Liberty & Justice for All: A Response to Newtown

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JANUARY 9, 2013 Response to Newtown: Addressing a Complex Issue Americans of all political and philosophical convictions have grieved over the killing of innocent schoolchildren and adults in Newtown, Connecticut. In responding to this attack, we must consider with great care how to proceed to protect precious lives in a way that is consistent with our laws and traditions. "The serious work to make society safer and stronger after events like the December 2012 Newtown massacre requires that constitutional and complex cultural factors be taken into consideration and that policy be based on a serious study of all of the evidence," write two Heritage experts in a new Backgrounder. John Malcolm, a senior legal fellow in the Center for Legal & Judicial Studies, and Jennifer Marshall, director of domestic policy studies and director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, raise issues to guide that serious study, with key principles regarding the following: The constitutional importance of the Second Amendment and evidence on the effectiveness of gun laws School safety Risks of violence related to serious mental illness The significance of cultural factors and the roles of families and communities Media production, consumption, and the First Amendment Malcolm and Marshall remind us that “The constitutional right to keep and bear arms is an individual right that is fundamental to a free society, which depends, ultimately, on personal responsibility.” They write: Americans must implement appropriate solutions in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution, including the Second Amendment guarantee of the right to keep and bear arms, the traditional role of the states in our federal system, and the central significance of family. See the full report >> What do you think is the best course of action? Let us know on our blog >>  Roe at 40: Enduring Victories and Challenges for the Pro-Life Movement Mandatory Voter Registration: The Threat to Election Integrity of "Universal" Registration Standing Filibuster Would Cause More Senate Delays Transparency in Government: Finding Out How Much the Government's Mistakes Are Costing Us VIDEO: Dick DeVos on Unions and Michigan’s New Right-to-Work Law   Virginia Department of Transportation v. EPA The Vote Integrity Case Virginia won a significant victory against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on January 3. A federal district court in Virginia ruled in favor of the state in a dispute over stormwater runoff. As Virginai Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said, the "EPA was literally treating water itself—the very substance the Clean Water Act was created to protect—as a pollutant." Read the rest of the story >>   The Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy organization. Heritage created the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies in 2001 to educate government officials, the media and the public about the Constitution, legal principles and how they affect public policy. The Heritage Foundation | 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 | 202.546.4400 | heritage.org