It's not just about guns – it's about the future of American law

+ helping the youngest kindergartners thrive US Edition - Today's top story: Supreme Court sweeps aside New York's limits on carrying a gun, raising Second Amendment rights to new heights [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 June 2022 [The Conversation]( The Supreme Court held its biggest decisions for the end of the session. On Thursday, they released a consequential ruling on gun rights. But it’s not just about guns. The newly muscular conservative majority on the court ruled that a New York state law that restricted the right to carry a concealed firearm was unconstitutional. That will have major repercussions across the country in communities trying to fight gun crime. But as Supreme Court scholar Morgan Marietta writes, the conservative majority did something else with the ruling: They elevated the status of the Second Amendment, and that’s “[part of a dramatic shift in the court’s understanding of the Constitution](.” Now, says Marietta, a political scientist at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, the Second Amendment has the same vaunted, almost holy status in U.S. law as the First Amendment and other Bill of Rights protections such as free exercise of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The flip side, writes Marietta, is that protections recognized by the court over time – abortion, privacy and same-sex marriage – but not in the Bill of Rights, will not be accorded the same protection and respect. Also today: - [AI: Is speaking fluently sufficient for sentience?]( - [Afghanistan earthquake aid may be hard to come by]( - [How parents can combat COVID-19 vaccine misinformation]( Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society A U.S. Supreme Court decision released on Jun 23, 2022, loosens state restrictions on carrying concealed firearms. Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images [Supreme Court sweeps aside New York’s limits on carrying a gun, raising Second Amendment rights to new heights]( Morgan Marietta, UMass Lowell The gun rights decision from the conservative majority on the Supreme Court signals a fundamental change in how the court reads the Constitution. Politics + Society - [US tragedies from guns have often – but not always – spurred political responses]( Robert Spitzer, State University of New York College at Cortland Congress tends to be most likely to act after an assassination or assassination attempt of historic proportions or mass shootings. But sometimes lawmakers do nothing beyond debate new measures. - [The Supreme Court tends to save the biggest rulings for last – a constitutional expert explains a few good reasons]( Stefanie Lindquist, Arizona State University The Supreme Court held off at least another day before announcing a ruling on abortion rights. High profile cases take more time to finalize, but there are also political and public relations factors. - [Would closing the ‘boyfriend loophole’ in gun legislation save lives? Here’s what the research says]( April M. Zeoli, Michigan State University Congress is edging closer to pushing through its first gun control legislation in 30 years. Included in the bill is a provision to expand a firearm ban to dating partners accused of domestic violence. Economy + Business - [Wealth of nations: Why some are rich, others are poor – and what it means for future prosperity]( Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology Economic growth of countries needs many ingredients. Getting the recipe just right is important. - [Helping Afghanistan after earthquake will be hard: 3 questions answered]( Mohammad Qadam Shah, Seattle Pacific University Concerns about Afghanistan’s Taliban leaders have made the rest of the world wary of sending money, and many foreign aid workers have already fled. Science + Technology - [How do painkillers actually kill pain? From ibuprofen to fentanyl, it’s about meeting the pain where it’s at]( Rebecca Seal, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Benedict Alter, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Different painkillers provide relief in different ways. The most effective medication is the one that best targets the type of pain you’re experiencing with minimal side effects. - [Google’s powerful AI spotlights a human cognitive glitch: Mistaking fluent speech for fluent thought]( Kyle Mahowald, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts; Anna A. Ivanova, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Fluent expression is not always evidence of a mind at work, but the human brain is primed to believe so. A pair of cognitive linguistics experts explain why language is not a good test of sentience. Health + Medicine - [Misinformation will be rampant when it comes to COVID-19 shots for young children – here’s what you can do to counter it]( Jaime Sidani, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Beth Hoffman, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Maya Ragavan, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences With COVID-19 shots finally available for infants and preschoolers, knowing how to combat misinformation on social media and elsewhere could be more important than ever. Education - [5 tips for parents of new kindergartners who are younger than their classmates]( Gregory Fabiano, Florida International University Kindergartners who are relatively younger than their classroom peers are at risk for doing less well in school. A clinical psychologist explains how to reduce those problems. From our international editions - [Ukraine war: all eyes on Lithuania as sanctions close Russian land access to Kaliningrad]( - [Women are at greater risk of stroke, the more miscarriages or stillbirths they’ve had]( - [Art, freedom and drag invasions: the history of New York’s Fire Island as a gay sanctuary]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠When was the nation's first red flag law, which would allow police to take guns from people deemed a threat to themselves or others, passed? - A. 1999 - B. 2012 - C. 2016 - D. 2018 [Click here for the answer.]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](