The highest court in the land says that Congress overstepped its boundswhen it required the nation's police to do background checks on handgunbuyers, as stated in the Brady law.
However, since1995, North Carolina state law has required criminal history checks forpeoplebuying pistols. Police officers, like Sergeant Jeff Winstead of the N.C.Highway Patrol, seem to like the idea.
Kim McCaskill supports the state's background checks. She believes thateven though the system may not be perfect, it's better than nothing.
The decision came in a 5-4 vote of the court's nine members.Some people believe the justices have lost touch with the country'sproblems,and they point to the Brady decision as evidence. What problems? BarbaraBarnett of Raleigh says that the justices should just look down thestreet.
Some folks say that background checks mean little. Many believe that thechecks only add up to more paperwork for law-abiding citizens. They saythat criminals will find a way to get guns, regardless of the laws thatgovern them.
State and local officials can still voluntarily do background checks. 26states besides North Carolina already require them.
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