IL. House Bill Would Mandate Gun Registration – Criminal Penalties For Nonregistration –

To a liberal any rifle is an “Assault” rifle.

I’m glad these democrats have taken care of the Black on Black gang gun problem in Chicago! How many murdered there last year?

Those who disagree may say this is the same old pro-gun/anti-gun control argument. They would be right because this argument is based upon facts – not emotion. NMWTLS, Dave, HT…and most of the posters have hit it on the head. I was a police officer for thirty-two years – started in Paris, worked Danville PD for almost seven years, and ISP for twenty-five. I’m not much different and no better than most police officers who have any amount of tenure and experience. I worked in small towns and villages and in bigger towns such as Danville, Champaign/Urbana, and a short stint in Cook County and the Chicago Expressways. I worked in middle-class and low-income neighborhoods, public housing projects, in low-crime and high-crime areas. I worked with local, county, state, and federal agencies & officers. My Dad raised me around guns, taught me gun safety, responsibility, and accountability, and then he taught me to shoot and to hunt. I’ve been a hunter, competitive shooter, a gun-owner, and a member of the National Rifle Association all of my adult life. That said, I don’t subscribe to edicts – I form my own opinions and make my own decisions based upon facts and experience I’ve pulled from both my personal life and professional career. Most of the people I know own guns – and most are NOT police officers. Not all of them hunt but most of them – along with their wives, adult sons & daughters – own handguns for self-protection while a smaller number own sporting semi-auto rifles. Sporting semi-auto rifles ARE used for hunting. In Illinois, they’re used for hunting coyotes, fox, groundhog, crows, etc. In other states, they’re used for hunting deer and other big game, as well as wild pigs. Many people use them for target practice, competition, or simply “plinking.” A good portion of those who own them also keeps one handy for self-protection. It’s interesting but sad and concerning, that they and their “assault weapons” – the definition of which has now been expanded to include semi-auto handguns – are considered a “threat” by the anti-gun/emotion-based confiscation zealots. It’s even more interesting that none of these fine Americans with whom I’ve been acquainted have ever shot anyone – with malice – with their lawfully possessed firearms. I saw a lot of crap over thirty years – a lot of violent crimes committed by hand, knife, club, gun, and more. I’m at a loss to recall any that were committed by the type of law-abiding individuals described above. On the contrary, these crimes were committed by individuals who everyone knew had no business possessing a firearm. They were convicted felons, other criminals, or persons who had a history of mental illness or being emotionally disturbed. Regarding the post referencing the ISP Director’s determination as to what is appropriate, remember this: The ISP Director is a Cabinet position. He/She serves at the will of the Governor. When the Governor talks, the Director listens. To that extent, the ISP Director serves the literal WILL of the Governor. That’s a fact. The IL Black Caucus – and its U.S. Congressional equivalent – want more lenient statutory standards reducing the thresholds for what constitutes various classes of felonies. They want to reduce mandatory sentencing maximums. They are even removing long-standing statutory language that allows police officers to use force to effect an arrest by a criminal who resists that arrest. Why? They believe these laws disproportionately affect (punish) people of color. Wow! Why would that be? Has anyone bothered to ask? What group of people are they alleging is committing these crimes – people of color? That’s how we ended up with the “no cash bail” law – by their own admission. I concede that there is always some acceptable level of reform needed to ensure fairness, and there was some work that needed to be done on bail reform. Granted, we must always look at how we’re doing things. However, we can’t ignore the facts and change the narrative – or the rules/laws – to accommodate the offenders. Chicago has had at least 620 shootings and over 115 murders this year. Who talks about that? Gang-related violence is consistently and intentionally branded as “gun violence” so as to distract Americans and redirect the conversation away from the obvious problem…crimes being committed by offenders of all color that are mentally ill & emotionally disturbed, by convicted felons out on early release or no bail, other criminals, and by gangs – most of which are comprised of black or other minority gang-bangers. Those facts are reported by local media but largely ignored by national media because it begs the question of where are these shooting crimes being committed and by whom? Well, the answer is: The majority are occurring in predominantly black neighborhoods, and being committed predominantly by black offenders. That’s a problem that many don’t want to discuss for fear of unfairly being labeled “racist.” Pro-active policing is now labeled “racist” because – guess what? – police focus on neighborhoods where gangs rule the streets and shootings are rampant. While the politicians talk, the good people in these neighborhoods are suffering…and dying. As bad a reputation that Fair Oaks or Carver Park housing projects had in Danville, IL, there were still good, law-abiding people who lived in those housing projects but they largely remained unheard and unseen. Why? Understandably, because they didn’t want to become the literal target for the next shooting. No problem ever went away by ignoring it, and we all owe these citizens beset by violence the same protection – and the right to protect themselves – as we, our families, and our friends are accustomed to. Living in a crime-infested neighborhood does not eliminate one’s Second Amendment and God-given right to defend themselves, their families, and their property from predators.

