The Denver Post’s editorial board is clutching their pearls over the Department of Justice’s lawsuits against Colorado’s so-called assault weapons and high-capacity magazine bans, framing it as some kind of federal overreach into state sovereignty. But let’s cut through the sanctimonious fog: this is peak cognitive dissonance from a board that’s spent years cheering on these very restrictions, only to cry foul now that the feds—under a Biden DOJ no less—are being forced to defend them in court. The Post decries the suits as politically motivated, ignoring that they’re rooted in the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, which demands gun laws align with our nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Colorado’s bans, slapped together post-Bruen without a shred of historical analogue, are prime targets for this scrutiny, and the DOJ’s filings expose the shaky legal ground they’re built on.
Dig deeper, and this story reveals the unraveling narrative of gun controllers who thought they could legislate around the Constitution. Bruen flipped the script in 2022 by rejecting the old interest-balancing tests that let judges play Solomonic legislator, insisting instead on text, history, and tradition. Colorado’s assault weapon ban—mirroring failed measures in places like Illinois and Maryland—can’t point to any 1791 or 1868 equivalent for banning common semiautomatic rifles or magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The DOJ’s own analysis in these suits inadvertently bolsters 2A advocates by highlighting how these laws flunk Bruen’s muster, potentially setting up circuit splits ripe for SCOTUS review. It’s ironic: the same administration pushing gun violence executive orders is now stuck arguing against its allies’ extremism.
For the 2A community, this is a golden opportunity. These lawsuits amplify the post-Bruen momentum, with lower courts already striking down similar bans in Oregon and elsewhere. Watch for ripple effects—successful challenges could neuter red-flag expansions and embolden challenges to pistol brace rules or ATF overreaches. Pro-2A warriors should rally behind groups like FPC and Giffords Law Center’s reluctant admissions of weakness; this isn’t just Colorado’s fight, it’s a national bellwether signaling the end of feel-good bans and the dawn of constitutional carry for modern arms. Stay vigilant, stock up on ammo, and keep the pressure on—history is on our side.
