Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day "IGOLD"

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- In his zeal to keep law-abiding citizens defenseless, Rahm Emmanuel now wants to add to the already burdensome process of owning a handgun – not just for residents in Chicago but for EVERYONE in the entire state of Illinois.

Mayors cannot introduce legislation but, in keeping with former mayors of Chicago like Richard “Ban All Guns But Mine” Daley, Emmanuel is expected to send his proposal to Springfield via the representatives and senators from Chicago.

Rahm’s proposal would require statewide registration of all handguns. To add insult to injury the registration process would include a hefty fee of $65 for EACH handgun! Certificates of registration would have to be renewed every 5 years with a fee of $25 per gun. (for more details go to IllinoisCarry.com)

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!

We Must Fight Chicago’s Insanity!!

Be in Springfield on Wed. March 7 for IGOLD 2012

Right to Carry Rally and March!!

Mark Your Calendars! Schedule the day off from work! Join the march to the Capitol for Right to Carry in Illinois!

Watch for details as they develop at IGOLD.isra.org and to reserve a seat on one of the many charter buses headed to Springfield!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Chicago Freedom Hate Machine Is Coming For Your Guns

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- On Tuesday, January 24th, the Chicago gun grabbers launched a surprise attack on your gun rights by moving two pieces of extremist anti-gun legislation out of committee and on to the House floor for consideration.

The first bill is HB1294. This bill would require the ban and forced confiscation of every semiautomatic firearm you own.

The second bill is HB1599. If passed, this bill would increase jail time for owners of any guns banned by HB1294.

THE MACHINE PLAN IS CLEAR – THEY WANT TO MAKE IT A FELONY FOR YOU TO EXERCISE YOUR 2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS!

These two bills are not just random attacks on your rights! They have been carefully drafted and coordinated by some of the Chicago Machine’s most ardent gun grabbers to include: Rep. Edward Acevedo; Rep. Ann Williams; Rep. Greg Harris; Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie; Rep. Karen May; Rep. Carol Sente; Rep. Deborah Mell (Blago’s sister-in-law); and Rep. Marlow Colvin.

IF THESE BILLS PASS, YOU WILL HAVE 90 DAYS TO SURRENDER YOUR GUNS TO THE POLICE OR THE POLICE WILL BE COMING TO YOUR DOOR TO TAKE YOUR GUNS TO THE FURNACE, AND YOU TO THE PENITENTIARY.

This is the beginning of what could be a very bad year for law-abiding Illinois gun owners. The Chicago Machine does not care about the 2nd Amendment and is dead set on taking your guns away from you.

They are not patriots; they are not lovers of freedom; they are not Americans. These people have no respect for our Constitution or the ideals of liberty and self determination envisioned by the Founding Fathers.

They know that private firearm ownership is the bedrock of liberty and, if they can take your guns away from you, then they will be able to condemn you and your family to a life of servitude – groveling before the Machine for life’s necessities.

DO NOT LET THE CHICAGO MACHINE BEAT YOU DOWN LIKE A DOG!

HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU MUST DO TO HELP PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS:

1. Use the link below to identify your State Representative and politely advise your Representative that you oppose HB1294 and HB1599 and that you expect them to vote against those bills if they come to the House floor for a vote.
• Illinois Board of Elections District Official/Search:

  http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

2. Pass this Alert link along to all your friends and family and urge them to contact their Representatives as well.
3. Post the link to this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards to which you belong.
4. Please follow the directions below and make a generous donation to the ISRA so that we may continue the fight in Springfield to preserve and protect your rights. The suggested minimum donation for protecting freedom is $20.

REMEMBER: PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE 2ND AMENDMENT IS A MORAL AND CULTURAL IMPERATIVE – WITHOUT THE FREE EXERCISE OF THE 2ND AMENDMENT, THERE WILL BE NO MORE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois Gun Grabbers Up To Some New Tricks

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the 2nd Amendment guarantees your right to keep and bear arms, anti-gun politicians have been working hard to come up with a way to take your guns away without running afoul of the Heller and McDonald decisions.

Well, it looks like the gun-grabbers are about to launch a whole new attack on your right to keep and bear arms.

The objective of this new attack is to make firearm ownership too expensive and too impractical for most people through the use of taxes, registration schemes, and storage requirements.

THE TEST BED FOR THIS NEW ATTACK ON YOUR GUN RIGHTS I OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

On Tuesday, 24 January 2012, the Oak Park Village Council will be holding a public information seminar on regulatory proposals designed to discourage private firearm ownership. Many gun-rights advocates believe that the Oak Park regulations are a blueprint for state-wide laws that the gun control movement hopes to pass in 2013.

IF GUN OWNERS DO NOT STAND UP NOW, THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS WILL BE REGULATED OUT OF EXISTENCE IN 2013.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS:

1. 1) Attend the Oak Park meeting and stand up for your rights. The meeting will be held at the Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM, but you should be there by about 6:30 to make sure you get a seat. Be sure to wear your IGOLD shirts and hats.
2. 2) Pass this alert along to all your gun owning friends and family.
3. 3) Please post this the link to this alert to any and all Internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you subscribe.

PLEASE BE IN OAK PARK ON JANUARY 24TH!!! IF YOU DON’T STOP THE GUN CONTROLLERS, WHO WILL?

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Court Sides With Illinois State Rifle Association In Protecting Identities Of Lawful Firearm Owners

Illinois State Rifle Association

PEORIA, Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Lawful firearm owners across the state may rest a little easier tonight knowing that their sensitive personal information is finally safeguarded from release under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Earlier this week, the Honorable Michael E. Brandt, Chief Judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit of Illinois, Peoria County, signed an order permanently barring the Illinois State Police from revealing the identities of the state’s 1.5 million law-abiding firearm owners.

This order extends to prohibit the release of information contained in Firearm Owner ID (FOID) applications and Firearm Transfer Inquiry Program (FTIP) background checks. The ISRA is characterizing the issuance of this permanent injunction as a major victory for Illinoisans concerned about their personal privacy.

Judge Brandt’s order stems from a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the ISRA against the Illinois State Police. The ISRA filed the lawsuit upon learning that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan had ruled that FOID information was releasable under the FOIA and that the Illinois State Police must honor a FOIA request for such information filed by a newspaper reporter.

Lawful firearm owners were appalled and angry over the prospect of their private information being released to the media. In response, the ISRA successfully sought a temporary restraining order to halt the release of firearm owner personal information. Monday’s action by Judge Brandt makes the provisions of that restraining order permanent.

“Gun control organizations and their friends in the press have been trying for years to get the names and addresses of firearm owners,” commented ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson. “For some reason, they think that the public has a right to know who in their city, town or social organization owns guns. Thus, they would like nothing more than to see the names and addresses of gun owners along with detailed inventories of privately-held firearms plastered across every newspaper in the state. For years, the State Police correctly and successfully resisted calls for the release of such information. Well, then along comes Attorney General Lisa Madigan.”

“Lisa Madigan is well known as a staunch supporter of efforts to ban civilian firearm ownership,” continued Pearson. “In fact, Madigan routinely receives recognition and awards for her anti-gun activities from Illinois’ largest gun control organization. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Madigan would break with tradition and direct the release of gun owners’ personal information to the public. Judge Brandt’s order has put the kibosh on Madigan’s abuse of power.”

“The most important outcome of Judge Brandt’s order will be the restoration of peace of mind among the state’s gun owners,” said Pearson. “No longer will they have to fear that Lisa Madigan will target their homes for burglary. They won’t have to worry that gun control extremists will “occupy” their front yards or harass their children on the way to school. Yes, the state’s gun owners will be quite content in the knowledge that the court has declared that the choice to own firearms is nobody’s business but their own.”

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over millions law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Anti-Concealed Carry State Representative Jim Durkin will be appearing at a town hall meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 7:00 PM.

Durkin (R-82) was one of 52 state representatives who voted against HB148 – the concealed carry bill.

Durkin voted against HB148 because he felt it is more important to appease machine politicians and big money backers of gun control than it is to protect you against violent criminals. Jim Durkin has accepted awards from anti-gun organizations such as ICHV.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO SUPPORT YOUR RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE:

1. No matter where you live, be sure to attend this town hall meeting, sponsored by the Homer/Lockport Tea Party and Americans for Prosperity. The town hall meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 7:00 PM. The location for the meeting is at the Old Town Hall building in Lockport at 16057 S. Cedar Rd. Be sure to wear your IGold t-shirts and hats if you have them.

2. Be prepared to politely engage our opponents and defend your right to protect your self and family against violent criminals. Ask directly: “Why won’t you allow me to defend myself and my family?”

3. Pass this alert on to your family and friends. Tell them to be there too.

4. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards.

5. If you’re not a member of the ISRA, join today!

6. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA, today, so that we can continue the fight to preserve and protect your rights!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The Huntley Tea Party is holding a forum on the Right of Citizens to Conceal Carry at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the Codman Cultural Center, 12015 Mill St., in Huntley, Illinois (map).

Known gun grabbers Bill and Jennifer Jenkins from the Brady Campaign will be there to try to push gun control, gun registration and confiscation schemes; ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson will be there to support your Right To Carry. Also on the panel will be Huntley Police Chief John Perkins and State Rep Mike Tryon (R-64), a co-sponsor of HB-148 – The Family and Personal Protection Act.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO SUPPORT YOUR RIGHT TO CARRY:

1. No matter where you live, be sure to attend this forum. This is your chance to show support of our Second Amendment rights. Be sure to wear your IGOLD or ISRA t-shirts and hats if you have them.

2. Be prepared to politely engage our opponents and defend your right to protect your self and family against violent criminals.

3. Pass this alert on to your family and friends. Tell them to be there too.

4. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards.

5. If you’re not a member of the ISRA, join today!

6. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA, today, so that we can continue the fight to preserve and protect your rights!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Imagine, for a moment, that you are sitting at a public meeting on the topic of gun ownership and from the podium you hear nothing but the truth – not a single lie uttered about the 2nd Amendment or American gun owners.

Imagine hearing stories of rugged American individualism and selfless loyalty to the Constitution without once hearing phrases like “deadly assault weapon” or “reasonable gun control” or “cop-killer bullets.”

