The Supreme Court ruled that Americans' right to own guns for self-defense as well as hunting is constitutional -- the justices' first major pronouncement on gun rights in U.S. history. The court's correct 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. A great day for America! It needs to be pointed out, however, that our right to defend ourselves with arms does not come from the Constitution, but is a God-given right. The 2nd Amendment only prevents the government from infringing that inalienable individual right, which we already possess.

•James C. Green,

Cedar Hills