plaintiff’s conduct — the purchase of handguns — falls within the Second Amendment’s unqualified command and the challenged statutes and regulations are not consistent with the Nation’s historic tradition of firearm regulation,” the court determined the federal law to be “facially unconstitutional and as applied to Plaintiffs.”
The Bruen decision directly led to several federal and state statutes being deemed unconstitutional, and last week’s ruling was yet another victory for gun rights advocates.
The decision means that, for the first time in decades, young adults under 21 may purchase handguns from federally licensed dealers. The ruling went into effect immediately, though there was no word on a government appeal.
The Second Amendment Foundation, which brought the case to federal court, celebrated the significant triumph.
Executive Director Adam Kraut called the decision “a huge victory for Second Amendment rights, especially for young adults.” He noted the Justice Department argued that those in this age group are not true adults, “which was patently ludicrous.”
Kraut further observed that historical evidence does not exist backing up the assertion a ban on handgun purchases and ownership by young adults is necessary. In fact, history shows quite the opposite as young people in this age group “serve in the militia, the military and take on other responsibilities.”
This victory marks yet another win against the forces that seek to strip away gun rights. The tide is turning.
