Richard Pearson

The long anticipated crunch time is upon us in Springfield.  The Illinois State Legislature adjourns on May 31st at midnight.  The next few weeks are going to be filled with sudden action and tedious waiting.  One never knows when one or the other of these things will begin or end.  It is just how legislatures work.

Of course, the big news is still the Vivian Brown case.  Just to refresh everyone, White County Circuit Judge T. Scott Webb ruled the FOID Card unconstitutional in the home.  This is not a blanket rejection of the FOID card but it certainly puts a good sized dent in it.  Judge Webb rightly points out that no one in Illinois has Second Amendment Rights until they pay $10 and receive their FOID card.  It has long been thought by myself and many, many others that if Poll Tax of $2.00 and sales tax of pennies on a newspaper is unconstitutional why isn’t a $10 fee for a FOID Card unconstitutional?  The anti-gun side always claims the Second Amendment is different.  That is not true; they only want to convince people that it is different.  I don’t know when the Illinois Supreme Court will hear the Brown case.  I do know this case is likely to go the Supreme Court of the United States.  This ride is just beginning.

The Illinois State Rifle Association case regarding the failure of the Illinois State Police to issue new FOID cards within the statutory time limits is still waiting for a court date for oral arguments. 

The Illinois State Rifle Association case for failing to issue ICCLs in a timely manner is waiting for a reply from the Illinois State Police.  As always, we will keep you informed.

Last Thursday Bulletin, I mentioned the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Cortell.  This case has a very limited question: Does local government have the arbitrary authority to deny an otherwise qualified person to get a concealed carry permit for self-defense outside the home?  The Illinois State Rifle Association will be part of an Amicus (Friend of the Court) Brief in support of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. 

As I mentioned “May Issue” states are a problem.  The State of Hawaii is a good example.  In 2019, the state issued one concealed carry permit.  I know this will shock you so I hope you are sitting down.  Ready - it was to a politician. 

British military journalist Sir Max Hugh McDonald Hastings does not like our Second Amendment or our AR15 rifle.  He doesn’t think American citizens should own them.  Hastings has the typical British “I’ve been in the military and therefore I know everything attitude”.  So, Sir Max, I assume that you remember the outcomes of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.   American citizen marksmen were proficient in firearms and shot the pants off British troops.  Please recall we bailed you out of WWI and WWII.  By the way, Great Britain still has not yet paid its debt from the loans of WWI or WWII.  I expect the check is in the mail.  American gun owners sent rifles to Great Britain because they did not have enough arms to defend their island.  Some of those arms came home but those that stayed in Great Britain, you destroyed. 

Fortunately, not all British are like Sir Max Hugh McDonald Hastings.  Before the turn of the century in 2000, I was attending the National Matches every year in Camp Perry, Ohio.  Camp Perry is always hot it seems.  In the evenings, competitors, coaches, staff and others would go down to a large ice cream stand in Port Clinton, Ohio.  One evening, I saw two couples who came over from Great Britain to see the National Matches.  I had met them earlier that day or the day before. I walked over to talk to them. I asked what they thought.  One of them replied, “We are going back to Great Britain and apply to become United States citizens.  This is wonderful.”

Well, Sir Max, I don’t think you understand Americans or half of the people in your country.  You don’t know how much Americans love their AR15s and other firearms.  One thing you might think about is that there are more gun owners in the United States than you have people in your country.

Ammunition is appearing on store shelves.  Since I spend most of my time in Springfield these days, this is where I am seeing the ammunition.  The more popular rounds like 9mm, .45, 5.56 mm goes as fast as it comes in.  You have to be at the right place at the right time.  Ammunition companies often figure out how much ammunition they need for a year and then run that amount.  It must be an impossible job considering the demand.  They have to reset the machines for a new caliber and repeat the process.  Last week, I mentioned seeing new production Remington ammunition for the first time.  That is a good sign.  I am also seeing ammunition online but some of the prices are outrageous, to say the least. Ammunition companies have to buy raw materials at higher prices than before so I don’t believe we will see it as cheap as we would like it any time soon.  Still, it will be cheaper than some of the online sellers by far.

