Thursday Bulletin – December 14, 2023
Executive Director's Message Richard Pearson |
At this point everything seems to be pushing the PICA Act (so called assault
weapons ban), towards the Supreme Court of the United States. On December 12, a JCAR hearing was held in Chicago. Fortunately, the JCAR did not make permanent the temporary rules. It is clear that despite the efforts of many, the PICA is unconstitutional and a confused mess. The next hearing of JCAR will be held January 16, 2024. Despite the rules not being in place, the registration requirement still must be completed by December 31, 2023. We have received many calls about moving firearms that are on the list out of state. Moving them out of state complies with the PICA Act. One should remember that you cannot move them back into the state unless the Supreme Court rules the Illinois law unconstitutional. One of the new aspects that came out of
the JCAR hearing was adding whether or not you have a firearm or firearms registered when a traffic stop occurs, police access what is known as Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). You can see a more in-depth explanation from ISRA Lobbyist, Ed Sullivan below. On December 12, Judge Stephen P. McGlynn
decided not to issue an injunction against the Illinois law once again. Such an injunction would only delay our case, Harrel v. Raoul, and the NSSF case, Barnett v. Raoul, from reaching the Supreme Court of the United States. We have 90 days from December 11 to file our appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States. Our attorneys are in the process of doing that now. ISRA Statement on the December 11th Decision by the US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Earlier this year, the Illinois State Rifle Association filed a lawsuit against the so-called "Assault Weapons" law signed in January. The case has worked its way through the legal system all the way to the US Seventh Circuit court where we asked the entire court to review the case in an en banc
review. The Seventh Circuit Court rejected our en banc petition for that review on 12/11/23. Below is a statement from the ISRA released to the media. "The ISRA anticipated the decision of the US Seventh Circuit to deny an en-banc hearing as part of our legal strategy and intend on pursuing an appeal to the US Supreme Court. We believe the Supreme Court must take a look at this
case given its clear conflict with other Federal court rulings and the Supreme Court's own historic ruling in the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association vs Bruen case. We look forward to moving this case on to the highest court in the nation, just as we look forward to continue fighting against the disastrous implementation of Governor Pritzker's registration scheme, where
his agencies are changing the rules yet again with only 17 days left before the end of the registration period. It is clear that this administration is more focused on making criminals out of law-abiding gun owners instead of addressing an inadequate justice system which is permitting violent criminals to continue victimizing the good citizens of Illinois." US Senate ‘Assault
Weapons’ Ban Fails Without Vote A Senate proposal to ban AR-15s and other popular firearms went down without a vote on Wednesday. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) brought Senate Bill 25, the “Assault Weapons” Ban of 2023, to the floor for a vote in the 11 am hour, but it failed shortly afterward. A universal background check and gun storage requirement proposal soon suffered the same fate. None of them received a
roll call vote. The bills failed because they were brought to the floor by unanimous consent requests. As the name implies, the bills would have needed support from every senator to pass. A single senator’s objection can, and in this case did, derail the legislation. The failure to
move legislation banning so-called “assault weapons” does not mean the anit-gunners have given up. This week’s action is not a guarantee that the legislation won’t come back as an attachment, or in another bill. We know that this is where the anit-gunners want to go. The Illinois State Rifle Association will be on the watch for any such moves. We are thankful that there are Republicans in the Senate who blocked this attempt. Like us, they stand for the Constitution and the Second Amendment. You can lower the odds of anti-gun legislation getting passed by calling our two senators and asking them to say ‘NO,’ to S. 25 or any other gun control bill or amendment. Call Senator Dick Durbin: Chicago office at (312) 353-4952 Springfield office at (217) 492-4062 Washington, DC office at (202) 224-2152 Call Senator Tammy Duckworth: Chicago office at (312) 886-3506 Springfield office at (217) 528-6124 Take Action Now! If you are not an ISRA member,
join today , or help support us by donating online here. NYC bodega owners, grocers arming themselves with guns amid violent thefts plaguing Big
Apple Hundreds of Big Apple supermarket and bodega store owners are arming themselves as the epidemic of violent theft continues to plague their businesses. Bodegas are small ethnic convenience stores. It should be noted that the Bodega store owners are keeping their membership secret, to prevent harassment by the NYC police and