Imagine how nice it would be to spend a weekend with nobody but folks like yourself who respect and honor our Constitution.

Well, stop imagining and start experiencing!

This weekend, the Second Amendment Foundation is bringing its highly regarded Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) here to Illinois. The event kicks off the evening of Friday, September 23rd and ends on Sunday September 25th. This event will feature a host of well-respected lecturers on gun rights issues along with tremendous opportunities to network with other gun rights supporters.

If you want to learn how to preserve and protect the 2nd Amendment – then attend the GRPC.

If you want to hear first-hand about the behind-the-scenes work that helped ensure victory in the Heller and McDonald cases – then attend the GRPC.

If you want to learn exactly what the gun grabbers have planned for us in Springfield, in Washington, and at the UN – then attend the GRPC.

If you want to broaden your knowledge of the principles and foundations of the 2nd Amendment – then attend the GRPC.

If you want to network with other concerned gun owners and prepare for the trouble ahead – then attend the GRPC.

The bottom line is this – the GRPC accomplishes two purposes. First, the GRPC celebrates the successes we’ve had to date both in the legislatures and in the courts. Second, the GRPC prepares us to face the challenges the gun control movement will through in our path as we march on to restore our rights.

Please, if you care about the future of the 2nd Amendment; if you care about preserving and enhancing the rights you enjoy today, then you really need to attend the GRPC this weekend. Attending is an easy thing to do, but the rewards of attending will reap immeasurable benefits for those of us who believe the 2nd Amendment is a blueprint for security and prosperity.

By the way – the GRPC is FREE!

To learn more about the GRPC, please click on this link: http://www.saf.org/default.asp?p=grpc

Remember, gun control is a disease and you’re the cure. Just look at the GRPC as med school for those of us who combat the plague that is gun control.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Anti-Concealed Carry State Representative Ann Williams will be holding a town hall meeting, together with the state senator for her district, Senate President John Cullerton on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 6:00 PM.

Williams was one of 52 state representatives who voted against HB148 – the concealed carry bill.

Williams, formerly a staff member in Lisa Madigan’s Attorney General office, ran for the Illinois House on a platform including gun control and does not believe that you are responsible for your own self-defense, that is best left up to big government and dicey police response times.

John Cullerton rules the Illinois Senate with an iron hand, refusing to allow pro-gun bills originating in the Illinois Senate even to have committee hearings in the 97th General Assembly, including bills for concealed carry.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO SUPPORT YOUR RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE:

1. No matter where you live, be sure to attend Representative Williams’ and Senator Cullerton’s town hall meeting. The town hall meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 6:00 PM. The location for the meeting is at Bell Elementary School, 3730 N. Oakley Ave, Chicago IL 60618. Be sure to wear your IGold t-shirts and hats if you have them.
2. Be prepared to politely engage our opponents and defend your right to protect your self and family against violent criminals. Ask directly: “Why won’t you allow me to defend myself?”
3. Pass this alert on to your family and friends. Tell them to be there too.
4. Please post this alert link to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards.
5. If you’re not a member of the ISRA, join today!
6. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA, today, so that we can continue the fight to preserve and protect your rights!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The National Rifle Association has developed a program to increase awareness of Electronic Target Systems and their use for recreational shooting.

Come to the Illinois State Rifle Association Range to shoot your new firearm, sight-in your rifle, or get in some practice on this state-of-the-art electronic target equipment!

You will even get a print-out of your target and score to show off to your friends and family.

Please note, you must bring your own firearms and ammunition. All calibers will be allowed with the exception of .50 bmg.

The systems will be set up for a 5 shot exercise. The following target types will be available:

• 100 yard rifle targets
• Deer target
• Boar target
• 25 yard pistol targets

NRA Electronic Target System

Event Details:

Saturday, August 20, 2011
Illinois State Rifle Association Range
1589 North 7000 W Road, Kankakee, Illinois
Event time: 10 am – 5pm

To pre-register please click here! or call us at (877) 672-7264.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- As we reported in an alert earlier this week, Rep. Karen May will be holding a town hall meeting on Saturday, July 9th.

As many of you know, Rep. May is a long-time opponent of the right to keep and bear arms who routinely votes for the Daley/Emanuel gun control packages.

Earlier this year, May voted against concealed carry when HB148 came to the floor of the Illinois House. After voting against concealed carry, Rep. May issued a statement bashing concealed carry and claiming that there is no reason for law-abiding citizens to carry firearms for protection.

In our earlier alert, we urged supporters of concealed carry to attend Rep. May’s town hall meeting and challenge her on her position against self defense. In response to our alert, Rep. May issued a statement saying that her staff would be checking IDs at the door to the meeting and would deny entry to anyone who did not live in Rep. May’s House District.

Recall that the meeting is being held in the Highland Park Public Safety building – a building most certainly built using state and federal tax dollars – your tax dollars. Therefore, we believe it improper - and possibly illegal - for May to deny any well-behaved person from entering a public meeting in a public building.

Do not let May’s threats deter you! It is now especially important for you to attend Saturday’s public meeting. It is equally important that you bring one or two friends or family members with you.

Here are some tips on how to make our attendance at Rep. May’s town hall a success:

• Assemble outside the Highland Park Public Safety Building, 1677 Old Deerfield Road, Highland Park, IL at 9:00 AM. The meeting begins at 10:00, but we’d like to have everyone there early so that we are not denied entry due to “over crowding.”
• Be sure to wear yellow IGOLD t-shirts and hats, if you have them.
• There will be an ISRA representative there to brief you on what questions to ask at the meeting.
• Be polite, yet firm, in your dealings with anyone who opposes our position on Concealed Carry.

Again, it is critically important that you attend Rep. May’s town hall meeting. Do not let your voice be silenced!

IMPORTANT – PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING TO HELP PRESERVE YOUR FIREARM RIGHTS:

1. Please pass the link to this alert on to your friends and family.
2. Please post the link to this alert to any and all Internet bulletin boards or blogs to which you belong.
3. If you’re not a member of the ISRA, please join today!
4. Remember, the ISRA needs your financial support to keep up the fight for your rights. Please make a generous donation today!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Second Amendment Foundation

BELLEVUE, WA --(Ammoland.com)- In a 3-0 ruling issued this morning, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has reversed a lower court ruling and ordered that court to issue a preliminary injunction against the City of Chicago on behalf of the Second Amendment Foundation that prevents the city from banning gun ranges inside city limits.

Joining SAF in the original lawsuit were Action Target, Inc., the Illinois State Rifle Association and three Chicago residents, Rhonda Ezell, William Hespen and Joseph Brown. Their attempts to obtain a temporary restraining order against the gun range ban were twice rejected by the district court. The Appeals Court ruling is severely critical of the lower court’s ruling.

“This is a significant victory that could have strong implications well beyond the Chicago city limits,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The court is making it clear that cities cannot adopt firearms ordinances that are so deliberately restrictive that they make it impossible for citizens to exercise their rights under the Second Amendment.”

Immediately after last year’s landmark SAF victory in McDonald v. City of Chicago, the city adopted a handgun ordinance that required special permits and mandated range training, but banned gun ranges inside city limits. The city argued that citizens could fulfill their training requirement by visiting a suburban range.

In today’s ruling, written by Judge Diane S. Sykes, the Appeals Court observed, “It’s hard to imagine anyone suggesting that Chicago may prohibit the exercise of a free-speech or religious-liberty right within its borders on the rationale that those rights may be freely enjoyed in the suburbs. That sort of argument should be no less unimaginable in the Second Amendment context.”

In a concurring opinion, Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner noted, “the city may not condition gun ownership for self-defense in the home on a prerequisite that the City renders impossible to fulfill within the city limits.”

“What the city tried to do, as the court ruling noted, was thumb its municipal nose at the Supreme Court’,” Gottlieb stated. “City governments, no matter how much they abhor the fundamental right of citizens to keep and bear arms, cannot use clever legal devices to prevent the exercise of that right. As Judge Rovner noted, the city must come to terms with that reality’.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Illinois State Representative Karen May (D-58), will be holding a town hall meeting on Saturday, July 9, 2011.

May is a long time opponent of the law-abiding citizen’s right to own firearms and has consistently voted in support of gun control bills introduced by the Daley/Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine.

Most recently, May has voted against HB 148 which was a bill that would allow well qualified, law-abiding citizens to carry defensive firearms for the purpose of protecting themselves and their families against dangerous criminals.

After casting her vote against concealed carry, May released the following statement regarding her vote:

May Pleased as Concealed Carry Bill Fails

SPRINGFIELD, IL—State Rep. Karen May (D-Highwood) on Thursday released the following statement in response to the defeat of a House Bill 148 that would allow citizens to carry concealed weapons in Illinois:

“Growing up downstate, I understand how important gun ownership is for many residents of Illinois, but in modern society, there is no need for regular citizens to carry loaded, concealed weapons in public. I voted against allowing concealed carry to make sure our streets remain safe and free from violence.”

“Our local police officers need every tool they can get to keep our communities safe, and I am glad this bill failed so that their job will not be more complicated by worrying about wild-west showdowns in our community, even by well-intentioned individuals.”

Based on her statements on concealed carry, May is obviously out of touch with the violent realities of daily life that so may of us face. Of course, it’s easy for someone like May to sit up there in Highland Park and tell the rest of us that we have nothing to worry about. May’s “let them eat cake” attitude is inconsistent with the principles upon which our nation was founded and must not be tolerated.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP PROMOTE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF:

1. Regardless of where you live, plan on attending Rep. Karen May’s town hall meeting on Saturday, July 9, 2011. The meeting begins at 10:00 AM and will be held in the community meeting room in the Public Safety building located at 1677 Old Deerfield Road, Highland Park. Please be prepared to politely challenge Rep. May on her position that our streets are safer when unarmed citizens must share those streets with dangerous thugs.
2. Please share this alert with your friends and family and urge them to attend Rep. May’s town hall meeting.
3. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards to which you belong.
4. If you’re not a member of the ISRA, then join today.
5. Remember, Rep. May and her friends in the gun control movement are taxpayer funded. The ISRA relies on the generosity of Patriots like you to fuel our fight against the gun grabbers. So, please make a donation to the ISRA today.

REMEMBER, ONLY YOU CAN PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. IF YOU DON’T STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, WHO WILL?

