Obnoxious Effort to Ban Gun Shops Turned Back in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., June 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) Executive Director, Richard Pearson:

"Hard work and a good dose of civic pride prevailed this week as a divisive and punitive piece of gun control legislation was hammered to death in the Illinois House.  By way of thousands of phone calls, emails, and witness slip filings, the Illinois General Assembly got the message that Illinoisans do not want some hate-filled outsider telling them what guns they can buy and where they can buy them."

"Earlier this spring, former astronaut Mark Kelly rolled into town trumpeting his 'Gun Dealer Licensing Act' as the sure-fire cure for Chicago's violent crime epidemic.  In reality, Kelly's proposal was nothing more than a transparent attempt to put lawful firearm retailers out of business." 

"If enacted, Kelly's bill would result in jumps in retail prices of firearms by $100 or more along with doubling the price of a box of ammunition.  Kelly's bill would foist an unbearable regulatory burden on lawful firearm retailers which would cause many, if not most to close their doors.  The good people of Illinois saw right through Kelly's scheme and responded swiftly – making it abundantly clear that they'd have nothing of it.  So, at the stroke of midnight, the 'Gun Dealer Licensing Act' became nothing but a fireball streaking across the stratosphere over Springfield."

"Kelly's campaign against the Second Amendment is driven by his hatred of citizens who dare to own firearms.  Thus, the Gun Dealer Licensing Act proposal was nothing more than a thinly-veiled effort to punish lawful gun owners.  Kelly and his ilk have promised to bring the bill back next session.  We really wish that Kelly and his pals would not come back – we're sick of looking at him.  On behalf of the citizens of Illinois, I'm asking Kelly to abort reentry, return to low-earth orbit, and stay there."

"If the gun control movement is really serious about reducing violent crime, they will turn their attention away from closing lawful gun shops and towards the root of violent crime – the career criminal.  The Chicago Police Department's own figures indicate that nearly 90% of murderers have previous criminal records while, at the same time, three-quarters of murder victims have previous convictions as well.  If the corrections authorities cannot rehabilitate violent criminals, then they need to keep them behind bars.  It's that simple.  So my message to Kelly and his buddies in the gun control movement is to get with the program, or get out of town."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearm ownership.  For more than a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

WEB SITE: http://www.isra.org

SOURCE Illinois State Rifle Association

Related Links

http://www.isra.org