Illinois – -(AmmoLand.com)- Illinois is a source of frustration for many Second Amendment supporters, especially those who have to live there. Politically, it has become dominated by Chicago, and many of those who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights – and who have done so responsibly – find themselves facing more and more onerous legislation.
That legislation is largely pushed by Chicago politicians who are either unable or unwilling to address the high crime rates in their city, and who need to look like they are doing something. Who do they scapegoat? The law-abiding gun owners. Never mind that for nearly three decades, Chicago was a monument to the ineffectiveness of gun control, as despite a handgun ban, the city was one of the most crime-ridden in the country, including staggering homicide totals.
Right now, anti-Second Amendment politicians are ramming through everything. A parliamentary trick was used to keep a bill alive for an anti-Second Amendment governor to sign. That law will make it harder for federally licensed dealers to operate in Illinois.
But it doesn’t stop there. Some of these politicians now want to force those who wish to own firearms to hand over the passwords to their social media accounts to the government so that a history of their searches can be conducted. So, in essence, in order to exercise your Second Amendment rights in Illinois, you have to let some Lois Lerner wannabe look over your posts.
Other bad stuff is on the way – including a special gun tax (never forget that the power to tax a right is the power to destroy a right), an ammunition registry, and a massive gun ban. How far are they going? Put it this way, if your guns are stolen, you get punished for the actions of a criminal.
Unfortunately, the grip that the Chicago machine has on Illinois politics will be very hard to break. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t hope. Illinois is in the Seventh Circuit – and thanks to President Trump, the Circuit is potentially even more Second Amendment-friendly than it was when it struck down the complete ban on carrying firearms for personal protection Illinois had in place.
This could lead to any number of cases heading to the Supreme Court because of a “circuit split” among the appeals courts. The present composition of the Supreme Court seems friendly to Second Amendment rights, and some contenders for a potential vacancy could shift the court in a very pro-Second Amendment direction, and thus make it likely to strike down Bloomberg’s wish list. It would reverse decades of onerous legislation imposed in Illinois and elsewhere.
More importantly, those rulings would cause a good portion of the general public to accept the right to keep and bear arms. This would make it harder to make a case for anti-Second Amendment legislation, and it would clearly place the likes of Bloomberg, Schumer, and Feinstein against the constitution.
Such an outcome, though, would not mean the end of our vigilance. Already, there are plots to pack the court with anti-Second Amendment judges. Furthermore, we could be facing increased social stigmatization, Silicon Valley censorship, and more efforts to enact gun control via corporate boardrooms.
Those would be future battles, and they would be much easier to win given favorable court rulings. Illinois may be a place where we see anti-gun legislation get signed into law, but we could also see it as where we secured the legal precedents to protect our Second Amendment rights.
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Washington Examiner, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.
We really need to lop Illinois off from Rockford to Kankakee and make it the 51st state.
I live in Illinois and they will get nothing from me. Any law that is written that is in conflict with the Constitution is null and void. People need to get real with the laws. Read them, read the constitution. Shit, it on-line for the love of Mike. Our Founding Fathers knew the tyranny. They lived it. We are living it now. Ever since the fiat dollar has come to the brink of collapse, this is how they intend on keeping power and control. Don’t be surprised if the second civil war breaks out in Illinois. I don’t want that,… Read more »
gun “control” just worked real good in aurora, right?
tell me how IL gun control/lawyer-drivel protected the dead in aurora
Corrupt Chicago politicians – a redundancy, to be sure – really don’t care about gun laws, since THEY are exempt. For generations, the only non-police who could get licenses to carry concealed firearms were Chicago aldermen – you know, the same thugs who constantly vote to restrict the rights of everyone else.
I moved away from there 40 years ago, and don’t miss the city . . . but I can say with certainty that even back then, there was MASSIVE and WIDESPREAD “non-compliance” with Chicago gun laws among regular people with no criminal ties.
Our founding fathers gave us a system to resolve problems in this country. That system consists of three boxes.
No, it consists of the individual citizen READING thier state constitution and applying the mechanism within on REMOVING CORRUPT OFFICIALS FROM OFFICE! So, GET BUSY!
excepting a very few, those who are newly-voted-in frequently display their true & traitorous qualities ASAP. D or R, they gots to please they vo-tuhs. that gold, silver, & platinum lifestyle is worth anything to them. politics is just an expensive (to taxpayers) jobs program for lawyer-types, & a means of exerting unwarranted and unneeded control on America.
Sounds a lot like New York. Our DICTATOR deems it so.
What would be ideal would be voter ID laws Nation wide. The liberals hate them, but it would be a step in the right direction to take back our elections from those who perpetrate voter fraud. And no BS about disenfranchising people either, ID’s are readily available for those who can’t drive in all States. Many senior citizens have them already as do others.
