ISRA General Counsel, David Sigale, has been recognized as Defender of the Month by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  Congratulations to Mr. Sigale, a well-deserved award!

Earlier this week the ISRA sent out our first “Giving Tuesday“ appeal.  This was the first time we used our new website and database for donations.  With your help, we found a few glitches we didn’t know we had.  I appreciate not only your donations but your patience.  The online membership portal and donation portal are now both open.  Here is the link to the donation portal: https://isra.force.com/illinoisstaterifleassociation/s/donate-to-the-isra

Thanks to Georgia’s constitutional carry law, a five-year-old boy was not beaten or possibly strangled to death.  Kelcey Willis was getting his oil changed at Walmart when he heard a child screaming.  He saw a small boy being dragged through the parking lot screaming “don’t beat me”.  Kelcey and his friend caught up with the man who had his hands around the child’s throat.  Kelcey drew his firearm and ordered the man to stop.  When police arrived, they arrested the man and hauled him off to jail.  The man was charged with aggravated assault against a child and cruelty to a child.  Good for Kelcey Willis.
This occurred on a Sunday morning in a Walmart parking lot.  It can happen anywhere and at any time. 

We all know how the younger generation is when it comes to knowing how to use electronic devices, but that does not mean they have the common sense God Gave a Goose, let alone any morals for some.  In Pennsylvania, police arrested a 16-year-old for murdering a girl.  His downfall was asking for help on Instagram to help dispose of the body.  He even showed the body on a video on Instagram. 

This guy’s name is Joshua Cooper.  His name was released because he is being tried as an adult.  As I have mentioned before, I have worked with several juveniles who were murderers.  They are as dangerous as they come.  Laws protecting those under-18-year-old felons are stupid and should be done away with.  Even street gangs know that these young people will get off, so they use them.  These people will be dangerous criminals all their lives.  Stop coddling these people.  They are not dumb; word will get around.

Anti-gun Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut does not think there is enough votes to pass the Biden Administration’s “assault weapons ban”.  I don’t think there is either but never take a chance.  I am more worried about the Illinois General Assembly passing bans and making it tough for legal gun owners here in Illinois. 

As we approach the Lame Duck Session, the more I think we are going to get dumped on.  I know many readers of this column are not ISRA members.  The website is up and joining online is easy.  Please join today.

Here in Illinois, various anti-gun mayors use taxpayer funds for personal bodyguards.  Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has 90 bodyguards.  Now we know one reason why the Chicago P.D. Is understaffed. Lightfoot isn’t the only one.  Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard spends $258,000 a year on bodyguards.  Dolton’s population is 20,000.  These are two prime examples of guns for me but not for thee.

In Springfield, HB1587 which modifies the requirements to be on the FOID Appeals Board and on the Illinois Concealed Carry Appeals Board has passed the Illinois Senate and is in the Illinois House for concurrence.  The ISRA opposed this bill but nevertheless I expect it will pass today.  This bill changes the makeup of these boards.  The ISRA supported putting qualified individuals including a Public Defender on either of these boards to represent the accused.  That is now gone.  These boards could easily be packed with anti-gun zealots.  This bill passed in the Illinois Senate 39-15.

The ISRA has extended the life upgrade promotion until December 16^th.  If you would like to take advantage of the upgrade promotion, please email member@isra.org.  We will email you information.  Please let us know your date of birth and if you are eligible for American Hero Status.  American Hero status requires that you be past or present U. S. military, police officer, firefighter or EMT. 

Tidbits:
December 1, 1824 - The Presidential Election of 1824 goes to the House of Representatives because no candidate received enough electoral votes.  There were four candidates: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William Crawford.  Crawford suffered a stroke before the election but still he garnered 41 Electoral Votes.  Jackson was in the lead but a deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay gave Adams the election.  Clay was appointed by Adams to the most prestigious cabinet post, Secretary of State.  Andrew Jackson and his supporters called the deal between Adams and Clay a “Corrupt Bargain”.  While the deal between Adams and Clay may have been legal, the charge of corruption plagued the Adams Administration and made it ineffective.

In the election of 1828, Andrew Jackson beat Adams by a two to one margin.  Fate took a hand in this bit of history.  Jackson was a believer in “Manifest Destiny”.  Manifest Destiny is the idea that the United States should stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific and was preordained to do so.  The developments in Texas in 1836 would have likely been different had an easterner been in the White House.  In the election of 1836, Jackson’s handpicked successor was Martin Van Buren.  Van Buren was Jackson’s Vice President.  He was the last Vice President to be elected President until George H. W. Bush in 1988.