others. In the past year alone, the United Bodegas of America and the Bodega and Small Business Group said they’ve helped at least 230 store owners apply for their gun licenses, connecting them with concealed-carry classes required by the state to obtain a permit. In addition, the National Supermarket Association representing roughly 600 independent grocers, estimated a quarter of
its members in the city are armed, compared to 10% pre-pandemic. NICS November 2023: Third-Highest Gun Sales, Fourth-Highest Background Checks The gun sales and National Instant Background Check System (NICS) checks continue the trend in 2023 of the third or fourth highest month on record, were about 1.56
million firearms. There have been about 13.57-million-gun sales in 2023 so far, using the NICS numbers. In December, estimates show another 1.7-million-gun sales, for a total of over 15 million guns sold through NICS in 2023. Anticipating price increases in 2024 could boost December sales. Guns and ammunition are durable. Guns last for centuries with a little care. Ammunition lasts for many decades. Both are inflation hedges and can be used for practical purposes. Both can be bartered for other items. Need a last-minute holiday gift idea for your relatives or friends? Encourage your family members or friends to join the ISRA, and we’ll all benefit. By doing so, you help us fight the battles before all gun owners. To carry on this fight, we need more and more new people to become members of the ISRA. You AND your new member will be entered into the drawing, for every new member you sign up! Please print-off this form and have it postmarked by Dec. 31, 2023. Or call the office at 815-635-3198, and we will mail the form to you. If you can recruit more than one member, please
feel free to make copies of this form. Your help is needed and very much appreciated! Tidbits
December 14, 1799 – George Washington
Dies The American revolutionary leader and first president of the United States, dies at his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was 67 years old and had contracted pneumonia. At the time, it was thought that excess blood caused such conditions. Physicians treated Washington by bleeding him. The
treatment is more likely to have killed him, than the pneumonia itself. December 15, 1791 – The Bill of Rights is Ratified Following ratification by the state of Virginia, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, become the law of the land.
Remember December 15 is Bill of Rights day. In September 1789, the first Congress of the United States approved 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution and sent them to the states for ratification. The amendments were designed to protect the basic rights of U.S. citizens, guaranteeing the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and exercise of religion; the right to fair legal procedure
and to bear arms; and that powers not delegated to the federal government would be reserved for the states and the people. December 16, 1773 - The Boston Tea Party In Boston Harbor, more than 100 Massachusetts colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three British tea ships and dumped 342 chests
of tea into the harbor. The midnight raid, popularly known as the “Boston Tea Party,” was in protest of the British Parliament’s Tea Act of 1773. This was the colonists first act of rebellion against British tyranny. December 16, 1944 – Battle of the
Bulge On December 16, 1944, the Germans launch the last major offensive of the war, Operation Autumn Mist, also known as the Ardennes Offensive and the Battle of the Bulge, an attempt to push the Allied front line west from northern France to northwestern Belgium. The Battle of the Bulge, so-called because the Germans created a “bulge” around the area of the Ardennes Forest in pushing through the American defensive
line, was the largest fought on the Western front. The Germans threw 250,000 soldiers into the initial assault, 14 German infantry divisions guarded by five panzer divisions-against a mere 80,000 Americans. December 17, 1903 – First Successful Airplane Flight Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful flight in the history of a self-propelled aircraft. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight. Wilbur and Orville Wright made 4 flights the longest of which was 852 feet. Their top speed was about 8 miles per hour. These days it takes many, many hours to take a domestic flight to your destination. What with driving to the airport and suffering the ordeals of arriving at the airport a minimum of 2 hours early; checking in; checking bags; waiting on flight delays; flight time; waiting through layovers; disembarking and collecting your luggage, you still are averaging about 8 miles per hour! December 18, 1865 – The End of Slavery Slavery was abolished in America with the adoption of the 13th amendment ensuring that “neither very nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” December 19, 1777 – Continental Army Quarters at Valley Forge George Washington leads troops into Valley Forge to shelter over winter. Conditions for General Washington and his Continental Army were looking very bleak. No one knew better than him, that the army was on the brink of collapse. The near collapse is what people talk about. It is a mistake to think that they were without spirit or determination. The soldiers’ feet made bloody tracks in the snow. Those tracks are a symbol of their spirit and determination, not their physical condition. When the Continental Army got to Valley Forge, it consisted of 12,000 soldiers and 400 women, who served as nurses, laundresses, and cooks. The army