Most Democrats want FREE,FREE,FREE AND WE ARE STUCK WITH THE BILL
All states should have the Electoral College just like the federal law. Along side a photo voter I.D. I’m sure that won’t keep all of them honest but it might help some and be more reasonable. The large cities, most always controlled by democrats, cancels out the votes of outstate people. The outstate people are the ones that pay taxes and work for a living. The majority of the inner city look for all the free stuff they can get.
I agree with Tomcat .
Maybe the business in California and New York could start turning the tables on the Democrats by restricting sales of food and the like to residents in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco .the way the government restricts gun sales. Let’s put them on the defensive for a change, they’ve had their way for too long.
They are already in the works of doing that to themselves by eliminating farting cows and farmers, as we all know, FOOD comes from the grocery stores and not farms!
Sadly Illinois will get worse gun control. On the news today, talking heads complaining about daily work place shootings- 5 people shot at warehouse in Chicago. How could this happen with all the anti- gun laws in Chicago? Why didnt he obey them? Well, now they’ll say more and more gun control! These gunbanning politicians sit around in a jerk off circle thinking up the most bizarre and foolish gun control ideas. The idea is to make it so time consuming, so much paperwork, 60 day waiting periods, high taxes, etc. So they hope people will just forget about legally… Read more »
@annie I don’t know why the elitist, lifetime politicians even bother with guns. One could do more with a gallon of gasoline and a single match than equal weigh in bullets.
Term limits wont ix a thing. think aobut it. When we finally DO manage to seat a good guy he’s gone before he can do much. On the other hand, there is no end of dirtbags being pushed by the deep corrupt state. No, the problem is voters who are asleep, or don’t care enough to even get out and vote, let alone d soe research on the background and history of the endless straem of dirtbags running for office. Cases in point: HOW did that Sandy O (AOC) or either of those two somalians from MI and MN get… Read more »
grabbers should know that…”a lot of things can happen to dog-s**t…
“Chicago has the best government money can buy”, and that’s Democrat. How many of you say you are pro 2nd Amendment , yet vote Democrat and pro union who support the Democrat party? There is no such thing as a pro 2A Democrat . Take a step back and think about who you really are and what you want in life. Vote Democrat and you give up your 2A right.
Please- look up the electoral map from 2016. Please know- of the total of 102 counties in IL- a mere 11 were blue. Because of those 11- the whole state went blue.
We vote against the democrats, the illegals, the dead, and the people that left. They cheated and because they stay in charge nothing is done about it.
Most of us here in il are aware of the correct way to vote…
@Amanda Lee Jobin, this may be so, but, what are YOU, DOING ABOUT IT?
YOU have a State Constitution. READ IT! Utilize YOUR POWER as a single citizen to start the process to REMOVE CORRUPT OFFICIALS FROM OFFICE. If you say you can’t, you are 1) Full of shit and 2) A MAJOR PART OF THE PROBLEM!
@Greg Romeu, easy on @Amanda Lee Jobin hero. All she’s saying is this is what we have to work with from our constitution: “SECTION 14. IMPEACHMENT The House of Representatives has the sole power to conduct legislative investigations to determine the existence of cause for impeachment and, by the vote of a majority of the members elected, to impeach Executive and Judicial officers. Impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting for that purpose, Senators shall be upon oath, or affirmation, to do justice according to law. If the Governor is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court… Read more »
Why do we have to keep fighting the same fight over and over again? All these laws that the anti gun crowd try to
push are unconstitutional. When will they get it through their tick skulls, no means no. The 2nd Amendment is a right.
Does the anti gun crowd understand the difference between a right and a privilege? Go back to school and learn the difference, stop wasting time on your “what if” non-sense.
Bob, liberals/progressives have no ability for rational thought, logic, or common sense. Their goal is a Socialist State where there are no borders, just Continents all controlled by a central Government like say the UN. The first thing that must go to move toward their utopian dream is Guns. People who are armed are a threat to this goal. The saying applies. People who own guns are Citizens, people who have their guns taken away are subjects. All those who killed their citizens…Hitler, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, etc. started by confiscating guns. We just have to fight for… Read more »
@MK, You forgot too include “Vladimir Lenin” and “Joseph Stalin” in your list of KILLERS of MILLIONS of HUMAN BEINGS.
