Second Amendment Rally - downtown CHICAGO

[BikerNut]

What more could you ask for?

>what more could you ask for?

The only thing I ask for (if there is any chance for another such event in the future) is that it NOT be on a workday. I'm sorry, but it was impossible to take this particular day off. I knew that weeks ago. Deadlines must be met.

What's wrong with Saturdays?

I'm sorry the turnout was so dismal.

 

[cherryriver]

I'd not use "dismal"... that would be more like 25-30, like a Jackson media event.
I was, it's true, disappointed at the turnout, hoping for at least something close to 2000. But then, recall the beginnings of IGOLD, and how it grew.
Perhaps this was just the freshman newbie thing. If this can happen again, I'd venture to say it could draw a multi-thousand crowd just like IGOLD did last March.
And, lest we forget:
A huge thank you to all those who busted their various parts making this happen. It was efficient, smart, and slick.
Onward.

 

[dakuda]

There is a video here now:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6259726

 

[Maxinquaye]

Shockingly neutral. I think even the drive by's are starting to see that the tide has turned against them.

 

[gretske]

Hey Guys. This is great coverage! Congratulations.

 

[HeavyDuty]

1) I caught WBEZ's (local NPR station) report at 5PM and it was remarkably neutral. They claimed a crowd of "hundreds" and used a very positive audio clip.

http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=26526

2) I also caught what I think was Channel 2's 6PM news, and they ran a neutral report. They gave the attendance at 200. I can't find a link.

Good job, people! I wish I could have been there.

 

[charon]

Regardless of how many people were there the media did have a presence and the speaker selection was excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if a few producers at least finally got exposure to the other side of the equation.

The ABC report was good, especially considering some of the crap they have produced in the past. There were also one of the few ones to stay there until almost the end.

The Univision reporters and crew were also particularly active.

 

[ECP15KY]

As a former "land of liberals" resident, I was hoping for a much larger turnout. However, Da Mare rules Chy town and IL with an iron fist. It's a start, we must keep the pressure on everywhere at all levels of government and the media. The Leftists that are against freedom and liberty will be on the attack all across this nation. If the gun grabbers get greater control of legislatures, Governors, Mayors, Congress and the WH, it will be a bad day for those of us, who stand for our "Bill of Rights" and the Constitution.

 

[lee n. field]

Any updates? How did the rally go?

Went OK.

There was a big turnout, in spite of threatening rain clouds. Speakers did an very nice job, and there were no counterprotesters, as far as I could tell.

Weather was weird. Was looking seriously nasty as I was driving to catch the Metra in the morning. Cleared up beautifully for the rally.

pics?

Yeah, I got some. I got video for practically all the rally (note to self, next time, bring a laptop with usb2, not usb1 It took me close to 15 minutes to dump a filled up camera to disk). I'll sort through what I got, maybe post some later. (I was the nerd trying to steady a tiny digital camera on an antique tripod.)

 

[charon]

I'm sorry, but it was impossible to take this particular day off.

Understand completely, and again, not busting on anybody who had the day locked up. I missed IGOLD myself this year. I was out of town on business. No way out of that.

I guess a pet peeve has been the whole spin of pitting the good people of XYZ against the "evil gun lobby." The goal is to dehumanize gun owners among the neutral. You would think there are no actual legal, responsible gun owners in Illinois if you listen to da mayor and da media. Numbers help illustrate that we do exist.

In fact, it's the other way around. We have the numbers and the grass roots, the other side has the Joyce Foundation, JJ, Father Mike, Sarah Brady and George Soros and typically all the airtime and print they need.

 

[Deputymints]

The Second Amendment was actually written to ensure Americans (individuals) could be armed to defend or over throw the current government

 

[Robert Hairless]

The Second Amendment was actually written to ensure Americans (individuals) could be armed to defend or over throw the current government

I wonder what the result would be if you carried a banner saying something like "I want a gun so I can overthrow the U.S. government."

 

[Beagle-zebub]

Daggumit, I never notice these things until after they are over.

 

[Joe Cool]

I am glad it got some press coverage, which at least looked fair and impartial for once.

Now where was Senator Obama - who now claims he has "always supported an individual right", but not for handguns? Maybe he and the Mayor were busy planning their next gun-grab law barrage?

Best of luck to my brothers in arms in Chicago - keep up the pressure and write letters to your representatives whenever you can!

 

[swan hunter]

The Rally...My Take

I might be a bit prejudiced since my wife was one of the main organizers and the first speaker at the event.
First off, the 200 number is no where correct. It is very hard to judge a crowd that is that spread out but, conservatively, I put the number @ 5-700. Just imagine all those people sitting in the pews at church! There were 100 chairs!!! The attendees were fantastic! Cautious, well behaved, and a tribute to us all.
The speakers (my wife included) were outstanding and Hupp was fantastic!
The volunteers couldn't have been better. When we left the center, it was better than we found it. What a great bunch of volunteers we have had helping on this project.
The media...I was blown away by the amount of media there...I would guess 6 video teams and several print reporters were there. We were walking on air!!! But, by the next day, and nearly no news stories on the air or print, our "air" bubble burst!!! We were VERY disappointed at the failure of them to air anything about the event. We are going to do some followup to see just what happened to the stories. I have to wonder if the media might be intimidated by "the machine" and fear reprisal if they cover such a positive pro-gun event? Also, I wonder if they were just there to try to catch some "dirt" or negative statements that would make us look bad and since there were non, they killed the stories? I just don't get it!
So, bottom line...for a first time event in Chicago...EVERY thing went well except the failure of the news outlets to do their jobs.
PS...There still a lot of folks to the left and right of the camera lense coverage that didn't get caught in the picture and there is no way to see the ones in the far back! It was a VERY good day!

