Thursday Bulletin – June 20, 2024

Published: Thu, 06/20/24

Updated: Sat, 06/22/24

Thursday Bulletin – June 20, 2024

Executive Director's Message

Richard Pearson

The Illinois State Rifle Association is pleased to announce that Mandi Ehler has taken the position as Director of the ISRA Academy, Education & Training. Mandi is a widely respected and experienced instructor and under her leadership we’ll be able to greatly expand our educational opportunities offered by the ISRA Academy. The ISRA remains dedicated to our mission of training adults and children on the safe and proper use of a firearm.

Please congratulate Mandi and stay tuned for additional announcements regarding the ISRA Academy!

Stock-Up on Your Gunpowder

I am hearing more and more about an impending gunpowder shortage and general ammunition shortage. This is due to the war in Ukraine, the redirecting of European assets to the manufacturing of military ammunition, and supply chain concerns. I advise everyone to stock up on gunpowder, primers, and ammunition now.

Chicago Wife & Husband Attacked by Teens, Unborn Baby Killed

Last Tuesday evening, a couple was walking together in a Chicago neighborhood. The woman was pregnant. A group of young thugs – approximately a dozen – precipitously attacked the couple for no apparent reason. The two victims were punched and kicked repeatedly, also drenched with pepper spray, until they were both on the pavement. Then both were kicked and stomped again, repeatedly.

As a result, the woman’s unborn baby died. As these thugs savagely beat this innocent man and his wife, they reportedly yelled, “We own the streets.” They expected to walk away from this crime, and they did! Under our present leftist-weaponized “criminal justice system,” they do effectively “own the streets”. The innocent – and unarmed – victims enjoyed no protection!

Two of the thugs were caught, but then they were released immediately, despite causing the death of the couple’s baby.

This dreadful situation that currently plagues all our heavily populated areas will not “turn-around” any time soon, no matter who gets elected in November!

We’re all familiar with the increasing threats. Let’s talk about various ways to protect yourself and your loved ones: Avoiding potentially dangerous situations and places whenever possible is the best strategy, but these days that’s not always possible. When you have no choice but to employ deadly force, always have the means immediately available.

If you don’t already have your Concealed Carry permit, I urge you to get it asap! Check our online Range Calendar for up-coming Concealed Carry classes.

Violent Crime Drops as Gun Ownership Climbs

The first quarter of 2024 shows new FBI data that violent crime has dropped by more than 15% from the same period last year, at a time when U.S. gun ownership has continued to rise. Proof that gun ownership is not the cause of crime.

There has also been a notable 13.6% increase in gun ownership among women, and an overall increase of 6.7% between 2017 and 2023.

Of significant note according to an FBI announcement, “A comparison of data from January through March 2023 and 2024, indicates reported violent crime decreased by 15.2%; murder decreased by 26.4%, rape decreased by 25.7%; robbery decreased by 17.8%, and aggravated assault decreased by 12.5%, and reported property crime also decreased by 15.1%.”

This report “blows apart” the anti-gunner’s myth that “more guns result in more violent crime”. Twenty-million-plus Americans are licensed to carry. Shouldn’t it be logical to suppose that they aren’t the problem – rather they are part of the solution?

Continuing Trend - Over a Million Guns Sold per Month

May 2024 continues the trend being reported by the National Shooting Sports Foundation for the increasing sales of guns to an average of over 1,000,000 per month, over the last 4 years and 10 months. 2024 continues the trend of becoming the fifth-highest year for gun sales on record. The best estimate of the total number of privately owned guns in the United States is over 500 million guns.

Keep in mind that most private sales are not recorded in the NICS system, and that the vast majority of homemade guns are also not recorded in the NICS system either. Also, the destruction of guns is not recorded in the NICS system.

That being said, the numbers for gun sales from NICS are an estimate, but they are likely to be close to reality and bring the current calculation to 508 million privately owned guns in the United States.

Anti-Gun 'Expert' Says Gun Collecting a 'Red Flag' for Mass Shootings
The anti-gun media is doing its best to paint gun collecting in the most nefarious terms possible, and they are being aided by David Reidman if you follow his K-12 School Shooting Database account on “X”. According to Reidman "stockpiling weapons is a red flag that someone may be plotting a mass shooting." Clearly, the vast majority of people who have a firearms collection aren't running around committing mass shootings.

A 2023 Secret Service report on mass violence also fails to mention gun collecting as a warning sign. According to the same report, 28% of attackers "demonstrated an interest in military, law enforcement, or similar careers." Would Reidman assert that wanting to enlist in the military or work as a police officer is another "red flag" when it comes to mass shooters? If he did, I don’t agree…

As sociologist David Yamane writes in his new book Gun Curious, gun ownership is normal and normal people own guns. Reidman and other anti-gun activists are intent on convincing Americans otherwise; demoralizing and demonizing the millions of Americans who own more than one or two firearms by labeling them potential mass shooters. This of course, is ridiculous!

The Illinois State Rifle Association

is the home of marksmanship in Illinois

LITIGATION UPDATE

On Friday, the United States Supreme Court struck down the bump stock ban in a 6-3 ruling, dealing a blow to government agencies like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) — who believed they were above the law. Well today, they got a dose of reality. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the majority opinion, “Semi-automatic firearms, which require shooters to reengage the trigger for every shot, are not machine guns.”

