In a recent ruling , the Hawaiian Supreme Court invoked the “spirit of Aloha,” a deeply ingrained cultural conduct emphasizing kindness, humility, unity and patience, to address the issue of firearm regulation. On Wednesday, Feb. 7, the court ruled that people living in Hawaii do not have the right to carry a firearm in public without a license.
The case dates back to 2017 when Maui police arrested Christopher Wilson for carrying an unregistered pistol. Wilson was charged with improperly holding a firearm and ammunition. The gun was unregistered in Hawaii and Wilson had not applied for a permit to carry the gun. Wilson told officers he legally purchased the gun in Florida in 2013. He filed to dismiss the charges and argued officers violated his Second Amendment rights.
Wilson’s motion was denied.
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen . The high court ruled that carrying a gun in public is a constitutional right. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote gun laws must be “consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”