The catalyst for the latest conversation is the Boulder shooting. So what? We already know that the Boulder shooter is – at the minimum – severely emotionally disturbed. He has at least one prior arrest and documented incident of violent physical attack, and has been described as having a “short fuse” and “prone to sudden and intense rage.” Does that sound like someone who should own a gun? NO. I fully agree that no one with that documented history of rage and violence should own or have access to a firearm. Why is the topic of preventing mentally ill people and people with documented violent behavior like the Boulder shooter not the focus of the national conversation & proposed legislation instead of hammering away at the type of weapon he used and every single law-abiding American who owns such a firearm? Once again, a broad brush is being used to attempt to facilitate the ban of an entire type of firearm, force people to register, then surrender those firearms & magazines. There’s also a proposed penalty tax on such firearms and ALL ammunition. What does that accomplish? If a ban cannot be accomplished, the government would be happy to benefit from the revenue source derived by taxing them. A rational and factual review & discussion of the evidence doesn’t fit the spew, the rampant narrative put forth by the political hacks, the gun hater’s, and the misinformed. Utilize…ENFORCE existing laws, call it what it is – no matter who commits the crimes – and put forth real solutions, no matter who is offended by the conversation. Taking guns away from or instantly transforming mentally and emotionally stable, law-abiding citizens into criminals will accomplish nothing, People simply need to settle down, do their own homework, look at the facts, and look at who is committing the crimes – no matter the offender’s color, race, ethnicity, or mental state. Quit listening to the same old gun control narrative. RCS

Dennis can you guarantee that this law will with any degree of certainty prevent any firearm deaths. I can save you the time and say it wont.
Its just gun control advocates taking advantage of another tragedy to push their agenda. Shame on them
No disrespect but if your wife is that fearful of shopping in public she should really see a therapist. Crime rates are the lowest in a generation and her fears are self conceived. She can always lock herself in your house and order thru Amazon but then you have to worry about all the packages and who touched them.

Stick it you commies!

Almost 20 people killed by shooters this past week and all you are concerned about are a few dollars for registration of assault weapons? I think your priorities are backward. I don’t want your guns, but I do want my wife to be safe when she goes to the grocery store. If it costs you a few bucks, fine by me. Nothing is free people. If I want to fly an r/c plane, it costs $25 to register with the Forest Preserve. Drive a car? $151 a year for passenger plates. Get off your high horses and look at the carnage guns have caused. Do your part to stop these senseless murders.

Jannie depending on how old you are your grand parents or great grandparents did not register their car, have a drivers license, did not have a foid card nor even a fishing or a hunting license

But now all these activities are taxed and controlled by the state now dont you feel so much safer today knowing these registrations are in place

Gun control does not work if you think it does i would be happy to pay cab fare for your to drive to Englewood south of chicago and you can enjoy a nice evening stroll thru its gun free streets

She neglected to include the requirement for “preferred pronouns” in her registration legislation.

It is not only stupidity but greed. This will not stand much longer. Illinois will continue to see more and more leaving this out of control State.

ok, I’m assuming those who oppose this legislation also don’t register their automobile, drive an uninsured car and don’t have a drivers license.
Personally I don’t equate assault guns the same as hunting rifles– my father, brother & family were all people who went hunting for deer, raccoon (?), etc. Who uses an assault gun for that –

..”and any other information that the Director of the Illinois State Police deems appropriate.”

