SCOTUS Allows ‘Assault Weapon’ Ban in Illinois

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SCOTUS Allows ‘Assault Weapon’ Ban in Illinois
Yesterday the Supreme Court allowed Illinois' ban on "assault weapons" to take effect temporarily while lower courts deliberate on its constitutional status. The Illinois law prohibits the sale and new possession of semi-automatic "assault weapons" and large capacity magazines, but those who already legally own such weapons would not have to turn them in. A gun shop owner in Illinois requested an injunction against the ban, which has been supported by the National Foundation for Gun Rights (NFGR), a legal group associated with the gun store.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit is currently considering the case, but its decision is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court. Hannah Hill, Executive Director of the NFGR, told Fox News, “Any action the Supreme Court would have taken at this point would only have been temporary and not on the merits of the case itself. Clearly, the Supreme Court is watching the issue closely and we look forward to appealing very soon on the merits if the 7th Circuit rules against us – as the signs currently point to.”

Cam Edwards at Bearing Arms writes, “This won’t be the last opportunity for the Court to weigh in, nor is it a slam dunk victory that assures Illinois’ ban will ultimately be upheld by the Court. Intervention by SCOTUS at such an early stage would have been fairly extraordinary, as Halbrook acknowledges, but given the fundamental rights at stake I think it still would have been merited. Unfortunately a majority of the Court disagrees and for now Illinois residents are still subjected to an ongoing deprivation of their Second Amendment rights.”

Majority of Americans Say AI is a Threat
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 61% of Americans view artificial intelligence (AI) as a threat to humanity's future, with only 22% disagreeing and 17% unsure. Those who voted for Trump in 2020 were more likely to see AI as a threat compared to Biden's voters. Evangelical Christians were also more likely to report higher concerns about AI, with 32% saying they "strongly agree" with humankind being threatened by AI. The Hill reported, “The rise of AI programs, like ChatGPT, has prompted concerns among lawmakers and experts about the potential negative effects of the emerging technology. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and a group of technology experts called for a six-month pause in advanced AI development earlier this year, warning that the technology could pose ‘risks to society.’”