(The Center Square) – With the outcome of Illinois’ gun and magazine ban separately up to the Illinois Supreme Court and a federal appeals court, the debate continues.
The Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals heard the case challenging state and local gun bans last month. Defending the law, Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Hunger said the ban on semi-automatic firearms is justified because of increased instances of gun violence.
“They are the perfect instrument for lone shooters with little to no training to take an assault weapon and large capacity magazines and murder people within minutes if not seconds,” Hunger said during oral arguments.
Reflecting on the hearing, gun rights advocate Rhonda Ezell said the issue isn’t about the gun. She said policymakers are soft on crime.
“‘Well, we don’t think incarceration is the answer,’ but yet you run to gun control that does nothing to stop the violence and it only affects law-abiding Americans and we’re not the ones that’s out here committing the crime,” Ezell said.
Last week in Highland Park, Illinois, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, said more gun control is needed.
“After Uvalde [Texas] last year, after Highland Park [Illinois] last year, Congress did do something,” Durbin said. “It’s not nearly enough, not nearly enough and it doesn’t address assault weapons which I think is one of the key elements here if we’re going to put an end to this gun violence.”
Psychiatrist Carole Lieberman said it’s not the gun that’s causing problems.
“A lot of people who are committing crimes, especially crimes where there is more than one person killed or injured, it does have to do with mental illness,” Lieberman said.
In St. Louis, KSDK TV reported private text messages from Mayor Tishaura Jones that said, “Chicago has strict gun laws … but that doesn’t deter gun violence.” She said: “it’s about investing in the people.”
Her office later said “gun laws are just part of the solution.”
It’s unclear when either the Illinois Supreme Court or the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will release their opinions in separate challenges.