December 2, 1823 - The Monroe Doctrine is proclaimed.  The constant interference of the European Powers in the Western Hemisphere was a problem.  Finally, President James Monroe proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine which forbade interference by Europeans.  The Europeans thought the United States was pretty much an upstart, but they also knew the United States put up a fight.  They realized that they needed to tread lightly.  The crushing victory of the most powerful European nation, Great Britain, at the Battle of New Orleans was not lost on the Europeans.

December 2, 1859 - John Brown was hanged.  The Prelude to the Civil War trudged along a path of steppingstones that seemed to lead to an inevitable outcome.  One of those stones was the hanging of radical abolitionist John Brown of Kansas.  From 1854 on, violent clashes between slave owners and abolitionists earned Kansas the name “Bloody Kansas “.  John Brown was certainly part of that and committed what would be called atrocities today.

In 1859, Brown and a well-disciplined group of followers successfully attacked the United States Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.  Harper’s Ferry is now in West Virginia.  Colonel Robert E. Lee, Lieutenant J.E.B. Stuart, and a contingent of U.S. Marines recaptured the arsenal.

John Brown was hanged on December 2, 1859.  In his final message he wrote “The crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood.”

December 3, 1818 - Illinois is admitted to the Union.  Settlers thought the treeless plains of Illinois were infertile because they didn’t have trees.  Actually, just the opposite was true.  The prairie grass was also a challenge.  There were places the grass was so tall a man on horseback couldn’t see over it.  It was also snake and insect infested.  The wooden plows at the time couldn’t cut through the roots of the prairie grass.  In 1837, a blacksmith by the name of John Deere invented the steel plow.  Cutting through the grass was still hard but it could be done.  The crops the rich black soil produced amazed the farmers who were used to timber soils.

December 4, 1783 - George Washington bids farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York.
He would leave for Annapolis, Maryland, to officially resign his commission.  Washington’s intention was to live out his life as a gentleman farmer at his beloved Mt. Vernon.  George would soon find out history had other plans for him well beyond his Generalship of the Continental Army.

December 5, 1933 - The 21st Amendment is ratified by the 36^th state making it the law of the land.  The exact time was 5:32pm.  It was up to the states whether they would remain dry.  Mississippi was the last state to approve the making and sale of alcoholic beverages in 1966.

December 6, 1884 - The Washington Monument is completed.  The structure was the tallest in the world at the time.  It was built using 36,000 granite and marble blocks.  The last item was an aluminum cap that is nine inches tall.  The inscription on the cap is (Laus Deo) which means to praise God.  There are 900 steps to the top of the Washington Monument.  When I was 18 years old, I climbed them all.  Next time I think I will take the elevator.

December 6, 1941 - The Japanese Fleet is in position.  The United States is dozing.  In a few hours the Japanese will attack.  As Admiral Yamato said, “All we have done is wakened a sleeping giant and filled him with terrible resolve.”

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Upcoming Events:

Thursday, December 1, 2022
Women’s Pistol Team Practice

Saturday, December 3, 2022
Range Work Day

Sunday, December 4, 2022
Bonfield Muzzle Loaders

Tuesday, December 6 & 13, 2022
Air Gun Practice

Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Pellet Rifle League
Women’s Pistol Team Practice

Thursday, December 8, 2022
Women’s Pistol Team Practice

Gun & Trade Shows

Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Gun & Knife Show – Chillicothe, IL
Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club
Dates: December 3 & 4, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 8:30-4:00
             Sunday: 8:30-3:00
Admission: $3.00

Will County Gun Show – Peotone, IL
Will County Fairgrounds
Dates: December 3 & 4, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: December 3 & 4, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Peoria Gun & Knife Show – Peoria, IL
Exposition Gardens
Dates: December 10 & 11, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00

Kane County Sportsman’s Show – St Charles, IL
Kane County Fairgrounds
Date: December 11, 2022
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00

Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show – Kankakee, IL
Kankakee County Fairgrounds
Dates: December 17 & 18, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

Springfield Gun Show – Springfield, IL
The Illinois Building
Dates: December 17 & 18, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-3:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00

McHenry County Gun Show – Woodstock, IL
McHenry County Fairgrounds
Date: December 18, 2022
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:00
Admission: $5.00