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- As most of you readers know, Concealed Carry failed by just a few votes in the House this spring.

Many of the “NO” votes were the result of arm-twisting by the Daley-Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine.

One of the state representatives who voted “NO” on Concealed Carry is having a town hall meeting this Wednesday night. He has invited the public to come to the town hall to express their ideas to him for next session.

Regardless of where you live, this is your opportunity to inform an anti-gun legislator of your disappointment that Concealed Carry failed to pass. Again, even though you may not live in this legislator’s district, your appearance at his town hall to object to his “NO” vote on concealed carry will send a message to all the other representatives who voted “NO.”

That message is, “We will not be quiet on this issue – we will not rest until the law-abiding citizens of Illinois are allowed to protect themselves and their families from violent thugs.”

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP PASS CONCEALED CARRY DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION:

Attend Rep. Keith Farnham’s town hall meeting and let the Representative know you are unhappy with his “NO” vote on Concealed Carry.

• Please post the link to this alert to any and all blogs or Internet bulletin boards to which you belong.
• Please send the link to this alert along to your friends and family, tell them to attend too.

HERE IS INFORMATION ON THE TOWN HALL – READ IT CAREFULLY AND PLEASE ATTEND:

• WHAT: Town Hall Meeting – open to the public
• WHO: Rep. Keith Farnham (voted “NO” on Concealed Carry)
• WHEN: Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 7:00 PM
• WHERE: Carpentersville Village Hall, 1200 L.W. Besinger Drive , Carpentersville, IL

REMEMBER – ONLY YOU CAN ENSURE THAT CONCEALED CARRY GETS PASSED. ATTEND THIS TOWN HALL – STAND UP AND BE COUNTED AS BEING ON THE SIDE OF WHAT’S RIGHT!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Fellow Law-Abiding Firearm Owners:

As many of you may already know, Chicago’s new police superintendant, Gerry McCarthy, recently delivered an address on the topic of gun control to the parishioners of Fr. Pfleger’s St. Sabina’s Church. For those of you who have not seen the video of McCarthy’s address, you may find above.

Certainly, none of us would expect McCarthy to discuss how traditional gun control policies seek to disarm law-abiding citizens while ignoring violent criminals. Likewise, we wouldn’t expect to hear McCarthy place the blame for violent crime on a justice system that woefully fails to apprehend, convict and rehabilitate society’s most dangerous elements. No, we’d never expect to hear McCarthy utter the truth about one of the most contentious issues of the day.

As much as we wouldn’t expect to hear McCarthy speak in opposition to gun control, it is equally certain that few of us were prepared to hear what actually came from McCarthy’s mouth when he spoke to the St. Sabina’s congregation. After several minutes of gratuitous self-promotion, McCarthy launched into a racially-charged tirade in which he accused the NRA and law-abiding gun owners of participating in a government-sponsored program to kill Black people.

Like most of you, we believe an assertion such as McCarthy’s is too nutty to dignify with a response. But listening to McCarthy’s rant causes us to pause and ponder the Chicago Police Department’s own record on race relations. Furthermore, given McCarthy’s background, would any of the readers venture a guess as to who McCarthy blames for crime and violence when he’s safe at home among his family and personal friends?

Gerry McCarthy’s verbal attack on law-abiding citizens serves as an affront to law-enforcement officers everywhere. But, then again, any suggestion that McCarthy is a law-enforcement officer is a sham. Rather, McCarthy is merely another in a long line of political hacks who have resided in the office of police superintendant. McCarthy’s job description has nothing to do with law-enforcement and everything to do with enforcing the political agenda of his boss, Rahm Emanuel. Of course, as we know, Emanuel’s agenda seeks the eventual prohibition of private firearm ownership.

Probably the most ironic thing about McCarthy’s speech to St. Sabina’s parishioners is that McCarthy delivered his address while standing only a few feet away from Rev. Mike Pfleger. Let us not forget that, a few years ago, Pfleger urged attendees at a gun control rally to go out and murder gun shop owners and politicians who vote against gun control laws.

McCarthy’s speech at St. Sabina’s is a mere preview of what law-abiding firearm owners can expect out of the Emanuel administration in the months ahead. Watch the video of McCarthy’s performance at St. Sabina’s and you will see what we’re up against. And, as always, we really need your financial support to help contain and defeat the Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine. So, once you’ve watched the video, please make a generous donation to the ISRA so that Emanuel’s dream of a gun-free Illinois doesn’t wind up becoming your nightmare.

Remember, gun control is a disease and you are the cure.

Sincerely,

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The officers, directors and members of the Illinois State Rifle Association are offering their congratulations to the good people of Wisconsin upon the passage of concealed carry legislation by the Wisconsin House of Representatives.

Passage of similar legislation earlier this month by the Wisconsin Senate along with Gov. Walker’s pledge to sign a concealed carry bill means that the law-abiding citizens of Wisconsin will finally be able to lawfully protect themselves and their families from violent criminals.

This good fortune enjoyed by the citizens of Wisconsin underscores the ongoing plight of their neighbors to the south. Once the Wisconsin governor signs concealed carry into law, Illinois will be the only state in the nation that prohibits its citizens from protecting themselves with the most effective tool available – the defensive firearm. As recently as May, the Illinois House had the opportunity to pass life-saving concealed carry legislation. Unfortunately, a small but powerful contingent of Chicago lawmakers sabotaged the legislation, thus causing the bill to fall a half-dozen votes short of passage.

“A few members of the Illinois General Assembly have taken it upon themselves to decide who is worth defending and who is not,” commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. “By voting concealed carry down, they are clearly siding with the bad guys while letting the good people of Illinois take it on the chin from murderers, robbers, rapists and the increasingly-popular flash-mobs.”

“This small band of legislative hold-outs believes that they can act with impunity,” continued Pearson.

“But, we have news for them. The law abiding citizens of Illinois will fight tirelessly to recapture their right to self defense. This battle will be waged relentlessly at the polls and in the courts. Currently, there is a pair of federal lawsuits in the courts that address Illinois’ persistent denial of the law-abiding citizen’s right to self defense. We expect a favorable outcome in the courts but, if these actions fail, it just means that more actions will follow. Our determination on this matter is single-minded. We will fight until we win – no matter how long it takes.”

“By now, Illinois is used to coming in last place in nearly every form of endeavor,” said Pearson. “But one thing is for certain, Illinois comes in first place when it comes to placing politics before public safety.”

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

ISRA's Pearson Report

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- As I write this, I’m just returning from a badly needed vacation in the Black Hills of South Dakota. There’s nothing like a several days in the great American wilderness to help put things in perspective.

I must say that my Black Hills experience did little to sweeten my view of Chicago public officials or their apologists in the popular press.

South Dakota impressed me as a place where people love the land, respect their neighbors, and place great value on talking straight about the issues of the day. On the other hand, returning home earlier this week reminded me that many Illinoisans hold a pretty cockeyed view of the world – especially those Illinoisans of the Chicago variety.

Case in point – the recent upswing in violence on Chicago’s north side committed by so-called “flash-mobs.” I don’t think flash-mob attacks would go over very well in South Dakota. Yet, Chicago politicians and the press are essentially suggesting that folks should take flash-mob violence in stride like any other Chicago summer tradition.

For those of you unfamiliar with what a flash-mob is, let me just say that a flash mob is certainly not something that any of us ever wants to encounter. Essentially, a flash-mob is a large group of young people who use the Internet or smart phones to arrange to meet in a certain
place at a certain time to engage in criminal activity – usually retail theft or beatings and robberies of unsuspecting citizens.

The whole flash-mob issue first came up on Memorial Day when Chicago’s North Avenue Beach was shut down and evacuated due to flash-mob violence up and down the shore.

A week later, another flash-mob attacked and robbed several persons in the Streeterville area just steps off of the fashionable Magnificent Mile shopping area.

At first, Chicago city officials dismissed these flash-mob events as isolated incidents. However, it was later revealed that organized flash-mob violence on the north side had been going on for more than a year with little publicity.

Anyone who has read about the tactics of flash-mobs knows that the people who participate in such activities are like a pack of wild animals totally devoid of humanity.

Flash mobs are organized specifically to overpower victims without warning with the mob disappearing before the police arrive. Difficult to detect, difficult to control, difficult to apprehend – flash-mobs are effective and dangerous criminal enterprises.

Like many of you, I feel that flash-mob violence is a perfect example of why Illinois needs to pass concealed carry. There is absolutely no excuse for the legislature to deny honest citizens the means of protecting themselves and their families from these roving gangs of thugs.

Shortly after the flash-mob activities were made public, the ISRA issued a pair of statements condemning flash-mob violence and suggesting that concealed carry was a possible solution to the problem.

As you might expect, the ISRA statements sparked a lot of howling from the gun control movement and their pals in the anti-gun press. The anti-gunners were quick to condemn the ISRA’s suggestion, pointing out that the flash-mobs only rough up their victims and steal wallets and electronic items without inflicting life-threatening injuries.

When bashing the ISRA’s position on concealed carry, one chuckle headed editor of a political tabloid made light of flash-mob violence by suggesting that protecting an iPod is not justification for shooting a flash-mob participant.

On that point, I would like to remind everyone once again that the ISRA has never advocated shooting someone who snatches one’s purse, picks one’s pocket or grabs a chain or iPod and runs away. The state’s deadly force laws are quite specific. The ISRA supports the use of deadly force only in strict accordance with state law.

I’m not sure, but I’m willing to bet that none of these flash-mob attacks began like this, “Excuse me, sir, my friends and I are taking donations of gently-used iPods to raise funds so that our choir can go to Washington and sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.”

On the contrary, flash-mob attacks are swift and brutal, with the victim(s) having little warning of what is about to happen to them. All the victim knows is that they are being savagely attacked by an overwhelming force of aggressors. Under state law, it is conceivable that the use of deadly force by the victim of a flash-mob would be authorized as the victim may believe that he or she is at risk of serious bodily injury or death. As we all know, a defensive firearm is one of the most effective means of applying deadly force to an assailant.

As is usually the case when concealed carry is discussed, the gun controllers trotted out their laundry list of lame excuses for why things would only “get worse” if the victim of a flash mob were armed.

