Michael Bloomberg has already begun to pour money into the 2022 election campaigns.  In Virginia, long time anti-gun politician Terry McAuliffe is running for Governor.  Michael Bloomberg has already poured 1.8 million dollars into McAuliffe’s campaign.

Virginia was once a solid Second Amendment state but now gun rights are under constant attack.  Virginia and other states that were 2A strongholds have turned into battlegrounds in every election.  It is not just Illinois.  Every gun owner in every state needs to ramp up their efforts to battle the billionaires, media and Hollywood celebrities from taking over the Country with their communist ideology.  The speech Nancy Pelosi gave in Great Britain last week is unequivocal evidence of the leftist plans for the United States.  The Second Amendment is what they fear because it will keep them running roughshod over the freedoms and values that made the United States great.

Recently, there have been articles in national newspapers regarding the tremendous increase in women purchasing and learning to use firearms.  The only newsy part of the stories is the national media recognizing that fact and carrying a story about the increase.  For those of us involved in firearm education, it is not news.  The Well Armed Woman chapters are doing very well.  Here at the ISRA, we are seeing more and more women joining and participating.  I couldn’t be more pleased.

There are those out there that seem to promote victim status as some kind of noble experience.  It isn’t.  I have had the privilege of teaching many women.  Some had horrifying stories to tell.  These women had been beaten, assaulted, kicked, stomped on, strangled, bound and gagged.  One of my students had her back broken in three places by a baseball bat.  Others had broken jaws, teeth knocked out, broken ribs and all kinds of injuries.  Some took years and many surgeries to physically recover not to mention the mental ordeal they have had to deal with for years.  Some will never get over it but others have had the courage to handle what happened to them and reconstitute a more normal life.  Still, the mental and physical scars remain and will never be forgotten.

I am proud to say I have had three calls from former female students saying they had an encounter while they were armed and because they had a firearm and were trained on how to use it, the encounter ceased then and there.  It is amazing how looking down the barrel of a .38 Special or a 9mm can give the biggest bully an attitude adjustment.  Remember, you have to be trained, not just own it.

The Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the Easterday v Deerfield case yesterday, September 22nd.  The Vivian Brown case will be argued before the Illinois Supreme Court in January or February.

Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Felon FOID-Right Restoration (adapted from sigalelaw.com): On September 2, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court issued its Opinion in Evans v. Cook County State’s Attorney.  The Court reversed an appellate ruling that Section 10 of the FOID Card Act could never be used to restore the firearm rights of felons because of its interplay with the federal felon-in-possession prohibition, and because of the way the State law was written.  The Illinois State Rifle Association supported Mr. Evans in this effort. 

The Court reiterated that firearm rights are civil rights, and ruled that restoration of firearm rights under state law also removed the federal prohibition and satisfied the federal statute.  This ruling is a major victory for those with criminal records who have strived to overcome, who simply seek an avenue to prove it and restore their rights.  Had the Court ruled the other way, the path to restoration would have been blocked completely.  Indeed, many such restoration Petitions throughout the State have been stayed (frozen) while waiting for the Court to rule in Evans.  With the Court’s ruling, those Petitioners may now move forward with their claims. 
 
Unfortunately, the Court also felt constrained to uphold the trial court which ruled against Mr. Evans, even though there was no hearing where Mr. Evans could have presented evidence.  The Court noted that with the information learned from this case, plus the additional passage of time, Mr. Evans (who demonstrated in many ways throughout this case his rehabilitation through family, running his own business, etc.) may bring a new Petition.

Besides the important ruling regarding felon restoration rights in general, this case is a cautionary tale that if you are going to bring a Section 10 Petition to restore your FOID rights (regardless of the reason for the FOID denial or revocation) you must make sure to present all evidence in your favor to the court, including demanding a hearing and testifying and presenting any witnesses.  It is the only chance you will get to do so.

Reminder: October 30 & 31, 2021, Defensive Training International (DTI) Defensive Handgun Course - John Farnam, Instructor, will be at our Range.  To register for this 2-day course, please use this link to register.

