A federal court has made a critical ruling related to the Second Amendment and the concept of self-defense. The decision strikes at the heart of California laws intended to limit one’s ability to protect themselves against violent criminals.

Judge Roger Benitez handed down a ruling in the case of Fouts v. Bonta on Friday, striking down a ban on citizens possessing or carrying billy clubs and other forms of less lethal weaponry. In his decision, Benitez questioned the legality of the statute, which criminalized Californians simply for owning a billy club, a tool that is commonly used by members of law enforcement, but is also used by civilians for personal defense.

“Americans have an individual right to keep and bear arms, whether firearms or less lethal arms,” the judge wrote, also arguing that “The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution ‘guarantee[s] the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation.’”

The ruling underscores a fundamental tenet of American liberty: The right to keep and bear arms. It is commonly assumed that this only refers to carrying firearms, but the reality is that it protects one’s right to possess the means by which someone can protect life and property. In this case, it allows people to use alternatives to guns to safeguard themselves and others.

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Source: Jeff Charles, redstate.com/jeffc/2024/02/25/federal-judge-clobbers-californias-silly-ban-on-billy-clubs-in-devastating-ruling-n2170556