We heard the old excuse that the assailants would certainly overwhelm the armed victim and take their gun away from them – a situation that the antigunners say would be “worse.” Well, pardon me for not grasping the logic of that assertion. Yes, it would be a bad thing for a criminal to disarm the citizen. However, is it really “worse” to get shot to death with one’s own firearm than it is to be beaten to death by a bloodthirsty mob?

Yet another excuse floated in opposition to concealed carry was that an onlooker might get shot if the victim draws a firearm. Indeed, that would be an unfortunate case. Yet, in my mind, the wounding of a bystander would be the fault of the flash-mob and not the fault of the original victim. I do not accept the antigunners’ notion that the victim has an obligation to lay down his or her life just to reduce the damage inflicted by the flash-mob.

An equally outlandish assertion floated by the gun controllers was that drawing a firearm on a mob of 20 attackers is pointless because the victim is so outnumbered. Let us not forget that criminals such as those populating flash-mobs are essentially cowards. Again, the objectives of flash-mobs are to terrorize and rob helpless victims. Thus, when faced with an armed victim, it is doubtful that any of these flash-mobbers would sacrifice their lives in pursuit of an iPod. I think it is a safe bet to say that, as soon as the victim drew a firearm, the mob would scurry away like the vermin they are. These people are not going to fight to the last man.

Of course, as is usually the case when shocking acts of violence occur, there was plenty of victim-blaming dished out by leftist commentators who put an almost Robin Hood-esque spin on the series of attacks. Disadvantaged youth waging a battle against conspicuous consumption by giving greedy capitalists a taste of their own medicine. I don’t know many times I heard that these are all good kids from good schools who are merely acting out their frustration with our society’s inherent lack of opportunity.

The most perplexing aspect of the flash-mob experience has been that the gun control movement and their pals in the press find it easier to defend the actions of the flash-mob participants than to recognize the individual right to self defense. Yes, that sounds nutty, but that is the mentality that we come up against in Springfield when we try to advance a concealed carry bill. It makes no sense, but they stand by that logic.

We Must Neutralize Our Opposition
Many concealed carry supporters I encounter believe that it is just a matter of education to convince opponents that there are indeed benefits of having concealed carry. Sadly, it is not that simple. A sizable number of concealed carry opponents just don’t believe that individuals have a right to defend themselves under any circumstances. They believe that it is better for you to suffer a beating or even die than it is for you to raise a hand against your fellow man. The truly unfortunate thing is that these people have sufficient political clout to force their beliefs on you by way of law.

If you look at Illinois law, you will see that, in most cases, you would get a longer prison sentence for defending yourself than would the person who attacked you. That fact demonstrates just how serious the gun-controllers are about forcing their will upon you.

The bottom line to all of this is that the gun control movement subscribes to a twisted brand of logic. These people cannot be reasoned with. If ever we are to enact concealed carry in this state, we must first neutralize our opposition.

That will take a lot of work, and the ISRA will lead the charge in that effort. But we need your help – help we know we can count on.

Please don’t forget to Volunteer at the ISRA Range Open House on June 25th, 2011! Please go to www.ISRA.org for details!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

ISRA's Pearson Report

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- I Couldn’t be More Angry at Our Illinois Legislature.

Now that the spring legislative session is over, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you whose time, contributions, and moral support made 2011 our most successful campaign for concealed carry yet.

Concealed carry didn’t pass, of course, but with your help we managed to force a vote on the floor and get 65 legislators to support the measure.

That’s nothing to sneeze at.

Nonetheless, I’m extremely angry at our legislature for not producing the 71 votes needed to pass concealed carry. We crafted a very good bill this year.

We took into consideration many of the concerns some in the House had regarding training and background checks. We even held our nose and accepted some restrictions on where one could carry a defensive firearm.

Indeed, a lot of hard work on both sides of the aisle went into advancing the cause for concealed carry in the Illinois House this year. But, in the end, it was the morally bankrupt Chicago political establishment that killed the concealed carry bill.

Fixing the situation will require that changes occur at the top of the House and Senate leadership structure. Realistically, that could happen at any time.

It’s just a matter of encouraging enough friendly legislators to muster the courage to do it. How we make these needed changes will be a topic for discussion another day.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The Illinois State Rifle Association is warning its members to think twice about selecting Chicago as a vacation destination this summer.

This warning was issued in response to a recent dramatic upswing in violent crime in the windy city.

Most notably is a spate of so-called “flash mob” attacks where as many as two dozen young men ambush and savagely beat their victims before robbing them of their valuables. One recent flash mob victim was a 68 year-old man.

The bulk of the flash mob attacks have taken place on Chicago’s near north side and Gold Coast areas to include North Avenue Beach and the Magnificent Mile. The attack locations are within the general vicinity of tourist attractions including Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Zoo, and Millennium Park.

Thus far, the Chicago Police Department has had little luck controlling these flash mobs with only 4 participants having been apprehended. This ability to confound the police stems from the very nature of flash mobbing. Participants either get a text message on their smart phone or receive a “tweet” on a social networking site telling them where to show up and how to behave – with the specified behavior usually involving larceny or assault.

Flash mob participants arrive at the site at a particular time and, after committing the specified crimes, scatter before police can arrive. The sheer number of flash mob participants overpowers the victims – rendering them helpless against the mob.

As most of our readers know, the most effective defense a victim could muster against a flash mob would be for the victim to draw a concealed firearm. As most of our readers also know, Illinois is one of only two states in the nation that deny citizens the right to carry defensive firearms.

The ISRA supported House Bill 148 in the most recent legislative session. Under the provisions of HB148, qualified citizens would be permitted to carry defensive firearms to protect themselves and their families from the type of violent crimes perpetrated by flash mobs. Ironically, it was the Chicago delegation of legislators that arranged for the defeat of HB148 when the bill came up for a vote.

Through their baseless opposition to legislation such as HB148, the Chicago delegation has provided flash mobs and other criminals the upper hand. As we have seen in recent days, Chicago’s criminal element is taking full advantage of having the upper hand. There is no reason to believe that there will be a happy ending to the flash mobs’ reign of terror. Nobody should be surprised that, before the summer is over, a flash mob has engaged in a gang-rape or even a murder of an innocent civilian.

Again, the ISRA is urging readers to reconsider plans to vacation in Chicago this summer. Indications are that vacationing in Chicago will place readers and their families at high risk of being victimized by violent criminals – including flash mobs. This risk is heightened greatly because law-abiding citizens cannot carry firearms to protect themselves from violent criminals.

PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING:

1. Pass this alert along to all your friends and family members.
2. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you belong.
3. Please contact your state representative and state senator and politely inform them that you are a law-abiding citizen who wants a bill such as HB148 to be passed and signed into law so that you may protect yourself. If you do not know who your representative and senator are, follow this link: http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByZip.aspx.
4. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA so that we may continue the fight to pass concealed carry and defeat legislation pushed by the gun control movement that would destroy your right to keep and bear arms.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- There has been a great deal of conjecture out there about what we are going to do after placing HB148 on postponed consideration. First let me explain what postponed consideration means.

It simply means the sponsor withdrew the bill before the vote could be recorded. The bill is still alive and will be until the second Wednesday in January 2013. This means we can bring the bill back during veto session, next session, or next veto session.

You will not see HB148 brought up again before May 31st ,which is the end of the Spring 2011 session. There is no way to do it and have any better results.

Long before the vote it was decided that if the bill did not pass we would sue the State of Illinois over the inability of Illinois citizens to defend themselves outside of their home. Illinois is the only state that does not allow either open carry or concealed carry.

We have now begun the legal challenges to the Illinois laws with the NRA. The is another challenge from the Second Amendment Foundation on a similar basis. Illinois is now facing two law suits over the inability of Illinois citizens being able to defend themselves outside their homes. Brandon Phelps the CCW sponsor warned the House of Representatives that they would be in court if the bill was not passed. Within seven days we delivered on that promise. If we get CCW by court order I am happy with that. If it comes by court order the legislature will have to still enact some legislation but they will find their hands are tied. We offered a good bill and they turned it down.

These lawsuits will take time to make their way through the court system. There is a great deal of work that goes into these suits every day before they are heard in court. It is not a simple thing to file a law suit. There is always on going work behind the scenes. Be patient.

We promised that in 2011 we would get a up and down vote on CCW and we did. We had to probe and find out the other side’s strengths, weakness, and reactions. We have done that. There were a few surprises but not many. We have a lot of work to do in the next few months. This effort has taken a toll on our resources and our energy. We have to develop new strategies and reinforce old ones that work. We are not quitting. Remember we fiercely believe in the Second Amendment and the right to self defense. We will win this battle.

As I reminded one of our opponents – “You don’t defeat us- we just fall back reload and attack again.”

Note by Don Moran, ISRA President: This summer will see a lot of activity in relation to HB-148 and all the pending litigation ISRA is involved in, Ezel v Chicago (Chicago range suit), Wilson v Cook County (Cook County Assault Weapon Ban), ISRA v ISP (FOID Privacy), and ISRA v Madigan (Carry suit). It is very important that we are able to contact as many of you and your friends as possible quickly when action is needed. I know you get tired of hearing it, but funding all this requires constant vigilance as well. We’ve put on even more lobbyists this year and we are now involved in an incredible amount of litigation on behalf of Illinois firearm owners. When people ask you, who is the ISRA, or what has ISRA done for me lately, let them know all of the above, and then ask them what have they are doing for the fight RIGHT NOW? We need their help as well.

UPDATE: Wilson v Cook County, the ISRA’s suit seeking to overturn the Cook County Assault Weapon ban, was granted leave to appeal by the Illinois Supreme Court yesterday, meaning the Court will hear the case.

Generous donations to help in the legislative and legal battles are needed now to help put us in position to win these fights.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Demo the Savage 220 Slug Gun Camo

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- You are invited to Savage Day at the Illinois State Rifle Association Range! Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 21st 2011 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm.

Savage Firearms is going to bring a large selection of hunting rifles, target rifles, along with the new Savage 220 Slug gun!

Hornaday Ammunition is supplying all the ammunition for this event. Scopes provided by Nikon, Rings provided by Burris.

Best of All, the cost is FREE! Rain or Shine!

