The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled in favor of the gun owners in the New York Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen.  The Supreme Court has also ruled the Second Amendment is not a second class right and nowhere in the Second Amendment does it limit firearms to the home.  The Majority Opinion was written by Justice Thomas. 

This is a major win for gun owners.  All the “May Issue” states must immediately change their policy toward Concealed Carry permits.  I think there may be some spin off for other Second Amendment cases.  I am sure that the “May Issue” states will still make the requirements as tough as possible for the law-abiding gun owners.

New York State has passed a ban on soft body armor for civilians.  The only people that can have it are the police and military.  The reason for all of this is that the shooter in Buffalo, New York, wore soft body armor.  In New York State, a lot of civilians buy soft body armor particularly if they work in York City.  Soft body armor is pistol bullet and knife resistance and can be worn under clothing.  Hard body armor requires steel or ceramic plates and is not banned as of yet.  You can bet that will be next.  Of course, the New York legislators have just given the criminals in New York one more advantage.

The New York State Supreme Court has ruled that Happy the Elephant does not have the same rights as human beings.  A national-hunting group, the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP), sued because they said Happy was being held in the Bronx Zoo against her will.  The NhRP wanted Habeas Corpus for the elephant.  The New York State Supreme Court ruled against the anti-hunting group 5-2.  My thought is who were the two Justices that ruled elephants do have the same rights as humans?  My guess, Happy wouldn’t be so happy if she were returned to the jungle after living in the zoo.

Ammo prices have been sliding down little by little.  Online prices have been below 30 cents for 9mm and steel case .223/5.56mm.  This, of course, makes Joe Biden and company unhappy so Biden is trying to get the excess production of Lake City 5.56mm green tip ammunition banned for sale to the public.  Green tip is produced for the military.  Green tip is 62 grain steel core ammunition which is great practice ammunition.  This is just Biden’s backhanded slap in the face on law-abiding gun owners and the Second Amendment.  The Obama administration tried to do the same thing.

For those in favor of cracking down on criminals, here is an example of how we do it In Illinois.  In January, the Champaign, Illinois Police Department executed a search warrant on the home of Demonte Billings.   The police found five firearms, one of which had been converted to fully automatic, and a pound of marijuana, a major violation of federal law.  The Champaign Police Department never reported the crimes to the feds.  Billings pleaded guilty to the marijuana charge and the machine gun possession was dropped.  Billings was sentenced to six months in jail.  He had already spent three days in jail.  The Judge held the other 177 days back as long as Billings stays out of trouble.  So, what should have been years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines is reduced to 3 days.  That is how we get tough on crime in Illinois.

We welcome back Midwest Training Group (MTG) which will be holding an Advanced Handgun Skills Course at our range in Bonfield, Illinois, on August 6^th and 7^th.  Designed by Bob Houzenga and Andy Kemp as an addition to Massad Ayoob’s LFI curriculum and originally taught as LFI Advanced Handgun Skills, this two-day course is fast paced and demanding, focusing on high-speed drills designed to build the optimum blend of speed and accuracy.  Ideal for the advanced shooter who wishes to hone and fine-tune his techniques.  Novice shooters move up to the next skill level.  Emphasis on individual diagnostics and the subtle nuances used by six-time National Champion, Bob Houzenga.  From fast and furious, up-close shooting, to accuracy work at 25 yards, this program offers students of any skill level, an opportunity to take their skills to the next level.  Recoil management for super-fast follow up shots, rapid first shots from the holster, swift engagement of multiple targets, strong and weak hand techniques, “catching the link”, and shooting “out of the notch” are just some of the topics covered. Many students find their speed doubles or triples with better accuracy.  1200 rounds required.  Prior formal instruction is a pre-requisite.  Contact Andy Kemp at 208-771-3413 or Andy1911@imaxmail.net or visit www.midwesttraininggroup.net

