County Gun Resolutions Welcomed by Illinois State Rifle Association 8/12/2003
From: Richard Pearson of the Illinois State Rifle Association, 815-635-3198 or http://www.isra.org CHICAGO, Aug. 12 -- The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA): The ISRA is applauding a pair of county boards for passing resolutions recognizing the individual right to keep and bear arms. The measures, passed in June by the Shelby and Livingston county boards, affirm that law-abiding citizens have the right to possess and use firearms for lawful purposes. The passage of the county resolutions is seen as backlash to attempts by the Illinois General Assembly to ban the private ownership of most firearms including target rifles, black powder rifles, and all shotguns larger than 28 gauge. Senate Bill 1195, which calls for this sweeping gun ban, enjoys the strong support of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. As of today, SB 1195 remains alive in the Illinois Senate under postponed consideration. The ISRA played an instrumental role in both the Shelby and Livingston county board actions. In each case, the ISRA provided research support to the measures. County board member Jim Warren, who also sits on the Board of Directors of the ISRA, introduced the Shelby County resolution. The successes enjoyed in Shelby and Livingston counties have bolstered ISRA efforts to get identical resolutions passed in additional counties as well. Currently, the ISRA is working closely with its members to achieve that goal. "These county board resolutions are much more than mere symbolism," commented ISRA president Richard Pearson. "They send a clear message that those of us downstate who cherish our constitutional rights are not going to be pushed around by Mayor Daley and his friends in the state legislature." "Since last fall's elections, it has become very apparent that Daley and his allies are trying to disenfranchise anyone who lives outside of Cook County," continued Pearson. "This became especially evident during debates of the 2003 Daley Gun Control package. At one point, we actually heard a senator from Chicago ask, 'Who cares if you live downstate?' And, after another of Daley's gun bills was voted down, a prominent Senate ally of Daley arrogantly threatened suburban Republican senators for failing to follow Daley's lead on gun control." "If he hasn't figured it out already, Daley is going to learn that folks downstate hold fast to their convictions," said Pearson. "He's not going to change the way we think or the way we vote. And we certainly won't let him take our guns from us." ------ The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. For over a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners. |