Handgun-Sales Age Requirement Upheld by Court in NRA Suit

[Purveyor]

April 30 (Bloomberg) -– A U.S. law that prohibits federally licensed dealers from selling handguns to buyers under the age of 21 was upheld by an appeals court in a lawsuit brought by the National Rifle Association.

The NRA sued the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in 2010 on claims the federal ban violated the constitutional rights of more than 11,000 NRA members who were 18 and older, though still younger than the federal minimum.

Government lawyers convinced a U.S. judge in Lubbock, Texas, that the ban didn’t violate younger NRA members’ Second Amendment right to bear arms or Fifth Amendment guarantee of equal protection. The U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans yesterday agreed in a 41-page revised opinion.

“Congress designed its scheme to solve a particular problem: violent crime associated with the trafficking of handguns from federal firearms licensees to young adults,” U.S. Circuit Judge Edward C. Prado wrote on behalf of the three- member appeals panel.
“Congress could have sought to prohibit all persons under 21 from possessing handguns -– or all guns, for that matter,” Prado said. “But Congress deliberately adopted a calibrated, compromise approach.”

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-30/handgun-sales-age-requirement-upheld-by-appeals-court.html

[kysrsoze]

1. If those under 21 are deemed not responsible enough to drink, what genius thinks this is a good idea

Oh yeah... of course, it's the NRA (gun manufacturer lobbyist group).

I'd rather see the drinking age lowered. I fear a society where an 18 y/o can buy a handgun. I've never been a gun freak, but I know how irresponsible I was at 18. This suit is just sheer stupidity.

[oldhippie]

3. But they can buy rifles and shotguns .....

.... and enter into binding contracts.

[kysrsoze]

4. I don't even agree with that, but at least they're much more difficult to conceal

You'll never convince me or anyone with a degree of reason it's a great thing to allow teens to buy handguns.

The legal contract issue is a false equivalence. In general, legal contracts are much less likely to get anyone killed. You'd be more convincing in comparing to booze, but even that's a stretch.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

11. 16 year olds can drive and 18 year olds can enlist in the military

[JaneyVee]

2. What was the NRA going for, 11 yrs old?

[Jenoch]

6. Read the second paragraph.

[hack89]

5. But 18 year olds can legally buy rifles, including AR-15s. nt

[kysrsoze]

7. But no one, regardless of age, can buy lawn Jarts. My constitutional rights are being trampled!

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. Take your damn toys and get off my lawn!

Go play with your stupid guns.

[Eleanors38]

9. No real objection to this decision. nt

[gopiscrap]

10. fucking gun lobby