was starving, without shoes, blankets, clothing, and shelter. Washington himself was under attack by a cabal of people who wanted to replace him. Upon arrival, Washington began to show his leadership. Soldiers were ordered to cut timber in and around Valley Forge to build two thousand 14ft x18ft huts which worked well in providing shelter. Physically the army suffered. At one point in March of 1778, the roster shows that only 2998 soldiers were fit for duty. Vally Forge was made up of immigrants from 13 nations, slaves, ex slaves, and Native Americans. The Onieda Indians were great allies of George Washington and the cause for freedom. The Onieda carried 600 bushels of
corn on their backs to feed the starving soldiers. They also served as scouts, taught the army how to forage and live off the land, and played a key role in the survival of the Continental Army. By the end of March 1778, the situation at Vally Forge began to improve. By May of 1778, the number of soldiers had grown to over 20,000 due to the leadership of Washington, General Von Steuben,
the Marquis de Lafayette, and other officers. Valley Forge had grown into the fourth largest city at the time, in the United States, in May. By the time Washington and the Continental Army had left Vally Forge in June of 1778, they had become a match for the British Army. The Illinois State Rifle Association is the home of marksmanship in Illinois At the Range
Click here to view the entire calendar. All
classes and events are open to the public & all range members, unless otherwise noted. Our first big event of the year is Winter Wars on the 13th of January, held at the ISRA Range. Registration is from 8 am – 9 am, the match begins at 9 am and runs until 5 pm. This is a
fun time to commemorate the winter battles and the rifles used in them. These would include, but not limited to 1903 and1903-A3 Springfield Rifles, 1917 Enfield, M1, M1 Carbine and M1As. Non-US Rifles would include Enfield SMLE Rifles, SVT-38/40, SA80, Mosin Nagant, SKS Rifles, AK Rifles, KAR98K, and other miscellaneous rifles. This is the perfect time to dig those rifles out of the closet and go have some fun with them. There will be hot coffee and chili for all. Come out and enjoy the
fun. The entry fee is $25 for the two battles. Please bring 40 rounds per battle with you. You can shoot up to 2 battles. Timely entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2023. Entries at $30 will be taken the day of the event, to the extent of capacity. Mail entry to Bill Bilotta, 1804 Heather Lane, Joliet IL 60431, 708-514-4683. Make checks payable to ISRA
TNIR League. Please include Name, E-mail, Phone Number, and if you are a Range member. The ISRA Range is located at 1589 N 7000w Rd, Bonfield, IL 60913. ISRA Academy NRA Basic Shotgun Class December 17 at 8:00 am -6:00 pm Instruction on basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for the safe use of a shotgun in shooting a moving target. Open to the public. Includes 25 rounds of ammunition. Limit 10 students. No walk-ins allowed. Cost: $95 (ISRA members); $170 (nonmember). Instructors: Doug Francois, Mike Cialdella, and Tony Clark.
Contact: ISRA Office at 815.635.3198 or email: member@isra.org The ISRA Range offers great classes and leagues for shooting enthusiasts! Interested in joining a league? Just show up 15 - 30 minutes early. Range memberships are available. A day at the ISRA Range is
always a great day! Thank you
for being a member! Upcoming Gun Shows While the gun show
information shown in this email is believed to be accurate –
sometimes changes occur. This is provided for informational purposes only. Dec 16 – 17 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds Dec 16 – 17 ECA Hunting & Trade Shows, IL State Fairgrounds, Springfield Dec 17 McHenry County Gun Show, McHenry Co. Fairgrounds, Woodstock 2024 (Shows added to as we receive more
information.) Jan 13 Davenport Gun & Knife Show, Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, Davenport Jan 14 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles Jan 20 –
21 Dubuque Gun & Knife Show, Grand River Conference Ctr., Dubuque Jan 20 – 21 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds Jan 27 – 28 Sauk Trail Gun
Show, Sauk Trail Gun Collectors, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL Feb 10 – 11 The Quad Cities Gun Show, Rock Island Feb 11 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles Feb 17 – 18 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Assoc., Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, www.cigca.net |
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