Tidbits:
June 24, 1948 - The Berlin Blockade begins.  When WWII in Europe ended, Germany was occupied by the four major allied powers, the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union.  The country was divided into four sectors.  Berlin, which was deep in the Soviet sector, was also divided into four sectors and had to be supplied by trucks and railroads which went by the Soviet Sector.  Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Communist Dictator, wanted all of Berlin and blocked all the roads and railroads so that Berlin would be starved, and the Allies would have to give up their sectors of Berlin.  This became a test of wills between Joseph Stalin and the Allies, particularly the United States.   What Stalin either forgot or ignored was that the United States had produced more war materials in 1944 and 1945 than all the other countries combined.  In fact, when Soviet General Zhukov went into Berlin, he was riding in a truck produced by Chrysler Corporation.  In the next year, United States and British airplanes flew everything from candy to coal over Soviet controlled Germany into Berlin.  The Berlin Blockade was lifted on May 12, 1949.  The United States Air Force and British Air Corps had delivered 2.3 million tons of supplies to the people of Berlin.

June 25, 1876 - General Armstrong Custer’s command is wiped out at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Gold had been discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota and the U.S Army was ordered to push the Indians out and on to reservations in Montana.  The United States had broken another treaty with the native Americans.  This betrayal led the Lakota Sioux and the Cheyenne tribes to unite to fight the United States Cavalry and push the settlers and miners out and regain their territory.  By the spring of 1876, more the 10,000 Native Americans had gathered along the Little Big Horn River.  Chiefs Sitting Bill and Crazy Horse led the Native Americans. 

On June 17, 1200 Native Americans turned back forces under the command of General Alfred Terry.  Custer was ordered to scout ahead but to wait for the infantry to arrive.  Always impetuous, Custer pressed on. On June 25, 1876, Custer found the Indian encampment.  Custer was quickly discovered and Sitting Bull saw to the safety of the camp while Crazy Horse organized 3000 Native Americans to attack.  Custer was bullheaded.  He was used to fighting Confederate Cavalry in the Civil War.  The Sioux and the Cheyenne were probably the finest light cavalry in the world at the time.  They were also fighting for their homes as well as being very familiar with the territory.  Custer and 200 of his 600 troops took up positions.  In less than one hour, Custer and his command were dead.  While this was the most decisive victory Native Americans had ever achieved, it spelled doom for the Native Americans.  In 1877, Crazy Horse got in a fight with an army officer at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, and was bayoneted to death.  Sitting Bull was killed in 1890 by Native American policemen during a fight at his home.

June 25, 1942 - General Dwight D. Eisenhower takes command of U.S. forces in Europe.  Eisenhower had been in the U.S. Army for 27 years.  His talents lay in strategy and organization.  He was also very diplomatic, something he would need dealing with all the European leaders and military.  He was chosen by George C. Marshall over 400 possible leaders.  It was the right pick and the right man at the right time.

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Upcoming Events:  ISRA Calendar
For more information, visit www.isra.org

Saturday, June 18, 2022
ISRA Academy NRA Basic Shotgun Course - Canceled
Defensive Tactics for Concealed Carry-Level 1

Sunday, June 19, 2022
Springfield Armory Pistol Match

Thursday, June 23 – Sunday, June 26, 2022
Massad Ayoob MAG-40 Class

Monday, June 20 & 27, 2022
Military Bench Rest League

Tuesday, June 21 & 28, 2022
Tuesday Night Irregular Rifle League

Wednesday, June 22 & 29, 2022
F-Class Rifle League
Bench Rest League
Paper & Steel League

Thursday, June 23 & 30, 2022
ISRA Smallbore Prone/F-Class League

Gun & Trade Shows

Belleville Gun & Knife Show – Belleville, IL
Belleville Fairgrounds
Dates: June 25 & 26, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: July 2 & 3, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Belleville Knife Expo – Belleville, IL
Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center
Dates: July 8 & 9, 2022
Hours: Friday: 1:00-7:00
             Saturday: 9:00-4:00
Admission: $4.00

Bloomington Gun & Knife Show – Bloomington, IL
Interstate Center
Dates: July 23 & 24, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-3:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00