Persons prohibited from handling firearms will not be admitted.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

About:
Founded in 1949, Hornady Manufacturing Company is a family owned business headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly manufacturing products that are “Made in the USA”, by over 300 employees, Hornady Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, ammunition, reloading tool and accessory design and manufacture. Visit: www.hornady.com

About:
Savage Arms is proud of its’ reputation for product improvements and has become the standard for accuracy in the industry. Recently, the company introduced the new AccuTrigger™, a trigger design so revolutionary it will forever change the way shooters expect triggers to function. It’s another example of Savage’s fresh innovation in setting new standards. At Savage Arms, the entrepreneurial spirit that originally defined the company is still evident today and history is currently being written! Visit

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- The National Rifle Association is funding and supporting a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of Illinois’ complete and total ban on carrying firearms for self-defense outside the home.

The case, filed today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, is Shepard v. Madigan. The lead plaintiff is church treasurer Mary Shepard; joining her is the Illinois State Rifle Association, the NRA’s state affiliate.

Mary Shepard is an Illinois resident and a trained gun owner with no criminal record, who is licensed to carry a concealed handgun in two other states. Because Illinois remains the only state that completely prohibits all law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms for self-defense outside the home, Mary Shepard also became a crime victim. While working as the treasurer of her church, Mrs. Shepard and an 83-year-old co-worker were viciously attacked and beaten by a six-foot-three-inch, 245-pound man with a violent past and a criminal record. Mrs. Shepard and her co-worker were lucky to survive, as each of them suffered major injuries to the head, neck and upper body. Mrs. Shepard’s injuries required extensive surgery and physical therapy.

“Mary Shepard isn’t just a victim of the violent criminal who attacked her,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “She is also a victim of anti self-defense activists in the Illinois legislature who have consistently refused to recognize that good people have the right to protect themselves when they go about their everyday business. We’re pleased that the legislature has come closer this year than ever before to changing the law, but close isn’t good enough for Mary Shepard and the thousands of other Illinois residents who are prohibited by statute from defending themselves outside the home.”

Because Illinois statutes prohibit the right to keep and bear arms and the ability to carry handguns in Illinois, they infringe on the right of the people, including Mrs. Shepard, members of the ISRA and other law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and are thus null and void.

Cox concluded: “In its historic Heller and McDonald decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court made clear that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms. Mary Shepard’s story highlights the need for law-abiding citizens to be able to fully exercise their Second Amendment rights. Whether through the legislature or through the courts, we won’t rest until that happens.”

The NRA has also filed or supported the following cases to preserve Second Amendment freedoms across the United States since the historic Heller and McDonald rulings, and expects to file more in the coming months:

• Benson v. City of Chicago, challenging Chicago’s unconstitutionally burdensome handgun restrictions;
• Heller v. District of Columbia (Heller II), challenging Washington, D.C.’s overly restrictive firearm registration requirements and ban on commonly owned rifles;
• Jackson v. City of San Francisco, challenging that city’s gun storage and ammunition regulations;
• Jane Doe v. Wilmington Housing Authority, challenging prohibitions on firearms ownership in Delaware public housing;
• Jennings v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, challenging the federal law that prohibits law-abiding adults between the ages of 18-20 from buying handguns from licensed dealers;
• NRA v. McCraw, challenging Texas’ law that bans issuance of handgun carry permits to 18-20 year old adults; and
• Peruta v. City of San Diego, challenging that city’s refusal to issue handgun carry permits to law-abiding applicants.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

Illinois gun control advocates and their allies in the General Assembly delivered a “triple-whammy” against public safety recently when they sabotaged passage of HB148.

Under the provisions of HB148, well-trained, well-qualified Illinois citizens would be permitted to carry defensive firearms to protect themselves and their families from violent criminals. At the same time, HB148 would have provided upwards of $40 million in permit fees to the Illinois State Police to pay for upgrades to the state’s antiquated gun buyer background check system.

But, thanks to the short-sighted efforts of the gun control movement and its friends in the Illinois House, tens of thousands of law-abiding Illinois citizens will continue to suffer at the hands of murderers, robbers and rapists because they cannot lawfully defend themselves. Likewise, the gun control movement can take credit for saddling the state police with a background check system based on software developed in 1959.

Rounding out the triple whammy-against the citizens of Illinois is the fact that the actions of gun control advocates are to blame for a pair of lawsuits filed this week in federal court against the State of Illinois. Both lawsuits – one filed by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), the other filed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the ISRA – contend that the state is damaging law-abiding citizens by prohibiting the carrying of defensive firearms.

In a nut shell, the gun control movement’s efforts the kill HB148 have ensured that Illinois remains one of the most dangerous places to live in the United States. In addition to causing the loss of $40 million for better background checks, the gun control movement is now responsible for Illinois having to shell out millions in taxpayer dollars to pay legal bills related to the SAF and NRA/ISRA lawsuits. Once again, the extremist views of the gun control movement are costing the good people of Illinois dearly.

“The ISRA is very excited about being a plaintiff in the NRA/ISRA lawsuit,” commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. “This lawsuit defines the cutting edge of one of the most important questions of the day. That is, does the state have the right to decide who is worth defending and who is not?”

“The fact that two lawsuits have been filed against the State of Illinois this week is proof-positive that this issue is not going to go away,” continued Pearson. “The behind the scenes political gamesmanship that resulted in the scuttling of HB148 has not diminished the resolve of the good people of Illinois. Whether it is in the courts, in the legislature, or at the ballot box, we will relentlessly push forward until the citizen’s right to self defense is restored in Illinois.”

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- I know you are all down in the dumps about today’s vote but you should not be. I’m not saying you should be happy either. Be pragmatic. That will be hard for everyone on our side of this issue, I realize.

We put 68 votes on the board our first time out. That is great. I know in the end we wound up with 65 and we needed 71. The Mayor and the Governor were threatening everyone they could and we only missed by a few votes. We had promises that weren’t kept, because the threats from the mayor carried more weight than we could deliver, today.

That’s life in Springfield. I know many of you and many of our members see things in black and white. If you ever come across anything in Springfield that is either pure white or completely black run away as fast as you can. It’s a trap. Ask some of our former Governors!

We know who voted one way or the other and why. We will take care of it. I’m not saying that some people shouldn’t be put in the spot light, but not all should because that will solidify their position against us. Some need to be finessed.

If there were a few legislators that need to be in the spotlight, Farnham, Crespo, and Monique Davis would be the three that I would pick.

So where are we? The bill was put on postponed consideration. That means it can be called anytime between now and the second Wednesday in 2013. Now that we have probed and found out the weak spots we can begin working on the bill again.

Firearm owners in Illinois are not the second class citizens Mayor Daley makes us out to be. He asked today for a publically funded protection detail, once he is retired! Once he is retired, he is a common citizen just like the rest of us. I can’t get the state of Illinois or my city to provide me with armed guards to watch out for me and neither should he.

Fox News Chicago reported this evening that NRA will file a law suit against the state of Illinois and there will be NO input from the Legislature once litigation commences. I am not sure what their sources are, but it was alluded to during the closing statement at the end of debate.

Representative Phelps put a lot of work into this bill. He invited all sides in to negotiate any issues they had with the bill. Conspicuously absent from those discussions was the city of Chicago. They were invited, but never even gave the courtesy of a response.

ISRA Members and our supporters are not quitters and we’re not done. Adversity makes us stronger! We WILL WIN THIS!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- For the first time in nearly two decades a Right to Carry bill made it to the floor of the IL House of Representatives for debate and a vote.

Unfortunately lawmakers from the Chicago area failed to recognize the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. HB148 fell only three votes shy of the 71 needed. Just before the final tally was taken the sponsor of the bill called for postponed consideration and the bill was pulled from consideration.

This maneuver is common when a bill does not reach the required number of votes to pass. This will keep the bill active and the sponsors can try to gather the needed votes and bring the bill back for another vote later in the session.

It is more critical than ever that you contact your legislator and urge them to support HB148. Call them, write them, go to their offices and meet with them in person.

Firmly but politely let them know your fight for the right to protect yourself and your family is not over. Firmly but politely tell them you expect them to stand up for your constitutional right.

Need help finding your state legislator?

Go to Illinois State Board of Elections or call 217-782-2000

Please join us at IllinoisCarry.com for the ongoing discussions about the bill what happens as we move forward.

Right to Carry Bill HB148 Endorsed by Law Enforcement Groups
HB148 continues to gain support of law enforcement groups all across the state.

The following groups are now on record supporting your right to protect yourself and your loved ones:

• Illinois Sheriffs Association
• Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police
• Chicago Police Department Sergeants Association
• Chicago Police Department Lieutenants Association

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- We are very pleased to announce that HB148, Concealed Carry, passed out of the House Agriculture Committee by a vote of 12-1.

However, there is trouble ahead for HB148. Governor Quinn has promised to veto the bill if it is passed and anti-gun forces have been engaged in heavy arm-twisting in the House, trying to get representatives to drop support for the bill.

The gun control movement is employing all sorts of underhanded tricks and lies to leave you and your family defenseless against attacks by violent criminals.

Your immediate action is required to help ensure that HB148 passes the Illinois House. Here is what you need to do:

1. Call your state representative at both his/her District and Springfield offices. Politely tell the person on the phone that you are a law-abiding Illinois citizen who wants the opportunity to defend yourself and family from dangerous criminals. Tell the person on the phone that you would like the representative to vote “YES” on HB148. If you do not know who your state representative is, please follow this link to the website of the Illinois State Board Of Elections search function:
www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

In the rare event that the search tool does not work for your address, you can call the Illinois State Board Of Elections at 217-782-4141.

2. Pass this the link to this article on to all your friends and ask them to make calls as well.

3. Please post this Link to any and all blogs and Internet bulletin boards to which you belong.

4. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA to help us continue the fight for concealed carry. The Daley/Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine is trying its best to use tactics to bleed us of our resources. We need your Emergency Donation today! Thank you in advance! Please make a donation on-line, or over the phone at 815-635-3198.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

NRA News

Fairfax, VA --(Ammoland.com)- NRA-News is a valued partner that continues to cover breaking gun rights news. The following is a transcript of Cam Edward’s interview with Todd Vandermyde, regarding Illinois attempt to publish the contact info from the Illinois FOID Card database.

