There was a short list of decisions to look for the US Supreme Court to make before the end of June. Earlier this week they decided the New York law making concealed carry permits virtually impossible to obtain was unconstitutional. This does not mean that all New Yorkers and their guests can now carry firearms. It does mean they will have to draft legislation and put a policy in place that allows the license process to be fair moving forward. Forbidding anyone to carry is a violation of 2nd amendment rights but it doesn’t throw the door open to everyone being armed in public. The decision came down just yesterday that overturns Roe v. Wade. Both sides need to consider what that decision really means. The Supreme Court has not outlawed abortion, nor can they do so. Their decision is based on an interpretation of the Constitution that does not believe abortion is a protected right for all Americans. It removes the federal government from the issue and makes abortion a state’s rights issue. About half the nation (in terms of the number of states) have laws in place that will almost immediately restrict or eliminate abortion. Those 24 states are where you would expect them to be, in the central and southern parts of the country. States like California and New York will continue to have the most liberal abortion laws in the nation, just as they have for the past 50 years. While I agree that both of these decisions are the right ones, I’ve already heard voices from both sides that exaggerate the implications. The timing is unfortunate on these issues as well, considering how divided our nation is politically at this time. When I wrote Where’s the Middle back in 2008, I was so hopeful things might get better than I couldn’t imagine how much worse they would get instead. Again, to be clear, these are decisions that I believe are right but honestly never expected the Court to make. And if you are celebrating victory please realize that it’s about to get ugly. Hunker down, because far from over the real fight is just about to start.