Remember Mark and Patricia McCloskey?  They are the couple from St. Louis who had the audacity to defend their home from rioters who broke their front gate down.  Their trial is set to begin in November.  I don’t see how they can get a fair trial in the left wing infested St. Louis County.  A special prosecutor has been appointed.  At least that is better than Kimberly Gardner, the St. Louis County prosecutor.  Gardiner was re-elected thanks to lots of help from anti-gun people like Bloomberg and others.  Maybe they ought to hold the trial at the St. Louis Zoo where a lot of kangaroos live.

Governor Pritzker has announced the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Illinois, will become a Covid-19 vaccination site.  If you go there and get vaccinated, you will receive 100 rounds of trap, skeet or sporting clays at no charge any time before the end of October.  Of course, I just got my second shot - story of my life.

Reminder: Massad Ayoob’s MAG-40 Class will be held at our range on June 10-13.  We offer a 10% discount to ISRA members for this course.  To register, contact Andy Kemp at 208.771.3413 or email andy1911@imaxmail.net.

Tidbits:
May 6, 1937 - The airship LZ 129 Hindenburg bursts into flames as it docks at Lakehurst, New Jersey.  The dirigible used highly flammable hydrogen gas to make it lighter than air.  The Hindenburg started burning as soon as it touched the mooring buoy at Lakehurst.  There are a dozen theories as to what happened but it was most likely St. Elmo’s fire, which is static electricity.  The accident killed 36 aboard with 1 ground fatality.  The Hindenburg must have been quite a sight in the air.  The lighter than aircraft was 804 feet long, about the length of an aircraft carrier.  The Hindenburg disaster spelled the end of dirigibles.  None survived WWII.

May 6, 1954 - Roger Bannister becomes the first man to break the 4 minute mile.  The 25 year old runner ran the mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds.  The 4 minute mile was as much of a psychological barrier as a physical barrier.  Within two weeks his record was broken.  Under 4 minute miles are common today.

May 7, 1945 - Germany surrenders unconditionally.  United States General Walter B. Smith signed on behalf of the Allied Expeditionary Forces.

 May 8, 1945 - VE Day (Victory in Europe) is celebrated in the United States and Europe.  The war had not ended for the Soviet Union.  Pockets of German troops fought on in parts on the Soviet Union.  Finally, on May 9, 1945, resistance was wiped out.  The Soviet Union celebrated VE Day on May 9.

May 9, 1914 - President Woodrow Wilson proclaims Mother’s Day.  Mother’s Day founder, Anna Jarvis, became disillusioned with the commercialism of Mother’s Day and spent the rest of her life and inheritance fighting against it.  She died broke in a sanitarium.  The rest of the United States did not agree.  Each year, Americans spend over 20 billion dollars on Mother’s Day flowers and gifts.

National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM) is celebrated every May and is a declaration that encourages U.S. citizens to observe the month in a symbol of unity.  NMAM honors current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those who have died in pursuit of freedom.

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Upcoming Events: ISRA Calendar
For more information, visit www.isra.org

Saturday, May 8, 2021
Woolard Brothers Memorial
RSO CPR & AED Training/Certification

Tuesday, May 11 & 18, 2021
Tuesday Night Irregular Rifle League

Wednesday, May 12 & 19, 2021
ISRA Benchrest League
F-Class Rifle League
Combat Paper & Steel League

Thursday, May 13 & 20, 2021
ISRA Smallbore Prone/F-Class League

Friday, May 14, 2021
MTG Night Shoot, Low Light/Flashlight Handgun Skills

Saturday, May 15, 2021
Triple Threat Defense LLC Defensive Tactics for Concealed Carry – Level II
MTG Intro to Defensive Pistol Course

Sunday, May 16, 2021
MTG Mastering the Revolver

Saturday, May 22, 2021
Range Safety Officer Course

Gun & Trade Shows

Quad Cities Gun Show – Rock Island, IL
QCCA Expo Center
Dates: May 15 & 16, 2021
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: May 16, 2021
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00

Boot City Gun Show – Terre Haute, IN
Boot City Opry
Dates: May 21 & 22, 2021
Hours: Friday: 12:00-7:00
             Saturday: 9:00-5:00
Admission: $5.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: May 22 & 23, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show – Kankakee, IL
Kankakee County Fairgrounds
Dates: May 22 & 23, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

Sandwich Sportsman’s Club Swap Meet – Sandwich, IL
Sandwich Sportsman Club
Date: May 23, 2021
Hours: Sunday: 8:00-3:00
Admission: $3.00















 



























































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