How Much Does The Government Know About You?

Atty. general: Ill. should release FOID card list

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. —
The Illinois attorney general says state police must release the name of everyone in the state who is authorized to own a gun.

Illinois state police determine who gets a Firearm Owners Identification card, which allows people to own guns. The police have always kept the list private.

But Attorney General Lisa Madigan's public access counselor released a letter Monday night saying the information should be public.

The Associated Press had requested the list of FOID cardholders but state police said that would violate the privacy of gun owners. The attorney general's office ruled that argument invalid.

State police officials have not said whether they will comply with the ruling.

There are Republican-sponsored bills in the Illinois House and Senate that would prohibit disclosure of the information.

The International Human Right -- Firearms!

A recent article in the Washington University Law Quarterly argues that the most important thing we can do to prevent genocide is to ensure that civilian populations are armed:

The question of genocide is one of manifest importance in the closing years of a century that has been extraordinary for the quality and quantity of its bloodshed. As Elie Wiesel has rightly pointed out, "This century is the most violent in recorded history. Never have so many people participated in the killing of so many people."

Recent events in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and many other parts of the world make it clear that the book has not yet been closed on the evil of official mass murder. Contemporary scholars have little explored the preconditions of genocide. Still less have they asked whether a society's weapons policy might be one of the institutional arrangements that contributes to the probability of its government engaging in some of the more extreme varieties of outrage.

Though it is a long step between being disarmed and being murdered--one does not usually lead to the other--but it is nevertheless an arresting reality that not one of the principal genocides of the twentieth century, and there have been dozens, has been inflicted on a population that was armed.

Fox News - Opinion -- The International Right

Chicago 2nd Amendment Rally In Photo's (Heller Rally)

Freedom Folks attended the 2nd amendment rally in downtown Chicago:

We just got back from the Heller rally in downtown Chicago and let me say these are some happy people.

DKK

Winnebago County Continues It's March Toward Concealed Carry -- Wresting The Constitution Away From Daley/Chicago Control

Winnebago County, IL- Winnebago County voters will be getting a say in November on whether Illinois should become a conceal carry state. Thursday night the county board voted overwhelmingly in support of a proposal to put a referendum regarding conceal carry on the fall ballot. Come November Winnebago County voters will be facing one more question on their ballot: should the Illinois General Assembly create legislation allowing concealed firearms to be carried? ... Another measure that authorizes the sheriff to allow Winnebago County residents to carry concealed weapons still sits in subcommittee. The sheriff and state's attorney are worried such a plan may break state laws. But supporters say the referendum vote is a good indication of what the full board may decide when the issue goes before them this summer. "I think people pretty much have already decided what side of the issue they're on," says Owens. If the referendum passes, supporters are hopeful other counties will follow their lead in putting the question of conceal carry before voters.

This is a good move for the County. If the voters approve it by an overwhelmingly margin it will demonstrate to the Daley controlled state (and soon to be Fed's if Obama wins) that opinion has truly shifted from their 60's era oppression.

The Daley/Chicago gun control side knows this -- the gun control efforts will get statewide and possibly national support. This really needs organized support from statewide or national gun right organizations! Look for ads against this in the future.

Winning this is an important step forward in one of only 2 states without some form of concealed carry.

Then there are the politics of the issue -- I would enjoy seeing support for this from our elected representatives -- 21 to 5 is a dramatic vote in favor of letting the people choose. If that represents public opinion then it is a winning issue for whoever grabs hold first and loudest.

I would have to see the polls but I would think this would be advantageous for Congressman Manzullo in a year when Republican turnout may be depressed. Driving voter turnout on what is a conservative issue could help him if this gets the right support. However if the opportunity is missed and organizational efforts on the left exceed those on the right this could hurt him in the fall. Manzullo's campaign staff needs to do some outreach on this and, if nothing else suggest the Winnebago County Republicans get the jump on this one.
DKK
Mystateline.com

A Question Of Rights And Responsibilities

Is the fundamental reason liberals overwhelmingly oppose and conservatives overwhelmingly support the second amendment as an individual right based on the fact that it gives us not just the right, but the responsibility to protect ourselves?
DKK

Chicago 2nd Amendment Rally

Illinois State Rifle Association will be holding a rally for second amendment rights on Friday, July 11, 2008, from 11am to 1pm at the James R. Thompson Center. 100 W. Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60601.

The Illinois State Rifle Association and IllinoisCarry.com are sponsoring a Second Amendment Freedom Rally in the heart of downtown Chicago! This will be a historical event that any supporter of the Second Amendment will not want to miss! In the coming days please look for more details on transportation and parking options at ChicagoRally.isra.org. Please share this information with all your friends, family, and associates that support the Second Amendment

Chicago has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country. Illinois state is one of 2 that has no concealed carry laws and is often run like an smaller ward of the city, what ever Daley wants Dailey gets and that means tight gun laws. Thank goodness local governments like the Winnebago County are looking into the possibility of having county wide concealed carry. DKK

Gun Control Myths

DKK

Suicides 55% Of Gun Deaths Nationwide

The Supreme Court's landmark ruling on gun ownership last week focused on citizens' ability to defend themselves from intruders in their homes. But research shows that surprisingly often, gun owners use the weapons on themselves.
Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation's nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

DKK
Associated Press -- Surprising fact:Half of gun deaths are suicides

Supreme Court Strikes Down DC Gun Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the individual's right to bear arms.

Check out SCOTUS blog for the ruling.

Lunch break from testing, more to follow.
DKK

Testing Continues

Testing continues and I am miserable, but that won't stop the Supreme Court from issuing their ruling on the DC gun ban! It should be on the SCOTUS Blog sometime after 10am central.
DKK

Is Concealed Carry Coming To Winnebago County?

Winnebago County Sheriff Dick Meyers lent his considerable support to the county’s concealed carry debate.

Meyers was the last of 30 speakers to take the podium, and he received a standing ovation for his efforts.

“Let me get it out of the way,” he told the crowd. “I do not have a problem with concealed carry.”

He said that “20 years ago, I would have told you different,” but “we’re at a point where we don’t have a choice.”

The County Board is drafting a resolution that will authorize the sheriff to issue gun permits to qualified citizens. Although the resolution is still in draft form, at least 13 of the 28 board members have already signed on.

Rockford Register Star -- Concealed carry proposal gets support of sheriff

Meyers stated that concealed carry nearly passed in Wisconsin and if it does then Illinois is the only state that is without some form of concealed carry law.

He also stated that while he may not be able to issue the permits legally under state law, he may be able to deputize permit holders under a special citizen provision.

This is a positive step for the County and perhaps might start the cracks in the Daley -- Springfield unreasonable gun control lobby.

This would also be a perfect opportunity for McCain to highlight Obama's Illinois and it's irrational gun fears. He should show up here and support this sheriff and the Republicans on the Board.
DKK

Prominent Gun Opponent Knifed to Death

The grandson of prominent anti-gun campaigner Pat Regan has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing her to death. (BBC)

Oh the British and their wacky, cowboy knife culture!

Their police have specially made vests designed to prevent stabbing but knives are allowed in that crazy country and many police don't even carry guns!

DKK

Adult Trust

The culture I was brought up in, taught me to respect dangerous objects and situations. To be an adult, one was expected to be adult-like around such things as bandsaws, punch presses, moving belts, and firearms. Anyone who was not trusted, was not an adult.

Somewhere between 1975 and now, the culture I was promised, was changed.

A Canadian, Fenris Badwulf, on gun control.
DKK
Via -- Four Right Wing Wacko's