Massachusetts Tells 20-Year-Olds They're Too Young for Constitutional Rights

Well, folks, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court just told 18, 19, and 20-year-olds that their Second Amendment rights don't kick in until they hit 21. This is getting ridiculous.

In Commonwealth v. Thomson, the court upheld the state's ban on issuing handgun carry licenses to anyone under 21. Here's the kicker — the guy in this case was a passenger in a car that ran a red light, fled on foot, and tossed a loaded gun. Not exactly the poster child for responsible gun ownership. But that's not the point. The point is that Massachusetts used this case to justify keeping young adults disarmed, and now we've got another circuit split to deal with.

The SJC leaned on old militia laws to justify the restriction, claiming that historically, parents and towns were responsible for furnishing arms to young people, not the young people themselves. They also pointed to the old common-law doctrine that minors couldn't control their own earnings until 21. But here's what they're conveniently ignoring: founding-era militia laws required able-bodied males as young as 16 to be armed and ready to serve. The whole point was that young, healthy men were expected to have their own weapons for the militia. That's not a tradition of disarming young adults — it's a tradition of arming them.

This ruling directly conflicts with decisions from the Third, Fifth, and Eighth Circuits, which have struck down age-based restrictions on young adults purchasing and carrying firearms. So right now, your constitutional rights depend on which state you live in. In some states, a 20-year-old can carry a handgun. In Massachusetts, they're out of luck until their 21st birthday.

Two justices on the SJC even questioned whether the majority's historical analysis was solid enough, noting it needed more expert briefing. That's telling.

Look, I'm all for responsible gun ownership, and I support training and education. But telling a 20-year-old they're not trusted with a firearm while they can vote, sign contracts, join the military, and be tried as an adult in court? That's inconsistent and frankly insulting. The Second Amendment doesn't say anything about age 21. It says "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

This case will likely end up at the Supreme Court, and frankly, it needs to. We've got federal circuits all over the map on this issue. Until SCOTUS steps in, young adults in Massachusetts — and across the country — are left guessing what their rights actually are.

This is exactly the kind of nonsense we fight against. Age restrictions, bureaucratic hurdles, and judges reinterpreting history to justify disarming citizens. Keep your ears open, stay informed, and exercise your rights wherever you can.