 

[swan hunter]

some more pictures...

Just some more pictures from the event...
Also, we took Hupp to WLS that morning for live interview. I think there were four pre-event radio type of interviews along with one impromptu interview with the "public radio" station with my exhausted wife right after the event. She was almost bushwhacked by an anti via an employee's cell phone. My wife said she thought she "did a lot of good" before she was finished with the interview...Man! there is a lot of work to be done in Chicago!

 

[lee n. field]

Some pics and video here, hosted by one of the illinoiscarry members.

The video with my name on it is what I took with my little $100 Sony. It's also not all there yet -- I'm uploading slowly to an FTP site. Some are junk, a few MB as I pan the pre rally microcrowd. Those from the rally proper are sizeable files - - up to the 5-600MB range. There's also (going to be, when it's all uploaded) about 15 minutes in the middle missing (the time it took to dump a full camera to a laptop).

 

[ASM826]

Was everyone carrying?

Now that would have made the statement. Everyone shows up carrying arms, as is their right. Would they have tried to arrest everyone? Would the people have resisted?

 

[lee n. field]

Now that would have made the statement. Everyone shows up carrying arms, as is their right. Would they have tried to arrest everyone? Would the people have resisted?

That's the one thing that I think we must not do.

 

[Noxx]

I definitely expected a lot more support. Chicago is one of the cities we need to have a very strong and visible presence in ATM.

Maybe it's just because I'm monstrously tired, but I feel a little bitter. I mean you hear this, and you hear that, but when you ask people to get out in the street well, suddenly everyones' dog is fire. Sigh.

 

[cherryriver]

As disappointed as I was that the turnout didn't even make 1000, there's a couple of mitigating factors.
For one thing, this was the first. I recall IGOLD didn't do nearly so well the first time, either. That's a harder, and in some ways more unpleasant bit of work, but IGOLD 2008 made 3000.
Secondly, I've come to realize the notice was indeed short, for most people. The internet's a marvelous thing, but it's not total. I went to a steel match this morning, ran into an acquaintence who'd taken a day off and traveled down to Springfield back in March, but didn't even hear of SAFR until I told him. And that's a guy who's tuned in.
I look to my wife for advice on the popular world, and her take is that the weekday thing is too hard for too many people. Contrast that with the hope of getting official and media attention by holding it on a working day. I can't say I know which factor is more important.
Another push-pull is the downtown Chicago location. For a lot of people, that's simply no-go territory. I can see that. It's a crowded, intense place with a whole different set of rules of ordinary life than the rest of the state. Many just aren't comfortable there. I get that.
I also confess I caught plenty of concern about a reaction from King and his minions. Even as a native, I have to admit such stuff crossed my mind, just a little. It was utterly unfounded; there was no need for any backlash, since it would have only generated more ink and screen time, the exact opposite of our esteemed opposition's intent. In other words, hassling the rallyers would been have counter-productive. And so it was; there were no waves, and the professional journalism class developed a huge case of blindness and deafness.
Finally, this represented a huge effort falling on a very small group of volunteers. I don't know how much more these folks could have done, and to even suggest they reload and blow another huge chunk out of their lives and paycheck next year is presumptuous in a grand way. Don't forget, this is on top of the huge effort for the ongoing IGOLD.
It really was an excellent start, and here's hoping it can be done again and gather some momentum.

 

[lee n. field]

Another push-pull is the downtown Chicago location. For a lot of people, that's simply no-go territory. I can see that. It's a crowded, intense place with a whole different set of rules of ordinary life than the rest of the state. Many just aren't comfortable there. I get that.

"no-go" because we're unarmed? I saw a few posters from out of state express that. Folks, that's what we're trying to fix.

I was not particularly comfortable there, just because I was some out-country hick staring at the big buildings. I did not feel unsafe. And it was not at all difficult to get to, once I worked out how to get there via commuter train (the only way to go).

 

[Picard]

Didn't make 100? There were about 500-600 people there. The media lied and said that there were about 200. The Thompson Center wasn't packed but I feel like we made a pretty decent presence, especially since this was the first such event.

I really enjoyed it. The speakers were excellent and I can't wait till next years, hopefully their will be one.

 

[Yas]

Chicago is a lot easier, if you use the trains.

The Thompson center is under a mile walk from union station.

 

[Len S]

It took me less than 15 minutes to get there from Olgivie station. One thing I noticed was that people were more likely to take the flyers from youngsters and women. Middle aged men were given the stay away look from some of the suits and a lot of the women. I stopped trying unless they looked a little interested in a positive way. There was some open hostility from some of the people walking by. The tongue depressor thing got to a bunch of the women. I heard more than a few say "That is just stupid". THere is hope.

Len