By now most of you know about HB5855 and its terrible provisions.  I have been getting lots of calls and emails so I will reiterate the data points in a different way.

Remember, if HB5855 goes nowhere this year, it will be back next year with a different bill number.
 

• Here is what HB5855 does:
• HB5855 bans over 100 types of common rifles, pistols, and shotguns that many people own.
• HB5855 bans firearms with certain features.  This is for future use and in case they missed any on their list.
• HB5855 takes away your right to own these common types of firearms or firearms with certain features.
• HB5855 takes away your right to own their definition of so-called assault firearms 300 days after the bill is signed.
• HB5855 forces you to register listed firearms with the government.  Registration is always a prelude to confiscation.
• HB5855 forces you to pay the government $25 or sell your firearm out of state.
• HB5855 bans the possession of magazines and sale of magazines over 10 rounds.
• HB5855 turns anyone owning any of these magazines into a felon on the Governor’s signature.
• HB5855 bans every firearm that could be turned into an “Automatic Firearm”.     
• HB5855 bans everything that would make a firearm shoot faster.  Bump stocks and “switches” would be included.
• HB5855 bans people under age 21 from getting a FOID card and prevents them from exercising their Second Amendment Right.
• HB5855 bans people under 21 from hunting alone.

I know you are angry.  You and I have done nothing wrong, but we are the point of their attack.  What can you do?

Let’s take a lesson from Clint Eastwood in the film “Pale Rider”.  In the film, a prospector named “Spider” finds a huge gold nugget and goes into town to challenge the evil mine owner, Coy LaHood.  Spider is quickly shot down by LaHood’s hired gunmen.  The Preacher (Clint Eastwood) talks to a worried gathering of prospectors about Spider and what happened to him.  The Preacher tells them Spider made a mistake when he went to town alone.  A man alone is easy prey.  Only standing together are you able to beat the LaHood’s of the world.

The message here is join together.  In this case, join the Illinois State Rifle Association:
https://isra.force.com/illinoisstaterifleassociation/s/join-the-isra  If you are a member, get your friends to join.  Give a gift membership.  Just like Spider, those who try to stand alone against these anti-gun maniacs will be destroyed. 

We are getting lots of inquiries about when to file witness slips.  There is a certain time period to submit witness slips.   So far, the hearings that are scheduled are “Subject Matter” hearings.  The one that was scheduled for December 9^th has been canceled.  We will let you know when to be ready to submit witness slips but, in the meantime, you should go through the tutorial on the ISRA website.

Members have been asking if HB5855 passed, will we challenge the law in court.  The simple answer is absolutely.  There is no part of HB5855 we think is constitutional.  I would remind everyone that if this bill does not pass in Lame Duck Session, it will return in the 2023 Spring Session under a new bill number.  I would also remind everyone that there may be another bill with a different title that will have the language stripped out of it and language like or similar to what is in HB5855 substituted.  The title of the bill will not change.  You will have to check the amendments to the bill to get the real meaning of the bill.  The last amendment is usually the one to look at.

Lame Duck Session is scheduled for January 4^th,5^th,6^th,7^th and 10^th by the way.

On the lawsuit front, it looks like Maryland’s “assault weapons” ban has taken one more step toward the Supreme Court of the United States.  That is no guarantee the Supreme Court will hear it but if they do, it will have everything to do with us not only in Illinois but the rest of the country.

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. 

It used to be that early to mid-morning hours were safe to travel and shop. Not anymore.  Gangs are now roving the streets of Chicago at every hour of the day.  They are robbing and carjacking people on their way to work. 

Last week at 6:00am, three people tried to rob/carjack a man on his way to work.  The intended victim got out of his vehicle and struggled with one of the carjackers.  The intended victim finally drew his concealed carry pistol and shot two of the carjackers.  The third suffered a broken leg somehow.  The three carjackers were carted off to the hospital.  It turns out that these guys had robbed six others that morning before they ran into the concealed carry license holder.  You have to be able to fight back.  This was three on one which is the way it goes these days.  Get yourself prepared.

As citizens of the United States, we somehow think that democracy is the bulwark against tyranny.  That is not true.  You can have tyranny of the majority over the minority, and tyranny of the minority over the majority.  It seems we have both going on these days.