Cam Edwards: Right now, though, I’m very pleased to have with us on the program, Todd Vandermyde, NRA’s Illinois lobbyist. Todd, good evening, sir.

Todd Vandermyde: Hey, Ken, how’s it going?

Cam Edwards: Not too bad. Glad you could be with us tonight. The news breaking this afternoon that the Attorney General there, in Illinois, has decided that the names of Firearm Owner Identification Card holders, which would be every legal gun owner in the state of Illinois, that information is public record.

Todd Vandermyde: Yep.

Cam Edwards: So, Todd, what’s your reaction to this?

Todd Vandermyde: Well, the Attorney General seems to think that gun owners in Illinois are equivalent to sex offenders and that our names are to be published out there and to be vilified, scorned, or made targets of. I, you know, really not sure what her thinking is, we’ve been unable to get an answer out of her office, or the State Police have been unable to get an answer as to why she wants to undo prior precedent. But, the Tribune and the Associated Press have put in Freedom of Information Act requests for the Firearm Owner Identification Card List. She said parts of it have to be turned over. So, we were anticipating this. And the State Police were doing a yeoman’s job of holding off on moving anything and fighting this every step of the way.

So, we’ve got bills in the hopper to undo this. And one of them House Bill Seven, will be up for a hearing tomorrow morning at 8:30 in the Judiciary Civil Committee. So …

Cam Edwards: Now was that planned or did this get expedited as a result of the Attorney General’s statement today?

Todd Vandermyde: No, we had had, when the State Police came to us with their concerns about what was going on, I asked them, I said, “Guys, how long can you drag this out? Because if you can get us the session, I’ll have bills in the hopper.” And so, we wrote the bills, filed, pre-filed them back in December, and it just so happens that they were assigned to committee a week ago and we’re going to move on this one this week. It’s up for a hearing tomorrow and we’re going to go after it. And we think we’ve got the votes to get it out of committee.

The sponsor, Ron Stevens, called me a little while ago, said he’d been calling Judiciary members, and their phones are already starting to ring because of this. A lot of people, who may be gun owners, who don’t think about their Second Amendment rights every day, are really taking this to heart. They don’t want their names published out there.

I mean, the argument is that you just handed out crooks a target list of homes to case, and you’ve got a chance that there’s going to be, you know, firearms, which are easily fencible, highly prized by criminals, and places to go burglarize. Or, conversely, you now have ideas where you may not want to go burglarize, because you may run into an armed homeowner.

Cam Edwards: Yeah, and that’s the thing. We pointed that out. Not only does this hurt gun owners out there, but it hurts non gun owners out there. It affects everybody.

Todd Vandermyde: It does. And so, when the reps that I’ve talked to about this, they’ve inquired, and the AD’s office being, or having unanswered so far, …

Cam Edwards: Mm-hm.

Todd Vandermyde: … maybe they’ll be in committee tomorrow, and maybe they’ll have something answered. And, if there answer is, “Well, we think that’s what the Freedom of Information Act says,” we think they’re wrong because there’s a clear exemption in there for personal information. And, I think that there is the idea that they’re exercising a fundamental Constitutional right, and the nature of the property that you convey, that it is personal information.

So, we’ll see. But, we’re also hearing that the city of Chicago has their gun bills in the same committee, and they’re going to try to make a run at them tomorrow, as well. So, looks like we’re going to have a busy morning tomorrow.

And then, we’re just going to keep plugging along, going towards our right to carry hearing next week and IGOLD’s on the 10th.

Cam Edwards: Yeah, and I got to tell you Todd, boy, if the Illinois gun owners’ lobby day did not just gain new importance here. I mean, what an opportunity for gun owners around the state to show their support for each other and show their support for pro-Second Amendment legislation. It seems to me like they’ve got an excellent opportunity to raise some eyebrows by getting a big turnout.

Todd Vandermyde: Well, and another rep told me that people who aren’t gun owners, people who don’t look at the fight the way we do, this just gets them at a level of privacy and personal invasion that starts to get them to cock their heads and think about things. And the AG may have done us a favor here and kicked over a hornets’ nest that a lot of people weren’t thinking about. If they can do this, what else can they do?

Cam Edwards: Mm-hm.

Todd Vandermyde: So, yeah. I think IGOLD is timed right this year. You were playing, last night, the mayor’s hissy fit that he had.

Cam Edwards: [laughs] Yes.

Todd Vandermyde: You know, I mean, he’s really becoming irrelevant. I think that question that they had up there, “Why don’t you ask me a question about guns?” Because the Supreme Court has made it kind of moot, Mr. Mayor, and we hear your rantings every three to five months about this stuff. I talked to somebody that was at that press conference and said he eventually just turned his back and walked away, wouldn’t talk to the press, because they wouldn’t talk to him about what he wanted to talk about.

Cam Edwards: Yeah, I know. I loved that. Yeah. Well, Todd, I mean things are certainly heating up. It’s not going to be a quiet rest of the Session, I know that.

Todd Vandermyde: Oh, no, we are loaded for bear and the best thing that gun owners can do is: One, start calling your rep, start calling your senator. Tell them, “No to the Chicago agenda. No to the Attorney General’s agenda. Yes to Right to Carry and Otis MacDonald.” And just keep pounding that. And we’re hoping that we’ll figure out what some movement might look like in the Senate here pretty quick. And if not, show up on Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day. Come down and hold your rep accountable, hold your senator accountable. If they happen to be Democrats and have been supporting the anti-gun leadership, then it looks like it’s getting time to hold them accountable for those decisions, as well.

Cam Edwards: All right. Mr. Vandermyde. sir, glad you could join us tonight, and we’ll talk to you again soon.

Read More on these topics:

• Attention Illinois Gun Owners – Annual Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day
• State Rifle Association Secures Restraining Order Against Release
• Illinois FOID Renewal: Take Action on your Late FOID

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- As a law-abiding Illinois firearm owner, it should come as no surprise to you that your rights are coming under constant attack down in the state capitol.

The Daley/Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine has been busily cranking out one extreme gun control measure after another since the legislative session began several weeks ago.

Likewise, the gun controllers have been working overtime to prevent pro-gun legislation from coming to a vote. It’s been business as usual in Springfield this year – and you are the person getting “the business.”

As you receive this alert, the Illinois General Assembly is in recess. That means that your State Representatives and State Senators are now back working in their District offices rather than working at the Capitol in Springfield.

This recess provides you, the law-abiding gun owner, an excellent opportunity to lobby your legislators on a face to face basis about the issues important to you.

So, here are 4 things that you can do this week to help save your gun rights:

1. Go to www.ilga.gov and click on the “Legislator Lookup” link. Follow the instructions and locate the District Offices of your State Representative and State Senator.
2. Call or visit the District Office and politely convey your message on the following bills now under consideration:
   • HB148 – a bill that would allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons to protect themselves and their families against violent criminals. Advise your Representative to support this bill.
   • HB264 – a bill that would standardize firearm regulations across the state and eliminate the patchwork of local laws that are often a “gotcha” for gun-owning out of towners. Advise your Representative to support this bill.
   • HB265 – a bill that standardizes firearm transportation regulations. Like HB264, this bill protects otherwise law-abiding citizens from getting pinched for violating a little-known law. Advise your Representative to support this bill.
   • SB82 – a bill that would allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons to protect themselves and their families against violent criminals. Advise your Senator to support this bill.
   • SB27 – a bill that would ensure that personal gun-owner information in the FOID database could not be released to the public. Advise your Senator to support this bill.
   • HB3508 – a bill to ban private firearm sales. Advise your Representative to OPPOSE this bill.
   • HB3634 – a bill that would make it a felony to sell a firearm to a gang member even if the gang member has a FOID card and passes a background check. Advise your Representative to OPPOSE this bill.
   • HB1294 – a bill that would ban semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. Advise your Representative to OPPOSE this bill.
   • SB2257 – a bill that would ban all firearms having a bore of .50 caliber or greater. Advise your Senator to OPPOSE this bill.
3. Please post this alert to any blogs or bulletin boards to which you belong. Pass this alert along to your gun-owning friends and relatives and tell them to contact their Senators and Representatives as well.
4. If you’re a current member of the ISRA, then renew or upgrade your membership. Also, we very badly need your financial support to carry on the fight against the gun grabbers at the Capitol. Please donate to the ISRA today!

ISRA needs your continued support. McDonald v Chicago was not the end of the fight but the beginning. The ISRA is the front line in the battles for your firearm rights here in Illinois, such as the new lawsuit to prevent Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan from forcing the Illinois State Police to release your FOID information to the Associated Press.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The lawsuit filed on behalf of ISRA and its members on March 10, 2011, is moving forward with excellent results.

After Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that her office believes that release of FOID information to the public is proper under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, the ISRA filed suit in Peoria (10th Judicial District) seeking a temporary restraining order preventing the release of names of FOID holders.

As previously reported, the temporary restraining order (TRO) was granted by judge Scott Shore, who then scheduled a status hearing for March 15th to set a date set for hearing arguments regarding the issuance of a preliminary injunction, since the TRO normally expires in ten days.

Prior to his court appearance on behalf of ISRA and the member plaintiffs, attorney Stanley Tucker was notified of a letter sent to Attorney General Lisa Madigan that was signed by 12 (a majority) of the Illinois congressional delegation. The non-partisan letter requested Lisa Madigan to rescind an attorney general directive issued to the Illinois State Police that sided with the FOIA request made by the Associated Press’ representative that the ISP release the names of FOID holders.

The latest court order extended the TRO indefinitely, until further order of court, and another “status” hearing was scheduled for April 14th. The defendants may file pleadings requesting additional relief, but for now the privacy of law-abiding firearm owners and the interest of public safety remain protected.

The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- The Illinois State Rifle Association is pleased to announce that it will hold a high power rifle clinic at its Kankakee rifle range on Saturday, 16 April 2011. The instructor for this special clinic is Mr. Ken Roxburgh, Jr. of the Remington Arms Company.

Registration for the clinic will begin at 8:00 sharp. Participants will be required to bring their own rifle, 300 rounds ammunition, eye protection and hearing protection. The event is open to the public for a fee of $10 per person.

Members of the ISRA range will be admitted free of charge.