I can not depend on ANY magpies in robes! Case in point, that ’73 decree making abortion a ‘right.’ That recent SCOTUS “finding” that Americans have a right to have a gun “in their home.” Now they decree ‘where’ you have the right “to keep and bear arms.” Surprised they didn’t decree the “type” by name of the “ARMS” you can keep in your “HOME.” My personal ‘creed’ says: I will obey NO man made law that would deny me my ‘God Given “Inalienable” Right to Self-defense of myself or mine, by ANY appropriate means, ANYWHERE! That dastardly 2nd Amendment… Read more »
This is a perfect example of why states need something similar to the Electoral College to give non-big city dwellers a fair and equal voice in elections. It works at the national level to offset major population centers in states from dominating elections and gives rural residents, often outnumbering urban residents, an equal voice in national elections. Almost every state suffers from rural residents being ignored or underrepresented by the large metropolitan centers within the state (Chicago, Phoenix, Albuquerque, New York City, Miami, etc.).
Another major issue that has America where she is not is, just barely 50% of voting age eligible Americans even bother to VOTE. The only avenue to potentially having some modicum of a decent government is for the PEOPLE to be informed, engaged, and VOTE – and, NOT vote stupidly ignorant like what passes for that Electorate today! Tasing heads constantly drone on about how “The American People are Not Stupid,” yet, guess who runs the legislative branch of our vaunted government, due to that last mid-term election. That individual should NEVER have control of anything more important than making… Read more »
@Firewagon; I hope you have your toothbrush read to clean the crappers. Your disparaging remarks should be directed to the real detractors of America. These are the DemocRATic communis/islamic/nwo party who are constantly trying to bring about Communism into America.
Each of these DemocRATs who are abdicating their DUTY of their OATH of OFFICE should be brought up on charges of TREASON and SUBVERTING American form of government.
Absolutely. I live in Illinois and Chicago corruption controls this state. I’ll either be forced to move or forced to defend my rights at some point if this continues.
“THEY” took down Capone, didn’t, “they”? YOU are a “THEY”… So, grow a pair and get busy!
If we went to a county-by-county system, they would be sunk. (Let’s do it!)
people are afraid of what guns look like these days but are they afraid of what cars look like in airplanes and everything else that has involved to look different over the years
People need to quit driving cars they kill more people than guns do
I live in Southern IL. If I want to buy a gun or ammo I will drive to Missouri, it is only 100 miles, well worth the time and distance. For those poor souls that live in Chicago, they can drive to Indiana and buy their ammo & guns.
You cannot buy handguns out of state per federal law. Some states, including Illinois, prohibit long gun purchases as well.
@JohnBored, Is that in the Second Amendment somewhere? Do you think that an unconstitutional statue is law? Do you think that the criminals hesitate to buy anywhere?
.maybe it should read “shall not be infringed by useless, unconstitutional a**holes in any government entity”
.but probably would not matter
Not so John, you can (and I have) bought handguns and long guns from out of State. They just need to be shipped to a FFL dealer so you can fill out the ATF Form 4473 and have the NICS check done.
@JohnBored, not true. I have purchased firearms all across this country, both handguns and long guns. You just have to have money.
@JohnBored, better Bone up on your federal laws a little bit, you just have to send copies of your government permission slips, to the ffl gun dealer of your choice, send payment with information and
ffl license of dealer for said gun to be shipped to and Boom there it is. All legal eagle.
Don’t forget the transfer fee at the other end.
Is that even legal? I don’t live here, but if I have a CCP and drive through to visit, I am legal to transport providing my handgun is in the passenger compartment of my car secured. If I leave the car, it has to be secured in the vehicle, which I do anyway. I can even carry to my hotel room, if it is unloaded. Does this include all of Illinois? My understanding of the law, which we should follow.
Green, what does that mean, I don’t live here? Illinois does not recognize permits of any kind from any other state, so I would not get caught with any firearm in pieces or other wise unless you wanted them to crawl up every orifice you have. Illinois state police website will give you all the info you want on foid cards, or concealed carry license.
Go to handgunlaw.us. Illinois law says, you if you have a resident permit fro:your State of residence, you can carr6 in the car. When you ge5 out it has to goi in the glove box or trunk. It can be cased and carried to your hotel or destination. I believe The6 did this because your car is considered a domicile and i5 protects from car hackers.
@Hiwayman, have you not discovered the internet?
I believe every good responsible, Constitution understanding man should move their families, painful and costly as it is, out of the state. Chicago has ruined it.
Leave it to the criminals, whiners, and the entitled. Socialism will always ruin a society.
Welcome to tyranny.. try living in commifornia with the nut jobs like Prozac Pelozi, Clamidia Harris, Diane, I hire Chinese spies as a chauffeur, Fienstein or the new tyrant governor newsome who wants to add a separate tax to gun owners, background checks for ammo, no lending of firearms for sport to family members….the list goes on and on…. commifornia has over 100 new gun laws. All law abiding citizens have been made criminals over night. Wish I could move.. time to fight back.