We are experiencing tyranny of the majority at both the state and national levels in Illinois.  Nationally, the majority is cramming their agenda down the throats of citizens using deception, lies, and lies by omission.  They are also using government bureaucracies to enforce their agendas.  Twitter Is a prime example.

Tyranny of the minority over the majority uses the same tactics with the aid of the billionaire class who really want to rule American citizens like the Russian oligarchs rule the Russian people.  The billionaire class super finances convenient minorities to shout long and loud.  They give voice to the maniacs on subjects like gun control, climate change, and animal rights.  One product of this is HB5855.  HB5855 is an example of how well-heeled financed they are.  It is my understanding that they are spending between $3800 and $7000 a day on Facebook ads alone.  These are aimed at the unknowing and naïve.  There are approximately 2.5 million FOID card holders in Illinois who will be affected by this bill, but they are pushed aside as if their rights do not matter.  Well, they do matter.  The Illinois State Rifle Association is pushing back but we need your help.  Please join the ISRA today!

Since I mentioned climate change, I want you to think about something.  The earth is about one trillion two hundred and forty-six billion days old, give or take a day or two.  During that time, not only has the climate been changing every day, but Mother Earth has also experienced continents breaking apart, millions of volcanic eruptions, devasting meteorite strikes, and variations in temperature from tropical to ice age.  The earth climate has and will continue to change every day.  A cow passing gas doesn’t matter.

Tidbits:
December 8, 1941 - It is the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  The United States declares war on Japan.  America’s shock and disbelief of what happened was rapidly turning into rage.  America had been awakening form its long sleep of denial of reality.  Isolationism and pacifism had kept Roosevelt from building up the United States military.  Japan would attack all across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific to secure their home islands and gain natural resources to fight the war.  While U.S. Troops in the Philippine were hoping for reinforcements, it was not to be.  The United States antiwar movement stripped the military of any ability to resupply or rescue those men and women.  They would hold off the Japanese for over three months giving time for the United States to build up its war machine.  Still, most of those on Bataan would be killed.  Over 260,000 Filipinos continued to fight until General MacArthur returned.
 
The Americans immediately put their shoulders to the wheel of fighting the war.  This included most everyone.  Women built bombers, made ammunition, vehicles, artillery pieces, everything.  In a couple of notable instances, blind people made airplane parts at night because they didn’t need light to work and the area was blacked out.  Bloomington, Illinois, was the crossroads of seven railroads.  There was a big roundhouse and locomotive works there.  War materials were being hauled by the railroads and Bloomington was a vital link.  In one 24-hour period, boys who were let out of school to help in the railroad yards “serviced and turned” 103 steam locomotives with the supervision of experienced mechanics.  Other boys and girls picked up scrap metal to help.  Everyone one was all in.  There were a few cowards around who went to Canada and vice versa.  A brother of one of my college professors did that.  The United States and Canada made a deal.  One early morning, the professor’s brother got a knock on his door.  Two Canadian military police escorted him a Canadian Army camp. 

By the end of the war, 32 front line aircraft carriers and dozens of smaller aircraft carriers were built.  Henry Ford B-24 bomber plant was turning out a new bomber every hour and three minutes.  There were hundreds of such examples.  Oh yes, lest I forget, thousands of shooting instructors too old to serve, trained hundreds of thousands of soldiers in marksmanship before they went to basic training.

December 9, 1922 - The Canton, Ohio Bulldogs win the first NFL title.

December 10, 1917 - The Red Cross is awarded the Noble Peace Prize

December 11, 1941 - Hitler declares war on the United States against the wishes of German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop.  The Tripartite Treaty between Germany, Italy, and Japan did not require Germany to declare war, but Hitler did anyway. 

December 13, 1887 - Sergeant Alvin York is born.

December 14, 1799 - George Washington dies.  The medical treatments of bleeding and administering concoctions of butter, vinegar, and molasses contributed more to his death than his illness. 

Thanks for being a member.

Visit www.isra.org
Upcoming Events:

Thursday, December 8 & 15, 2022
Women’s Pistol Team Practice

Tuesday, December 13 & 20, 2022
Air Gun Practice

Wednesday, December 14 & 21, 2022
Pellet Rifle League

Saturday, December 17, 2022
ISRA Academy NRA Basic Shotgun Course

Gun & Trade Shows

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