In a twist that has Second Amendment advocates cheering from the rooftops, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is throwing down the gauntlet against a 2007 Pennsylvania conviction that turned Christopher Morgan into a non-dangerous felon overnight. Picture this: Morgan gets pinched for carrying a pistol without a state-issued license—hardly the stuff of public menace, more like a paperwork hiccup in a post-Bruen world. Fast-forward 15 years, and he’s pulled over in Florida, forthrightly disclosing his center-console firearm to the officer. No drama, no drawdown, just transparency. Now, Uthmeier’s opinion piece argues that Pennsylvania’s unlicensed carry law is toast under the Supreme Court’s landmark Bruen decision, which demands gun regulations align with our nation’s historical tradition of firearm rights, not bureaucratic whims.
This isn’t just a feel-good win for one guy; it’s a seismic ripple for the entire 2A community. Pennsylvania’s law, like so many others, treated everyday carry as a felony gateway without proving actual danger—echoing the status offenses the Founders would have scoffed at. Uthmeier’s move cleverly leverages Bruen’s historical test, spotlighting how pre-20th-century America rarely criminalized mere possession or carry by non-prohibited persons. If this holds, it could invalidate thousands of dusty convictions nationwide, freeing non-violent felons from lifetime disarmament for victimless crimes. Critics might cry loophole, but let’s call it what it is: restorative justice against overreach. For gun owners, it’s a blueprint—states like Florida are now leading the charge to audit and overturn infringements, pressuring blue-state holdouts to fall in line or face federal scrutiny.
The bigger implication? This unresolved immediate danger in the headline isn’t Morgan’s pistol; it’s the unchecked power of licensing regimes that Bruen exposed as unconstitutional relics. As more AGs follow Uthmeier’s lead, expect a cascade of challenges, from expungements to lawsuits dismantling shall-issue pretenders. For the 2A faithful, it’s vindication: rights delayed are not rights denied. Stay vigilant, stock up on ammo, and watch Pennsylvania squirm—this felon’s redemption could be your shield tomorrow.