The educational objectives of the clinic are appropriate for shooters of all levels seeking to be acquainted with the fundamental concepts of marksmanship including safety/weapons handling, positions, aiming, trigger control, techniques of slow and rapid firing, sight adjustment/zeroing, data books, effects of weather, wind reading, care use of match equipment, team shooting, basic marksmanship coaching techniques and proper range etiquette.

Opportunities to study under instructors of Mr. Roxburgh’s quality do not come along often. Do not miss out on this rare opportunity!

ISRA to Host Chicago Firearm Permit Class (CFP)

Date: Sunday, March 27, 2011
Place: Fran’s on 17 (classroom) and Illinois State Rifle Range (OUTDOOR range)
FRAN’S – 7096 W State Route 17, Kankakee (815) 932-6986
(DOES NOT SERVE BREAKFAST) and
ISRA Range in Bonfield, near Kankakee
1 ½ miles NORTH OF IL 17 on WARNER BRIDGE ROAD
(which is also known as 7000W and County Line)

Course: Consists of 4 hours of classroom instruction and1 hour of practical training at the firing range
as required by the City of Chicago.

Time: Sign in starts at 8:00 a.m.,
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. classroom
Lunch break (approximate times)
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. range time

Cost: $110.00 includes range fee and ammunition

Paid to: Illinois State Rifle Association, P.O. Box 637, Chatsworth, IL 60921
Requirements: Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID)
Registration Deadline: March 19, 2011

Upon Completion, students will Receive: State Certified Firearm Instructor Affidavit attesting to the completion of the firearm instruction and training as required by the City of Chicago,

NRA Certificate of Completion of the First Steps Pistol Orientation

Please visit the ISRA Range Website here and mail the “form” with your check payable to the ISRA or fax with your credit card information to (815) 635-3723.

For further information call the Illinois State Rifle Association Office (815) 635-3198

The ISRA Range is located at 1589 N Warner Bridge Road. Warner Bridge Road is also 7000W road.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

PEORIA, IL --(Ammoland.com)- The ISRA is pleased to announce that it has secured a temporary restraining order against the release of personal information belonging to persons holding Illinois Firearm Owner Identification cards (FOID).

The ISRA and four additional plaintiffs filed for the temporary restraining order after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that her office believes that release of FOID information to the public is proper under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

The ISRA is very concerned that public release of personal information from the FOID database will jeopardize the safety of law-abiding firearm owners.

The temporary restraining order was granted by judge Scott Shore of the 10th Judicial District, Peoria County. Judge Shore has scheduled a status call for March 15th, at which time a date will be set for hearing arguments regarding the issuance of a preliminary injunction. With the temporary order in effect, your FOID information is safe, for now.

“Law-abiding Illinois firearm owners can breathe a little easier today,” commented ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson.

“Judge Shore’s order will prevent the Illinois State Police from releasing personal information on FOID holders to news organizations, gun control groups, gangs, and other criminals”.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Associated Press, is ordering the Illinois State Police to release the names of FOID holders to the press.

If you have not already heard this news, let that sink in for a few seconds. This is information that the Illinois State Police have held in confidence for over 40 years.

This would mean the release of your name, as a FOID holder. If you have a unique name, and an anti-gun employer, your job will be at risk.

Perhaps you are a collector, will you be targeted for your firearms collection? Will violent criminals be able to determine which households don’t have firearms for protection?

Lisa Madigan is no friend to firearms owners, she thinks that you need to have your name published to punish you for being a law-abiding gun owner.

There is pending legislation in the Illinois House and the Illinois Senate that would forever keep your FOID information private.

WHAT YOU MUST DO TO PREVENT THE RELEASE OF YOUR FOID INFORMATION:

1. Call your state representative starting as soon as your receive this alert and urge him or her to support and co-sponsor House Bill 7 – FOID Holder Privacy. Remember that you will likely be talking your representative’s secretary, they are there doing a job that can be challenging at times: please be kind and direct. If you do now know who your state representative is, go to the following web site and follow the directions for looking up your legislators: Illinois State Board of Elections. If you know who your State Representative is, you can look up the phone numbers of their Springfield and district offices right from the ISRA’s legislative page.
2. Then call your state senator and urge him or her to support and co-sponsor Senate Bill 27 – FOID Holder Privacy. Again, you will likely be talking the secretary. Find your State Senator at: Illinois State Board of Elections. If you know who your State Senator is, the ISRA has a page where you can look up their phone number.
3. Pass the link to this article on to all your friends and family, ask them to make calls as well.
4. Please post this article to any and all blogs and bulletin boards to which you may belong.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Have you heard of IGOLD? Well, it’s quite likely that if you’re reading this on the ISRA website or in an ISRA sponsored article that you already know of IGOLD.

But that’s not the secret.

IGOLD is Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day, and it’s been around for a few years now, having grown out of a smaller event that was called ISRA Lobby Day.

Why the new name? The ISRA has been partnering with other organizations in Illinois to make this a bigger, better event, and it has been a success, and grows every year. Sure, I’d like for everyone who attends to be an ISRA member, but it’s more important for all Illinois gun owners to be there, regardless of what organization they belong to. Someone recently departed from us, Gene Martin from Guns Save Life, came up with the name IGOLD, and that has help the event be more inclusive and have a larger outreach. But that’s not the secret, either.

I bought my first firearm in my 30’s during the Clinton Administration. One of my friends took me shooting a couple of times & he planted the thought that if I didn’t soon exercise my right to keep and bears arms, perhaps someday there would be no opportunity. I became an NRA member too, right away after becoming a gun owner. I joined the ISRA a couple of months after that, I met the recruiter at the ISRA table in the local gunshow. The next spring I found out about Lobby Day for the first time.

My shooting buddy and I carpooled to Springfield for Lobby Day. We got there early and found some on-street metered parking. We went to the legislative briefing, and there I saw faces for the first time that I would come to know later as my mentors, folks like Richard Pearson and Jim Vinopal. I saw NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde there, too. He’s another great influence.

Well equipped from the briefing, armed with a few pieces of paper, my friend and I made our way to meet our legislators, along with all the other “lobbyists for a day”. I got to meet my senator, but not my representative. We walked the capitol building, which is very ornate and grandiose, plus the office buildings, which are more modern.

But what really left an impression on me was not the surroundings, but the legislative process itself, and my role in it. Because that day I was there, I was part of the process. That day, the legislators were not just approached by the full time lobbyists, but by the individual gun owners and voters who took the time to get to Springfield and meet them face to face. Do you remember those ads the NRA ran with famous people saying “I’m the NRA”? From that day forward, I can say “I’m the gun lobby”, because I was there. And I continue to go back.

Since forming IGOLD, we’ve multiplied the effect of the individual lobbying, because we now form a wall of citizens as we march to the capitol. We have expanded the number of people that receive the message, the call to go to Springfield, but it only means something if you are the one who goes there. But perhaps just casting a bigger net is not enough, that’s the reason I’m sharing my own IGOLD experience with you. And who knows, maybe once again the event will inspire someone that becomes part of the next generation of ISRA leadership.

So what’s the secret? That’s easy now: The secret of IGOLD is being there.

The world is run by the people that show up. Take a vacation day, you’ve earned it. Spend it in Springfield, you and your fellow gun owners need it. For one day that lasts forever, be the gun lobby. Be there.

Plan to be in Springfield on Thursday, March 10!
The event begins at the Prairie Capital Convention Center at 8th St and Adams, the doors open at 10:30 am, and the event starts at 11:45 AM. From there we march to the State Capitol (with transportation for those who can’t walk that far, a little less than a mile) and rally on the Capitol Steps.

IGOLD Updates:
Ride easy! If you don’t want to drive, a fleet of charter buses will be arriving in Springfield from all corners of the state. On-line reservations are available! New for 2011: Buses from Lombard and Woodstock!

Show your support! New 2011 IGOLD Hats, T-shirts and Hoodies are available at IGOLD.isra.org! Check out the special IGOLD raffle for the Loaded Black Stainless 1911 from Springfield Armory!

Volunteers needed: With a rally this large, IGOLD volunteers are essential to the success of the event. Have you been to IGOLD before? Be a guide for those who are attending for the first time. If you have been a volunteer before, please volunteer again! Find out more here.

IGOLD is sponsored by the Illinois State Rifle Association, dedicated to education, safety training and support of Illinois firearm owners. The ISRA is also partnering with IllinoisCarry.com, Guns Save Life and Sangamon County Rifle Association and other pro-Second Amendment organizations in Illinois to make our voices heard in Springfield.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- There have been times I have had people say to me, “Does it really make a difference marching at IGOLD to the capitol”?

I have an answer for you. Yes it does!

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about a hot topic and had them say that too bad we couldn’t get enough people together to have a demonstration or something? I’m sure we all have had that experience.

Now we all know conceal carry is a hot topic in the state of Illinois, knowing that pretty soon we will be the only state without it!

The difference here is we do have a very well organized demonstration every year. Yes, you ask about a march or something, but do you take the time needed when it is organized to make sure you are a participant? People take days off from work for many reasons, sometimes just to be lazy for a day. But do they take one day out of their year to be pro-active in a demonstration to help fight for the cause? Somehow, to some people, it doesn’t seem worth it!

It is there, it is organized for them, bus transportation is provided, they are in the company of thousands of others just like them, but it’s not worth it?

If you were traveling alone to Springfield, no one would even know you are there, except you and the legislators you visit. When IGOLD goes down there the whole town knows we are there, even TV stations from central Illinois are present. I believe & I know it makes one hell of an impact! So please give me one sensible reason you are not going with us?

What if there was no IGOLD day? What if seven to ten thousand people didn’t show up? What if there was no unified support held like this for conceal carry? Do you think for one minute the legislators would even think that you as an Illinois citizen cares whether we have conceal carry or not? I don’t think so! You see it always takes grass roots to accomplish something and if the legislators look out their window and there is no grass on the front steps of the capitol, it’s just another day.

So c’mon folks—it’s there and it’s waiting for you to join in! Are you going to just leave it up to the rest of the gun owners of Illinois to fight for you?

If you cannot possibly make it fine, but if you can and you didn’t, I hope that the inner voice you hear all day that you didn’t do your part, weighs on your mind. IGOLD does make a BIG difference! It’s time to jump on the bus and make the chant ‘CONCEAL CARRY NOW” all the louder this year in Springfield.

