Thursday Bulletin – February 15, 2024
Executive Director's Message Richard Pearson |
ISRA FOLLOWS THROUGH ON PROMISE – FILES APPEAL TO U.S. SUPREME COURT
ARGUING GOV. JB PRITZKER’S SO-CALLED “ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN” IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The Illinois State Rifle Association followed through on a promise made last January to law-abiding, responsible gun owners that they would challenge Gov. JB Pritzker’s so-called “assault weapons ban” on the grounds that the law is unconstitutional – officially filing their appeal with the United
States Supreme Court on Monday in Washington, DC. On January 17, 2023, the ISRA, Firearms Policy Coalition and the Second Amendment Foundation filed a federal lawsuit with the U.S District Court for the Southern District of Illinois challenging the law. After making its way through the legal process and out of District Court, on December 11, 2023, the Seventh Circuit rejected our
request for a hearing as expected – paving the way for the certiorari petition (a formal request to review the case) to the U.S. Supreme Court. “The ISRA remains on the front lines and continues to stand up to Gov. Pritzker and anti-gun legislators in Springfield on behalf of 2.4 million law-abiding, responsible firearm owners in Illinois,” said ISRA Executive Director Richard
Pearson. “Our objective from the very beginning of the process that started the moment Gov. Pritzker signed the bill into law – was to take our case to the United States Supreme Court – and today we followed through on that promise and now our case is in the hands of the highest court in the land,” said Pearson. The ISRA is confident that if the U.S. Supreme Court accepts
this case it will rule favorably, given the court’s previous decisions. “We believe the Supreme Court will 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 versus Bruen case,” said Pearson. “It is clear that the Pritzker 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 – and we look forward to the Supreme Court righting this wrong,” Pearson concluded. At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court certiorari petition is pending, ISRA
and the other Harrel Plaintiffs are preparing for a trial on the issues before Judge McGlynn in the Southern District of Illinois – currently scheduled to take place in the coming months. So whichever direction this case proceeds, ISRA will be ready to stand up for the rights of Illinoisans. The ISRA is presently leading the charge as a named plaintiff on two cases and playing a supporting role in an additional five
more – totaling 7 cases dealing with constitutional issues and on behalf of law-abiding gun owners in Illinois. Your help is needed. We need the help of every firearm owner in Illinois. If you’re not a member, join now. Click here to download our membership form, To donate to our membership, please click this link. The Importance & History of IGOLD Join Executive Director Richard Pearson as he talks about the importance of Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day in the fight for 2nd Amendment rights in Illinois. Many advances in 2A rights have happened because of the participation of activists like you. This year IGOLD will be one of the most important events in Illinois. 2nd amendment rights
have nearly been forgotten at the Capitol. Will you join us this year to remind lawmakers about the meaning of “shall not be infringed”? Please subscribe to our social media and YouTube content to stay up to date on the latest developments. Just click the logos below. MASS SHOOTINGS ‘PRIMARILY’ IN ‘GUN-FREE ZONES’. A recent report from the Montana-based Crime Prevention Research Center says the majority of mass shootings in the U.S. since 1998 “have occurred in places where guns are banned,” and more than half of
these crimes have been committed solely with handguns. The report includes a chart showing this, and another chart showing that 82 percent of mass shootings occur in “gun free” zones. More than half of these shootings were committed with handguns, not rifles. Only 16.8 percent used rifles “of any type”. In reality, mass shootings are not as common as the public
has been led to believe. Media attention contributes to the public perception of such shootings happening more frequently. In an alarming 52 percent of mass murders “the shooter has seen mental health care professionals before their attacks.” Over the same period, 20 percent of mass shooters were veterans, and in 2022 specifically, about 6 percent were veterans, which translates to the overwhelming majority not having served in the military. THE AMERICAN TRAP SHOOTING ASSOCIATION (ATA), located in Sparta, Illinois, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) have reached an agreement which extends the Grand American and the AIM youth shooting championships through the year 2036. This agreement secures one of the premier shooting events in the world for the next 12
years. The Illinois State Rifle Association has an office in the World Shooting Complex on Commercial Row, which is open during the championships. PRESIDENTS DAY SALES I noticed on Lincoln's birthday that there were a lot of Presidents Day Sales. I regret to inform you that President Biden is
not in that sale because he's been bought and paid for! Sponsorships for IGOLD Are Available We are now offering sponsorships for IGOLD. We have 4 different sponsorship levels to choose what’s best for you, your company or your organization.
Please call the ISRA office at 815.635.3198 to become an IGOLD sponsor and reserve your ad spot today!
Come to IGOLD!
Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day
– Private Bus Scheduling – Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day (IGOLD) will be on Thursday,
April 18th this year. If your gun club, gun shop, hunting group and/or organization is thinking about bringing a bus to IGOLD with your members, NOW is the time to plan it. If you are bringing a bus, please let us know by April 1st. The ISRA must pay for your bus parking in advance. Please
notify the ISRA Office and speak with Shirley at 815.635.3198 Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4pm. You can also email Shirley at shirley@isra.org. Please put BUS NOTIFICATION in the subject line. We will update you on IGOLD as we get closer to the date. Tidbits
February 15, 1898 – The Battleship USS Maine
Explodes in Cuba’s Havana Harbor, instigating the United States entering into war with Spain, marking the outbreak of the Spanish American War. February 15, 1903 – The First Teddy Bear Goes on Sale. The inspiration for selling “Teddy” bears came from a hunting trip that President Theodore Roosevelt had made in Mississippi the previous year. Roosevelt’s
hunting guides had captured and tied a bear to a tree. Theodore Roosevelt insisted that hunters be ethical and use fair-chase principles when hunting game. Instead of shooting it, he set the bear free. February 16, 1968 – The First 9-1-1 Call Placed in The United States That first call was placed in Haleyville, Alabama. The second town that adopted the 911 system
was Nome, Alaska. Originally it was not 911 but 9-11. The description of the number was quickly changed because some Americans could not find the number 11 on their telephone. The 911 system is to help people particularly in medical emergencies. In criminal emergencies, there simply is no way for authorities to get there in time. You must learn to take care of yourself. February 19, 1945 – Invasion of Iwo Jima Begins. Iwo Jima represented the longest pre-invasion bombardment during WWII. American B-24 and B-25 bombers continually bomb the island for 74 days before the invasion. The importance of Iwo Jima was it’s close proximity to Japan, so the U.S. could build landing strips for it’s B-29 bombers. From that point, the B-29 bombers would be
flying at their maximum range of about 1500 miles. They had to fly 660 miles from Iwo Jima to reach Japan. February 21, 1948 – The National Association for Stock Car Racing or NASCAR as it has become known, was officially incorporated, and has become a multi-billion-dollar sport. The first NASCAR dedicated track was the
Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. What gave NASCAR an immense jump-start was the season opener held at the Daytona 500 track when it was built in 1959. Today, there are millions of race fans around the world who follow NASCAR. 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 NRA Basic Pistol Class Open to the public. Scheduled for March 24, 2024, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm., at the ISRA Range. Limited to 10 students. The cost is $75 (ISRA member) and $150 (non-member).
Class covers instruction on firearm safety, rules, ammunition types, and proper instruction of semi-auto pistols and revolvers. Topics include firearm selection, shooting fundamentals, firearm maintenance and cleaning. Instructors: Mandi Ehler, Mike Cialdella & Jeff Marienthal. To register, contact ISRA Office at 815.635.3198 or mailto: member@isra.org We are glad to announce that we will have an M1 Maintenance Class scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at the ISRA Range in Bonfield, IL. We have a highly qualified
instructor, Larry Collinson, who has been with Springfield Armory for a long time. Mr. Collinson is an expert on the M1 Rifle. You will learn to take apart, clean, reassemble, and maintain your M1 Garand Rifle during this class. The class size is limited to 32 people. The cost is $65 (ISRA member) and $110 (non-member). Lunch will be provided. If you have special dietary needs, you will need to provide your own lunch. There will be no walk-ins allowed. To register, contact the Office at 815.635.3198 and talk to Mel or Shirley. You can also e-mail them at mel.hitchens.isra@gmail.com or shirley@isra.org. If you are interested in taking this class, it is filling up quickly, so please register soon. The ISRA Range is located at 1589 N 7000w Rd, Bonfield, IL 60913. 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 & Events While
the gun show information shown in this email is believed to be accurate –
sometimes changes occur. This is provided for informational purposes only.
We get lots of calls about where to go to take Hunter Safety classes. Here is a link on the IDNR website, which will take you to class listings by county and date. https://dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty Feb 16 – 18 Tinley Park Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Show, Tinley Park Convention Center, Tinley Park Feb 17 – 18 Central Illinois Gun Collectors, Sangamon Co Fairgrounds, New Berlin, www.cigca.net Feb 24 – 25 Decatur Gun & Knife Show, Decatur Conference Center, Decatur Mar 2 – 3 Belleville Gun & Knife Show, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Belleville Mar 2 – 3 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds, Kankakee Mar 8 – 10 Illinois Deer Classic, Peoria Civic Center, Peoria Mar 10 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County
Fairgrounds, St. Charles Mar 16 – 17 Peoria Gun & Knife Show, Exposition Gardens, Peoria Mar 23 – 24 Springfield Gun Show, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield Mar 23 – 24 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton |
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