When it comes to denying a certain group of Americans a constitutional right, there are few examples as egregious as the infringement upon the Second Amendment rights of adults aged 18 to 20 years old. While considering them adults in every other way, the government apparently considers them second-class citizens, banning them from purchasing certain guns because of the size of those firearms—namely handguns.
Now, lawmakers in Oklahoma are set to do something about this infringement. A measure that would lower the age to purchase a handgun in the state was passed by the State Powers Committee on Thursday by a 6-to-1 vote along partisan lines.
Unlike many pieces of legislation Senate Bill 1218 is just one page long, straightforward and simple in nature. The measure, by Republican state Sen. David Bullard, states: “No person eighteen (18) years or older within this state shall be denied the purchase of a firearm based on his or her age unless otherwise prohibited by state law.”
Republican Rep. Jay Steagall, House sponsor of the bill, said the measure is designed to get rid of discrimination against young adults.
“A federal judge out in West Virginia has ruled that the ban on purchases of firearms for individuals between the ages of 18 and 20 is unconstitutional,” Steagall said during debate on the measure.
Oklahoma is not alone in this fight, as similar laws are being considered—and some adjudicated—in a number of states. In fact, some courts have, indeed, found infringements on the rights of young adults to be unconstitutional. One case—Hirschfeld v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives—revolved around an 18-year-old Virginia woman who filed for and received a restraining order against her violent ex. In her desperation to try to keep the man from hurting or even killing her, she went to her local gun shop, only to be told she couldn’t purchase a handgun to protect herself because of federal law.
The opinion explaining the 2-1 decision in favor of the plaintiffs was well reasoned and to the point.
“When do constitutional rights vest?” Circuit Court Judge Julius Richardson wrote in the ruling. “At 18 or 21? 16 or 25? Why not 13 or 33? In the law, a line must sometimes be drawn. But there must be a reason why constitutional rights cannot be enjoyed until a certain age. Our nation’s most cherished constitutional rights vest no later than 18. And the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms is no different.”
While that was a major victory, it was all for naught. Only a few months later the same judge threw out the decision because the plaintiffs in the case had reached age 21 so were no longer being unconstitutionally infringed!
Incidentally, the effort to infringe 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds of their Second Amendment right is also occurring at the federal level. Even President Joe Biden is making a concerted effort to clamp down on the right to keep and bear arms of these young adults—considered qualified to practice their other rights.
In fact, in a speech last year the president specifically mentioned adults in this age group when pushing to ban so-called “assault weapons.” “If we can’t ban assault weapons, as we should, we must at least raise the age to be able to purchase one to 21,” Biden said.
And he’s not alone. In a 50-point action wish list released last December by the Violence Policy Center, infringing on the rights of 18- to 20-year-olds was high on the list. “The goal on both the state and federal levels should be a ban on the possession of long guns and handguns for those under the age of 21,” VPC stated in the report.
VPC then suggested the possibility of making the age even higher than 21 to purchase some firearms the group considers especially evil.
Since it is mostly democrats pushimg for delayed rights, how about this… you must be the same age to vote for a democrat running for any office in your state as the age to purchase a handgun is. Not 21 or 25 or twenty-whatever? – sorry, no votes for you.
Though I understand your sentiment, your suggestion is punitive towards our youth. Since it is highly unlikely the military would support raising the age of enlistment/selective service your thoughts are equally unlikely, though I guess sarcastic in nature. However, I wonder why there would be any age restriction upon the purchase and ownership of firearms as it had been for over 200 years.
Progressives want to lower the voting age to then justify lowering or eliminating the age of consent.
I wonder what historical tradition of laws preventing youth from procuring and owning firearms at any age would one pull out of a hat? Likely none. The entire problem with all of these “conditions” is they each are an infringement, period. All must go. No background checks. No serial number requirements. No magazine limits. No NFA!
Largely I see those issues as lawsuits for free states to bring as there is not as much other nonsense to untangle like the Bruen region. With that said do want to see BATF end up as a drive through chain with vending machine franchises.
OK: Lawmakers Advance Measure To Let 18- to 20-Year-Olds Buy Handguns
Does anyone else take exception to the use of the term “let” when describing a natural, civil, and Constitutionally protected right?
… restore the rights of 18-20 year-olds.
But there must be a reason why constitutional rights cannot be enjoyed until a certain age.
Really? What other rights would this judge deny our youth? Beat them into confession? Prevent them from engaging in civil discourse? Stop them from going to church? All he is doing is the very same thing Thomas complained about – Stop treating the 2nd Amendment like a 2nd class right.
You mean I’m not old enough to own a gun?
Nobody said you can’t have a gun, you just cant have a gun in city limits.
The Law May Be On Your Side, But Prosecutors Probably Aren’t > https://www.shootingnewsweekly.com/2024/04/15/the-law-may-be-on-your-side-but-prosecutors-probably-arent/
“This evidences that prosecutors — and this is not true of simply this prosecutor, prosecutors all over the country — this guy is disappointed that he won’t be able to potentially put these 14 human beings in cages because they’re going to be found justified as acts of self-defense. So that says to me, he’s not looking for, ‘Oh, I wanna do justice.’ He’s looking for convictions. And that’s a problem with self-defense-laws all over the country and the way that they’re enforced.
— Emily Taylor in Prosecutors Hate Self-Defense”
Old enough to vote, serve your country and sign contracts? Old enough to exercise all of your human and civil rights without asking for permission.
Cool. I have cousins living in Oklahoma. Young gat owners & the center of pot in America😀🙄
I know we here understand the dynamics of this insanity, but here is how really dumb it is in practice.
When my daughter turned 18 she could go to the range with her 10/22, buy ammo, and shoot. If she showed up with her Beretta .22 pistol, she would be turned away.
An 18 year old joins the Navy, gets married, procreates, and then deploys for 6 months. He is prevented from buying a pistol so his wife has protection in his absence.
Unless Gun Control zealots can guarantee all citizens will not be beaten, stabbed, raped, ran over, kidnapped, murdered, etc. then Gun Control zealots can go pound sand and criminals can think twice.
What is the actual effect of this law? The state doesn’t have the authority to tell its FFLs to disregard ATF regulations.
We are trying to fix that FFL problem too.
The federal government officials, or those parading in that capacity, only use age when it benefits them or their agenda. They decided individuals are not “adults” and capable of making their own decisions. Yet they will not agree on what age that is. For example, the age to drink is 21. The age to buy tobacco is 21. The age to vote is 18. The age to join the military is 18 unless they are signed for by a guardian. Want to watch a movie? PG, PG-13, R all age based on the “maturity” of the individual watching the contents of the movie. Deciding whether to change their sex or declare themselves trans anything or identify as something other than what they are? Single digit number. Their brain has not even fully formed nor have they the information they need to make an “informed” decision. People do not mature at the same age. Some never do, because of stupid decisions they are allowed to make at a young age.
I am as pro2 as anyone out there. I think we could allow them to purchase but require them
To obtain the LTC as a precondition for 18-19-20s
Then NO you are not. CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY.
Despite the Federal violation of rights, Missouri adults have always been able to privately purchase handguns or receive them by gift. No problemo.
Stingy davey…
I think there should be age restrictions on old fcks.
Like after the age of, ohh, 68, you can no longer own a gunm.
LOL a free Hunt/Fish pass but no gunms.
America
If the legislature changes the age for handgun purchase to 18 then the liberals cannot use the number of 18,19,20 year old gang banger shooters as “children” in their phoney reports.