BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation has filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking an injunction against a section of California’s penal code that prohibits young adults, ages 18-20 from purchasing or acquiring firearms.
SAF is joined by the California Gun Rights Foundation, Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc., PWGG, LP., North County Shooting Center, Inc., Beebe Family Arms and Munitions, LLC and three private citizens all within the affected age group at the time the lawsuit was filed. The case is known as Jones v. Becerra.
As noted in the court documents, the California statute “categorically bars them from purchasing or acquiring all semi-automatic centerfire rifles based solely on their age. Taken in combination with existing state and federal laws barring 18-to-20-year-olds from acquiring handguns, the result of the challenged provision is that the vast majority of firearms—including the firearms most useful for self-defense—are now off-limits to law-abiding Californians in this age bracket. That age-based firearm ban must be enjoined, for the Second Amendment takes such a draconian infringement of the right to keep and bear arms ‘off the table.’”
“We’re challenging this law because it clearly violates the Second and Fourteenth amendment rights of young adults,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “When a citizen turns 18 years old in this country, he or she is considered a legal adult, free to exercise their rights under the Constitution, and that certainly should include the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.”
“The Jones case and our other lawsuits challenging age-based bans are about fighting for the rights of America’s young adults, protecting the rights and liberties of future generations, and restoring the Second Amendment for all individuals,” said FPC President Brandon Combs.
The 82-page brief was filed by attorneys David H. Thompson, Peter A. Patterson, John D. Ohlendorf, and Haley N. Proctor of the Washington, DC-based firm Cooper & Kirk PLLC.
About SAF
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
I am of an age where this is dejavu, back in the 60’s, this same debate was going on with a slightly different focus but dam close, I’m talking about voting rights for 18yr olds. In 72 when congress was debating the rights of 18yr olds to vote the fur was flying hot and heavy at our house, my brother-in-law was in the navy, my brother was in the air force in Thailand and at 18 I had a shiny new draft card with the #69 on it. My dad was a Reagan Democrat with degrees in Poly Sci and History and I was a Nixon Republican in favor of the war, at that time, I would change my mind, my dad and I would argue for hours, his attitude was that I was too young to appreciate the issues my final position was as follows: Sorry Dad but if you can park my ass in a jungle around the world to get shot at then I should be able to vote for the people making those decisions, remember that whole representative republic thing.
Well the only difference to now is that the Army is all volunteer and again we are asking our young to defend the country with sophisticated arms but can’t defend the their house with a handgun
This is definitely BULLSHIT!! And now the COA just said open OR concealed carry is against the law in 5 states!!!! WTF!! THEY ARE COMING FAST FOR OUR GUNS FOLKS!!! Hide em and Hide em GOOD along with 1000s of rounds of ammo!! Because WE’RE GOING TO NEED THEM!!!!
Such bullshit! You won’t let them buy a gun at 18, but you will send them to die in some far off land with no problem! If you are going to possibly give these 18 year olds a death sentence, should they not have some of the privileges that should come with that responsibility and burden? Hypocritical bastards!
So, let’s make everything at the age of 21….driver’s license, work, alcohol, tobacco, selective service, vote. Let’s see how “they” like the lose of revenue from our up and coming younger generation in car registration, up keep, and up grades. With the lose of income taxes, high sales taxes on certain produces, with going overseas, and with their voice in keeping “them” in office.