Plan to be in Springfield on Thursday, March 10!

The event begins at the Prairie Capital Convention Center at 8th St and Adams, the doors open at 10:30 am, and the event starts at 11:45 AM. From there we march to the State Capitol (with transportation for those who can’t walk that far, a little less than a mile) and rally on the Capitol Steps.

IGOLD Updates:
Ride easy! If you don’t want to drive, a fleet of charter buses will be arriving in Springfield from all corners of the state. On-line reservations are available! New for 2011: Buses from Lombard and Woodstock!

Show your support! IGOLD Hats and new 2011 IGOLD T-shirts and Hoodies are available at IGOLD.isra.org! Check out the special IGOLD raffle for the Loaded Black Stainless 1911 from Springfield Armory!

Volunteers needed: With a rally this large, IGOLD volunteers are essential to the success of the event. Have you been to IGOLD before? Be a guide for those who are attending for the first time. If you have been a volunteer before, please volunteer again! Find out more here.

IGOLD is sponsored by the Illinois State Rifle Association, dedicated to education, safety training and support of Illinois firearm owners. The ISRA is also partnering with IllinoisCarry.com, Guns Save Life and Sangamon County Rifle Association and other pro-Second Amendment organizations in Illinois to make our voices heard in Springfield.

ISRA needs your continued support. McDonald v Chicago was not the end of the fight but the beginning. The ISRA is the front line in the battles for your firearm rights here in Illinois, such as securing your Right To Carry.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Last year the ISRA won McDonald v Chicago. This year, with your assistance, it will be concealed carry!

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- We need your help, now more than ever.

We need everyone concerned with firearm rights in Springfield on March 10th for our Gun Owners Lobby Day, (IGOLD)!

Each year we have built on the success of previous’ years events and this year promises to be the biggest and best ever IGOLD. We are growing towards 10,000 people! Don’t sit home, we need you there!

With the major wins of Heller v DC and McDonald V Chicago, added into the recent midterm elections, the political tide is changing, but as close as we are, we can’t get concealed carry legislation passed in Illinois without your help.

We need you, your friends, your relatives, anyone that agrees with you that “It’s Time” for concealed carry in Illinois. In 48 states private citizens currently enjoy the ability to carry a defensive firearm outside their home.

Wisconsin, where it is legal to openly carry firearms, has a new Governor and their legislature has made it clear that they will pass concealed carry this session. That will make 49 states where the concealed carry of firearms for personal defense is legal.

“It’s Time” that Illinois ends its ban on the ability of its honest law abiding citizens to carry the same firearms. Criminals have had the advantage long enough as they have been carrying concealed in Illinois for ages! The law abiding should not be put at a deadly disadvantage because of convoluted political rhetoric.

Join me in Springfield on March 10th. Once you get there, (buses are available from all corners of the state), we’ll show you the who, what and where you need to know to effectively lobby your own state representative and state senator!

I’m looking forward to seeing you there and with all of your help, this will be the year that Illinois joins the rest of the country in celebrating the Second Amendment’s right to carry!

Stay tuned for important IGOLD information.

Respectfully,

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Please join your fellow Illinois gun owners for the annual Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day (IGOLD) on March 10, in Springfield! This is your opportunity to lobby your lawmakers directly and make a positive impact for all Illinois gun owners. Do not miss the largest gun rights rally and Second Amendment lobbying event in Illinois history!

We need thousands of Illinois gun owners, hunters, sportsmen, and those who simply wish to defend their right to keep and bear arms to gather at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center – doors will open at 10:30 AM with the program set to begin at 11:45 AM. We will march down Capitol Avenue, rally on the Capitol steps, and then proceed inside to lobby legislators to make our presence known. There will be no mistaking that Illinois gun owners intend to stand up and speak out for our right to keep and bear arms in the state of Illinois! This will be one of the most important days of the year for Illinois gun owners!

For more information on IGOLD 2011, to sign-up online, or for more information on scheduled bus routes, please visit http://igold.isra.org/, or call the Illinois State Rifle Association at (815) 635-3198.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- ISRA is proud to sponsor IGOLD 2011 Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day

Mark your calendars and reserve the day off now!!

All Illinois gun owners are invited to join in Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day (IGOLD) in Springfield in 2011. This is the very important event where gun owners individually lobby their representatives in the Illinois House and Senate.

Ride easy! A fleet of charter buses will be arriving in Springfield from all corners of the state ­­- Online reservations available beginning Jan. 18, 2011.

More IGOLD Resources, t-shirts, and links available soon at IGOLD.isra.org!

Please join us for Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day, you won’t regret it.
If you’ve never been there before, make this your year!

IGOLD is sponsored by the Illinois State Rifle Association, dedicated to education, safety training and support of Illinois firearm owners. The ISRA is also partnering with IllinoisCarry.com, Champaign County Rifle Association and Sangamon County Rifle Association and other pro-Second Amendment organizations in Illinois to make our voices heard in Springfield.

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Gun Control Liars

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Although the trend against draconian firearm rights infringements is in our favor, we must keep the pressure on while the anti’s are on their heels.

While the ISRA wages uphill battles against long entrenched institutional bias against firearm owners in Illinois, the anti-rights push back, harder and more arrogantly than ever.

Political corruption is nothing new to the Chicago area, it began in the levee district in the 1890s and has had over 120 years to flourish. The courts though, are supposed to be the place where every person gets their chance at unbiased justice. The Constitution should prevail, not money or political affiliations, or myths like gun control that distract the people from the real problems that are more difficult to solve.

Of course here in Northeastern Illinois, its easier to blame the lawful gun owner, especially if you are allowed to rewrite history by making up false quotes and other false information credited to historic court decisions.

The ISRA for over 100 years has walked the walk and fought the fight. It is noble and true to course and will let no stone go unturned in the battle to re-establish the firearm rights for all Illinoisans.

Fighting these battles on so many fronts, education, legislatively, and through litigation is costly. The opposition has unfettered wealth behind it. Bloomberg, Joyce Foundation etc. have millions and millions of dollars to throw against us. They’ll do anything to keep the gun control myth alive and distract us from societies real problems, the problems that their political cronies have failed to address resulting in defenseless sheeple who are victimized daily.

Take a few minutes to listen to this recording from a recent online NRA show, where the NRA’s Illinois Lobbyist, Todd Vandermyde speaks about briefs filed in the Wilson et v Cook County et al suit by the Cook County States Attorney’s office.

Mr. Wilson is challenging the so called Cook County Assault weapons ban with the ISRA’s financial support.

The Appellate Court’s answer to the Plaintiffs’ motion to strike the fabricated quote of Heller by the Cook County States Attorneys???

DENIED!!!

If this report doesn’t make you ANGRY and MAD, what will it take? The ISRA doesn’t have millionaires financing its fight, it only has regular people concerned with their rights and the government’s denial of them.

Please donate today to help ISRA keep the pressure on, the pressure we brought when we were plaintiffs in McDonald v Chicago, the pressure that our four lobbyists are putting on Springfield, the pressure that Mr. Wilson is putting on Cook County, help us WIN THIS FIGHT!

Don’t forget to forward this to all your friends and family, repost it to bulletin boards, even hang it in your favorite firearms or outdoors store. We need everyone on board and in the fight! Everyone on your feet, get into the fight, we can no longer afford the luxury of even one single person sitting on the sidelines!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Next Week at the ISRA Range near Kankakee, Dec 13-17, 2010:

TCTI Semi-Auto Firearms Instructor Course

This is a 5-day Firearms Instructor Course designed to educate attendees as instructors in training with the semi-automatic pistol. Classroom time, lectures and range training will be included in the 40-hour program.

This course is designed with instructor development as the primary focus for the firearms instructor. Classroom training familiarizes personnel with a suggested course format for pistol training.

Training suitable for instructors for the Chicago Firearms Permit.

Featuring instructors from the Total Control Training Institute & Defensive Tactics Excellence League

Download the flyer for more info!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- On the federal side, gun owners did quite well here in Illinois.

ISRA FEDPAC preferred and endorsed Congressional candidates Joe Walsh (8th), Randy Hultgren (14th) and Bobby Schilling (17th) replaced anti-gunners Bean, Foster and Hare, moving the entire Illinois delegation much more into the pro-gun camp. (The results in the 8th District race are very close and Rep. Bean has not conceded)

In Illinois races, the majority of ISRA-PVF endorsed and preferred candidates were victorious in their respective races. Even in cases where our preferred candidates lost, they were quite often defeated by candidates who are equally pro-gun.

The race for governor is a different matter. At present, Pat Quinn has an 8400 vote lead over Bill Brady for Governor of Illinois. While the ISRA-PVF endorsed Brady/Plummer campaign has stated they will continue until every vote is counted, if this lead holds up, the next four years in Illinois are going to be difficult to pass pro-Second Amendment initiatives.

Indeed, the ISRA will again be working to keep the gun control movement at bay at the same time.

Even though Mayor Daley is retiring, we can expect the Chicago machine to continue to call for bans on common sporting rifles and other restrictive laws designed solely to limit legal firearm ownership. We must prepare for the 2011 legislative session now, it’s only a couple of months away. The Illinois State Rifle Association will push forward with Concealed Carry, State Preemption legislation and other measures to preserve and restore your Second Amendment rights.

To continue the fight, your help is needed. This has been a long and expensive war on your rights and we need funds to continue to fight the upcoming battles in Springfield. Help the ISRA help you. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA legislative fund by clicking here to access our e-commerce site.

Remember IGOLD is Thursday, March 10 next year, mark your calendar, and please make every effort to attend. If you have never been to IGOLD before, make 2011 your year! Stay tuned for more IGOLD info!

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(Ammoland.com)- Today is Election Day, cast your ballot and protect your freedoms.

If you are unsure of your polling place, please call your local county clerk’s office, they can direct you to the proper place.

The ISRA-PVF and the ISRA-FedPac have issued their endorsements and we hope you will support their candidates.

No matter who you chose to vote for, it is your right and your responsibility to vote your conscience today.

Remember, at least 90% of your influence in the legislature, ends at the end of election day.Don’t count on anyone else, get out and vote, and make sure that all of your loved ones and friends do the same!

Respectfully,

About:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners Visit: www.isra.org