We are encouraged by this ruling, and we hope that our case Harrel v Raoul will be heard by U.S. Supreme Court.

OF INTEREST TO OUR ILLINOIS HUNTERS

Fall Turkey Permit Applications

Lottery 1: Closes July 1, 2024

Lottery 2: July 12, 2024 - August 19, 2024

Fall Deer Firearm Permit Applications

Lottery 2: ENDS June 30, 2024

Lottery 3: July 11, 2024 - August 16, 2024

Over-The-Counter Sales

County-issued permits remaining after the 2024 Lottery 3 Deer Firearm and Muzzleloader drawings, will be available for sale over the counter (OTC) at License Vendors on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Special Hunt Area permits are only available during the Lottery application periods and are not sold OTC. Please check the IDNR Website at https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting.html, for further requirements and information. We’ll be posting the upcoming Illinois Fall Turkey and Deer hunting season dates, before the seasons begin.

If you are planning a hunting trip out-of-state this fall, be sure you have your Hunter’s Safety certification. Many states require these.

Empowering First Shots
FREE WOMEN'S SHOOTING EVENT

Our very first Empowering First Shots held this past Saturday was a great success, thanks to Mandi Ehler, ISRA Director of Education & Training. 104 participants attended. We’re planning another one for next year, so if you missed this one – don’t miss the next one!

Tidbits

June 20, 1782 – Congress Adopts the Great Seal of the United States.

June 20, 1900 – The Boxer Rebellion

Chinese nationalists began the siege on Peking’s diplomatic district. They were known as the “Boxers”, because of their belief in calisthenics and martial arts. Their goal was to drive out all foreign influences in China, and they killed Christian missionaries and diplomats from foreign countries.

The legations were surrounded by the Boxers. Small military groups protected the diplomats from eight different countries, which had diplomatic ties with China. The Boxers sought to break and kill, all those associated with the various countries. The United States legation was protected by a group of Marines. The Boxers soon learned that they didn’t want to attack a wall that the United States Marines were defending. They preferred to attack a wall that the Japanese military was defending. The United States Marine Corps emphasis on marksmanship made a huge difference.

The siege lasted 55 days. A rescue force was organized among the various countries, and they sent 20,000 troops to save the legation where the diplomats and their families were trapped inside. The Boxer Rebellion formally ended on September 7, 1901. China was forced to pay $330 million in reparations and was not allowed to import firearms for two years into China. The Qing Dynasty was so weakened by the Boxer Rebellion, that it came to an end in 1911, and China became a Republic in 1912.

June 20, 2024 – The First Official Day of Summer

Known as the summer solstice, is also the longest day of the year.

June 21, 1788 – United States Constitution Ratified

New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the law of the land. It was passed without the Bill of Rights, promising amendments would be immediately proposed, which they were. The concepts of the Constitution were primarily those of James Madison of Virginia.

June 21, 1916 – U.S. General Attacked by Mexican Troops

American forces led by Brigadier General Pershing, were in pursuit of Pancho Villa deep into Mexico. Had it not been for the imminent involvement in World War I, it is likely the United States would have declared war on Mexico.

June 22, 1944 – President Franklin Roosevelt Signs G.I. Bill

The harsh lessons of World War I had been learned. The American Legion had fought for certain provisions in the bill, which they won. Those included access to unemployment compensation, low-interest home and business loans, and funding for education. By 1947, veterans made-up half of the college enrollment. Vocational courses were also opened for veterans. This included training in education, agriculture, commerce, mining, fishing, and other vocational skills.

Some of the people who took advantage of the G.I. Bill aside from those you know in your family, were former Presidents H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford, former Vice President Al Gore, Johnny Cash, Paul Newman, Ed McMahon, and Clint Eastwood. The G.I. Bill worked well for nearly everyone involved. In the above list, the only one that did not learn anything, was Al Gore.

June 25, 1876 – Battle of Little Bighorn – Custer’s Last Stand

Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, gather along the Little Bighorn River in Montana. The more than 10,000 tribesmen were led by chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. Lieutenant Colonel Custer had 600 troops but made the fatal error of dividing them three ways. When Custer was attacked by the Indian force of 1200, he only had 200 men. The rest is history.

June 26, 1956 - Congress Approves the Federal Highway Act

This Act resulted in the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways. In 1955, a national drill was held to test what would happen if the United States had a nuclear attack. The roads were choked with traffic and the result was absolute chaos. A great part of the emphasis in getting a bill passed was for National Defense purposes.

Since the initial construction, many more bypasses have been built, as well as new interstate highways, bringing the total number of miles in our interstate system to 50,000, and counting.

Thank you for being a member!

If you are not an ISRA member, join today!

Donate: https://isra.org/support-us/

Visit www.isra.org

Upcoming Meetings: https://isra.org/isra-activities-and-events/

Upcoming Range Events: https://isra.org/the-range/#range-calendar

Range Schedules & Other Events moved to
Weekly Range post on Mondays.

PO Box 637
420 E Locust St
Chatsworth Illinois 60921
USA

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