As if the rest of it isn’t bad enough, this kind of open-ended edict is scary. One person gets to decide what “other” information you may be required to provide?

Under Dem control, and under the radical influences it has empowered, this state and the entire U.S. is rocketing toward a totalitarian society and government. What better way to control the populace than to force registration of firearms as a pretext for “common-sense gun laws” when it is nothing more than a precursor to firearm confiscation and the punishing taxes they are preposing on firearms and ammunition. Radical groups, empowered by radical politicians, are doing their best to eliminate our Representative Republic and our Constitution under the guise of “fair democracy” where the majority rule but there is no input, representation, or checks and balances on behalf of the remaining 49% of the population. That’s why they are trying to create statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico, both predominantly Democrat. If that’s accomplished, there will be four more Dem Senate seats/votes. There is no pretense that there is a strong desire and attempt to accomplish this. If the true radicals are allowed to succeed, and people do not come to their senses and demand a return to civility, rational discussion, and the U.S. remain a representative government, everyone will eventually suffer. If those in control don’t like you, what you say, what you think, what you read, where you work, who you associate with, etc., they will enact laws that will cancel you, your freedom of speech, your business, and your livelihood. If those in governance are questioned, or disagreement is voiced, they’re apt to try to classify your words as “hate speech,” the pretext for enacting “hate speech” laws. It’s already happening. Say something they don’t like, that’s OK, they’ll simply classify you as a radical, place you on a domestic terror list, or otherwise “Red Flag” you, and there go your Constitutional freedoms including your Second Amendment rights. Of course, when any political party has total control of the White House, and all of Congress or the Governor’s Office and all of the state legislature, the politicians can enact any legislation that a naive, emotion-based, and ideological populace is willing to allow. And, if you believe it’s no big deal, this is simply partisan politics, and it’s allowed to continue – what will happen when the shoe is on the other foot. What if the Repubs are in control and decide to do the same? Is that really what we want in America? Stand up for the entire Constitution and the Representative Republic. It’s what makes this country the best place on earth. As they say, without the Second Amendment, you have no First Amendment or any other Constitutional rights.

America’s last line of defense. The first line of defense is basically dead now.

Can’t wait to move to Florida in a couple of months!!

The power to tax is the power to destroy — this was quoted in the U.S. Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 327 (1819). Daniel Webster, in arguing the case, said: “An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy,”

U.S. Supreme Court in Murdock v. Pennsylvania, 319 US 105 overturned a state license tax as unconstitutional:

“It could hardly be denied that a tax laid specifically on the exercise of those freedoms would be unconstitutional. Yet the license tax imposed by this ordinance is, in substance, just that.

It is a license tax — a flat tax imposed on the exercise of a privilege granted by the Bill of Rights.

A state may not impose a charge for the enjoyment of a right granted by the Federal Constitution.”

Make no mistake, the democrats are working to destroy our 2nd amendment right by taxing us to death. The infringement of illegal taxes on guns and ammo, the outrageous cost to conceal carry, the illegal FOID card. . They have already taken away the constitutionally protected right for poor people to keep & bear arms. Poor people have rights too!

This proposed bill violates our 4th amendment rights too. That Chitcago democrat needs to read and study the US & Illinois constitutions. The very constitutions she was suppose to swear an oath to uphold. The Chicago democrats are trying to take our constitutionally protected right an inch at a time!

The Second Amendment and Art. I, Sec. 8, clauses 15 & 16, US Constitution, work together. They both provide for the “Militia of the several States”. When gun grabbers take over a State govt, that State can’t defeat the Right of a People [who comprise the Militia] to keep and bear arms with draconian state gun control laws. The state govt cannot destroy the ability of ALL its citizens to keep & bear arms. Yes, the state govt can prevent gun ownership for those who were found guilty of gun crimes, like armed robbery and murder.

Hitler registered guns too…. I saw a movie where only the police and military had guns, it was a movie called “Schindler’s List”

Actually, “them.” 🙂

Also trying to add 1 percent tax on ammo for some kind of crisis fund for Illinois schools. The stupidity is rampant in this state

Come and take it.