Massachusetts political figures reacted Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down the Washington, D.C., gun ban.

The court's five to four decision in District of Columbia v. Heller set the precedent for the first time that an individual's right to bear arms is protected by the Constitution.

"Today's Supreme Court decision affirms that which many people already knew: that the right to bear arms is an inalienable right, protected by the Bill of Rights of our Constitution," said Massachusetts GOP Chairman and former Congressman Peter Torkildsen. "As the decision notes, this is not an unlimited right. Governor Patrick, Attorney General Coakley, and the General Court must uphold this Constitutional right for all citizens of the Commonwealth."

Massachusetts' senior U.S. senator, Edward Kennedy (D-Hyannis Port), had a very different take on the decision. Kennedy criticized the court's decision through his spokesman, saying the decision moves the country backward.

[img_assist|nid=33|title=Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Hyannis Port)|desc=|link=none|url=undefined|align=left|width=174|height=180] "Senator Kennedy has long been committed to reasonable gun control laws, and is concerned that this decision opens Pandora's box," said Anthony Coley, Kennedy's spokesman. "Much of the progress we've made in making Americans safer by placing reasonable restrictions on the possession of firearms is now in doubt."

Coley also said the ruling doesn't jibe with several justices' confirmation testimonies in which they stated they opposed an activist bench.

"As Senator Kennedy has repeatedly pointed out," he said, "members of the Roberts Court have consistently shown their determination to impose regressive changes in the law despite their claims of judicial humility at their confirmation hearings."

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