Tidbits:
September 24, 1789 - The Judicial Act of 1789 establishes the Supreme Court of the United States and is signed by President George Washington.  John Jay is nominated by President Washington as Chief Justice.  John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair, Richard Harrison and James Wilson are nominated as Associate Justices.  Two days later they were confirmed.  The Supreme Court of the United States oversee treaties, foreign diplomats, admiralty and maritime jurisdictions.  The first session was held on February 1, 1790, at the Royal Exchange Building in New York City.  The Supreme Court of the United States did not have a permanent home for 145 years.  Instead, the SCOTUS met in various government buildings.  When the Capitol was burned by the British in 1814, the Court met in a private home for a time.  In 1929, Congress appropriated money for the Supreme Court building.  The Supreme Court moved to their present building in 1935.

September 24, 1789 - The Bill of Rights passes Congress.  Originally there were 12 items in the Bill of Rights.  Two were not ratified.  One of those dealt with the number of Representatives and Senators and the other with compensation for Representatives and Senators.  Those items should not have been in the Bill of Rights anyway.

September 25, 1965 - The Kansas City Athletics start 59-year-old Satchel Paige against the Boston Red Sox.  Paige gave up only one hit in the first three innings.  He is the oldest pitcher to ever play In a Major League Baseball game.  Satchel Paige got his nickname from carrying luggage at the train station in Mobile, Alabama.  Paige came up through the Negro League.  He finally made it into the Major League and made the American League Allstar in 1952 and 1953 when he was age 46 and 47.  Satchel Paige was one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived.  He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  He passed away in 1982.

September 28, 1928 - The Galvin Manufacturing Company of Chicago begins work on the first mass produced car radio.  In 1930, Paul Galvin changed the name of his company to Motorola (you may have heard of them).  The motor part of the name came from automobiles and the ola came from the end of the word Victrola, the record player.  Now Motorola manufactures all kinds of radio equipment and cell phones.

September 28, 1781 - The Battle of Yorktown begins.  General George Washington is in command of 17,000 American and French troops and has British General Cornwallis and his 9,000 troops surrounded. General Washington immediately began a three-week artillery bombardment on the British Fortifications.  Alexander Hamilton was in command of a light infantry battalion in General Lafayette’s division.  Hamilton decided to attack redoubt numbers 9 and 10.  A redoubt is a smaller fortification that protects the main fortification.  Hamilton and his troops attacked both redoubts at night and at the same time using only bayonets which took a lot of guts on everyone’s part.  In 10 minutes, the surprise attack had captured both redoubts, collapsing the British defenses.  Shortly after, Cornwallis surrendered.

September 28, 1960 - Ted Williams came to bat for the last time.  Williams was the last baseball player to have a lifetime batting average of .400.  He also hit 500 home runs.  Some wonder if he was such a great hitter, why he did not have more home runs.  Williams was also a United States Marine pilot.  He served both in WWII and Korea during his prime years.  He was more than a great baseball player; he was a great American.

National Hunting and Fishing Day will be observed on Saturday September 25, 2021.

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

Saturday, September 25, 2021
The Well Armed Woman
Defensive Training – Pistol & Rifle

Sunday, September 26, 2021
3-Hour CCW Recertification
Glock Fall League
2 Gun Drills

Tuesday, September 28 & October 5, 2021
Tuesday Night Irregular Rifle League

Wednesday, September 29 & October 6, 2021
ISRA Benchrest League
F-Class Rifle League
Combat Paper & Steel League

Saturday, October 2, 2021
Range Work Day

Gun & Trade Shows

National Civil War Show & Sale – Wheaton, IL
Collector Arms Dealers Association Gun Show – Wheaton, IL
DuPage County Fairgrounds
Date: September 25, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
Admission: $9.00

Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Gun & Knife Show – Chillicothe, IL
Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club
Dates: September 25 & 26, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 8:30-5:00
             Sunday: 8:30-3:00
Admission: $3.00

Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show – Kankakee, IL
Kankakee County Fairgrounds
Dates: September 25 & 26, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

New Berlin Gun Show – New Berlin, IL
Sangamon County Fairgrounds
Dates: October 2 & 3, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: October 2 & 3, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Belleville Gun & Knife Show – Belleville, IL
St Clair County Event Center
Dates: October 9 & 10, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $7.00

Kane County Sportsman’s Show – St Charles, IL
Kane County Fairgrounds
Date: October 10, 2021
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00