Illinois Gun Owners, I need your help

[mack]

I have put together a letter to the editor of the local paper, I ask that you do the same. I am also asking that you post the letter to the editor requirements for you local papers so I and hopefully you can send letters to multiple papers.

Here is my Local Paper

The Pantagragh
Letters to the Editor
P.O. Box 2907
Bloomington, Illinois 61702-2907

Fax 309-829-7000

email [email protected]

Papers Policy - only original letters with signature will be published - the must include full name and address and a daytime phone number for verification. Letters must be 350 words or less.

Please help by taking the time to join in this effort and by sharing you local papers policy.

Here is the letter I put together for the Pantagraph.

A plethora of gun legislation on its way through the House and Senate and onto the Governors desk at the behest of Mayor Daley. A brief overview reveals House Bills: HB1625, HB2513, HB2532, HB2580, HB2583, HB2632; and Senate Bills: SB0283, SB1195, SB1197, SB1206, SB1326, SB1481. These would make large numbers of citizens criminals for the new crime of owning an old gun or magazine. Owners face criminal penalties, including felonies. Don’t worry, if you or a family member owns a prohibited item you can destroy or dispose of it, or turn it in. Legislation would also create gun databases, a state license for federally licensed dealers, and 10 or 30 day waiting periods on handguns.

What is the purpose of this legislation, to save lives? Fifty caliber rifles have “never†been used in a single crime in Illinois. The so-called “assault weapons†all fire one shot with one trigger pull like a revolver. They are used in less than 1 percent of gun crimes. The difference between a 10 and 20 round magazine is the less than half-second it takes to change magazines, for this someone should be a criminal? State licenses for gun-dealers who have already passed state and federal checks and applied to the local police and zoning board for approval? Current requirements have in 10 years reduced the number of dealers by two thirds. What would a state license accomplish except, as Mayor Daley has indicated, to get rid of all dealers within 100 miles of Chicago? A 10 or 30 day wait to buy a handgun? Individuals already complete a background check for a FOID card, another to purchase, then a three-day wait. The additional wait only to makes it more burdensome to legally buy a gun.

Does anyone truly believe that criminals are going to be effected by this legislation? The target here is not criminals but lawful gun-owners. If you think this legislation is a great, then do nothing, it will pass. If you think it’s not, then you need to call or write you elected representatives today.

For more information:

http://www.illinois-safety.net/93rd_session.html

http://capwiz.com/gunowners/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=statedir&state=IL

 

[SaintofKillers]

Mack,
excellent letter, The Pantagraph is also my local paper(live outside of Pontiac) I have already written my legislators and such. I am already planning on moving my family from Illinois within a few years. I am going to send letters to the Suntimes, Tribune, Southtown economist and the Kankakee journal. Dont know what good its going to do but we have to try.:banghead:

 

[SaintofKillers]

write them letters

Mack, as promised here are addresses to major newspapers in the state of Illinois, more to come. Let the sheeple know whats goin on. Write letters or watch your rights go down the toilet.

Public Forum, Daily Southtown
6901 W. 159th St.
Tinley Park,IL. 60477

via [email protected]

Letters to the Editor
Chicago Sun-Times
401 N. Wabash
Chicago,IL. 60611

via [email protected]

Voice of the People
Chicago tribune
435 N. Michigan ave.
Chicago,IL. 60611

via [email protected]

All letters must have name, address and phone number to be accepted. the more concise the better and remember to put on your tinfoil hats because they may turn your letter over to the Chicago Gestapo and they wil be sending over the Black helicopters to pick you up and confiscate every conceivable weapon you may own including youre pen and paper. the pen is mightier than the sword. :banghead:

 

[mack]

Thanks for the information - I'll work on another more concise letter for these papers. Local paper called today and will be running my letter, sans websites. No response yet from CCRA or ISRA on questions about whether or not any protest is being organized.

Thanks for the assist.

On a sadder note talked with another gun owner today about the pending legislation - he indicated he could care less if assault weapons were banned or high cap magazines or even if there was a 10 to 30 day wait on handguns - as none of these laws would affect him personally and the guns he owns or wants to own.

Wonder if the hunters will be shocked when the assault weapon, high power shooters, plinkers, hand gun owners, and fifty caliber shooters just laugh when they come for their hunting guns and the hunters are desparately looking for their support?

 

[mack]

Here is the letter I sent to the three newspapers noted in a prior post in this thread, not all that concise but that is fairly difficult when trying to address 12 pieces of legislation. Also after the letter I have included information on scheduled hearings for the bills.


Lawful Gun Owners, Lawful No More?


A spate of gun legislation, introduced at the behest of Mayor Daley is presently on its way through the state legislature and to the Governor’s desk. These Bills would make thousands of Illinois citizen’s criminals, all for the crime of owning firearms that they have lawfully owned for years. Firearms that would be re-defined as “assault weapons†but that are used in significantly less that 1- percent of gun related crimes; that are no more lethal than common shotguns and hunting rifles; and that are used in a myriad of legitimate sports. Legislation would also create: a firearm registration system on top of the existing gun owner registration system; a new state bureaucracy to license gun dealers who are already federally licensed, and who have applied to the local police chief and zoning board for approval. Why, the number of gun dealers has already declined by approximately two thirds in the last decade and continues to decline. Additional legislation would create a database of firearm ballistic fingerprints that would cost millions to implement with no proven benefit; ballistic fingerprints change with normal firearm use and may be easily altered. Criminalize magazines that hold over ten rounds when the difference between two 10 and one 20 round magazine is the less than half-second it takes to change magazines? A ban on Fifty Caliber weapons that have never been used to perpetrate a single crime in Illinois?

One has to wonder why some of our legislators are so intent on making thousands of Illinois citizen’s criminals? Why are they eager to expand intrusive, unproven, and expensive government mandates during a budget crisis?

If you think this legislation, (House Bills: HB1625, HB2513, HB2532, HB2580, HB2583, HB2632; and Senate Bills: SB0238, SB1195, SB1197, SB1206, SB1326, SB1481), is a great idea, then do nothing and it will pass. If you object then you must contact you senator or representative today. Contact information for your legislator may be obtained here: http://www.legis.state.il.us/


I will be in Springfield on Tues - probably between noon and 1pm - all the senate bills are scheduled in the same committee hearing that day at 3:30pm Judiciary Committee Capital Room 400. Hope to see some of you there.

Only two of the house bills have hearings set as of yet:

HB2532 - state licensing of FFL's - scheduled on Weds at 8am Stratton Building Room C-1 - house judiciary I - civil law committee

HB1625 - Ballistic ID Database - Thurs at 8am Stratton Building Room not listed - house judiciary II - criminal law committee.

If you can't make it, or even if you can make it, you can find the bills and contact information for the committee persons as well as your senator or rep at this website:

http://www.legis.state.il.us/