Gun people in Illinois are getting what they deserve. For decades they have supported Democrat politicians for a variety of reasons. That continued support has allowed a pro democrat base to form over those same decades. Now that support has resulted in what they have now. A legislature and governor that is Anti 2A with the power to relieve them of their Rights. Votes have consequences and now all those years of democrat support has come home to roost.
Sadly, I have been an Illinois resident for most of my 48 years. I know, I would love to move. Not going to happen yet, talk to the wife. I have never voted for a democrat for any office ever. The current Gov (D) won 16 of 102 counties. The last Democrat Gov. (Quinn) won 4 of 102 counties and still won the election by 10,000 votes. Chicongo. South of I80 id red as can be, but Chicongo can not be competed with. It controls EVERYTHING.
That’s the same problem seen in most democratic strongholds – one small geographic area with a huge population controls the entire state. Northern Virginia turns a red state blue. New York City turns an otherwise red state blue. Los Angeles and San Fransisco turn a red state blue. It is unfortunate that this occurs as those same people depend on those red areas for everything from food to energy to run their cesspools but negate the votes of the entire region and continually trample the rights of those citizens they depend on for their very existence.
Exactly why CA and possibly NY need to be divided into 3 separate states! Let the whacks have the cesspools. Only problem being, gitten-it-dun…….
another problem missed by those who don’t dig under the surface. I’ve seen the plan to split California. All it will do is to create three smaller states with the identical problem, giving the rest of us four more Senators to rule the way California do now. Why? Look at the proposed division: one will have the Bay Area (SF Jokeland, Berserkeley) as its centre and capitol. The next will have Los Angeles and surrouding depravity, down to San Diego, and one of those cities will be its new capitol. The third, probably the best, will retain Sacramento, the present… Read more »
Maybe the business in California and New York could start turning the tables on the Democrats by restricting sales to residents in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco .the way the government restricts gun sales. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
I’d add Washington state to this list as well being as the Libtard tree hugging Dems on the west side of the state are constantly ramming their agendas down the rest of the state’s neck.
@HMLA, Yes, the population centers are warehouses for socialists, but we have them surrounded. Anyone that lives in a city that is not an economic misfit, social deviant, or hard core unemployable should quietly sell and move out smartly.
@tiger: West of the Fox River it’s pretty conservative, too.
Having lived as a next door neighbor to Illinois for all of my 60+ years. I have known many people from Illinois and consider several to be friends. Almost all of them are firearms owners and democratic voters. The biggest reason for their voting that way is the fact that they are Pro Union. They live and breath Union and couldn’t imagine voting any other way. Now many of them are beginning to see the error of their ways. Unfortunately it is to late for them to reverse the damage caused by their blind loyalty to the democratic machine. Yes… Read more »
This is why the Dems want one man one vote. Large cities and a few states would gain control
if the country forever.
And the Democrats want to dissolve the Electoral College so no Republican could ever win the Presidency!
You are patently wrong and are completely ignorant of the situation in Illinois. The population in Chicago and its immediately surrounding area is overwhelmingly liberal, and this liberal block has mire votes than the rest of Illinois combined. The balance of the state does not “deserve” what a small, concentrated area voted for.
Votes don’t count anymore. The outcome is determined by what the powers to be what it to be….the DNC.
It’s doubtful that gun people have been voting blue. Lol. They’re outnumbered.
In Illinois as in other states the dems have handed out id’s to allow those citizens of another country here legally and illegally to vote. In Cali there was 125 percent voter turn out in some areas. How fantastic. Until vote fraud is stopped you will always have dems win. Now their idea is to change things to rid the country of the electoral system so the big cities, dem strongholds, can run the entire country. Vote fraud, illegals and just good old corruption. The democrat way.
Hey Darkman… as a Chicago resident, I absolutely, wholeheartedly agree with your comment.
First off no one deserves to have their constitutional rights step down. And I don’t think there are many Democratic voters in Illinois that are gun supporters. I live in Illinois I am a republican I am a gun owner. We are outside of Chicago no one supports Chicago politics except the people in Chicago.
Please- look up the electoral map from 2016. Please know- of the total of 102 counties in IL- a mere 11 were blue. Because of those 11- the whole state went blue.
We vote against the democrats, the illegals, the dead, and the people that left. They cheated and because they stay in charge nothing is done about it.
Most of us here in il are aware of the correct way to vote…
I agree to an extent, since I haven’t done any polling. I worked 37 yrs for a unionized major manufacturer in Illinois.
Most of us hourly employees, and probably most of management, were pro gun. But most of them voted Dem because the union kept insisting that it would be Armageddon if a republican got elected.
What a sham. And a shame.
And you listened to that BS for 37 years?
Not a chance, I live in Will county and I am a Constitutional Conservative. Do you dare judge me by my location kind sir.