Letterhead
[link removed]
ISRA Thursday Bulletin - February 25, 2021
Executive Directors Message
Richard Pearson
The Illinois State Police has reported the number of Illinois Concealed Carry Licenses has surpassed 378,000. The original goal was to reach 300,000 and we have well exceeded that number. It is possible we will reach 400,000 ICCLS in 2021.
Remember all the dire predictions of gun fights over parking spaces and car accidents? Well, none of the happened. There have been quite a few carjackers, armed robbers and other thugs who have decided that a change in careers was a good idea after running into legally armed citizens. The anti-gun side likes to point to Chicago crime and tries to relate that to legally armed citizens. One has
nothing to do with the other. One thug was arrested four times in one night and released. He was finally jailed on the fifth charge. It doesn’t take an Albert Einstein to figure out what the problem is. If you don’t want to become a victim, the solution is more concealed carry licenses.
The number of FOID cards is 2.24 million at the moment. That number is down a little but there are 150,000 new applicants who are not in that number because they are still waiting for their FOID cards. I suspect that the real number will be up if the ISP ever gets caught up on issuing the cards.
The number of new gun bills coming out of the Illinois General Assembly is amazing. Last week we were looking at 54 gun bills and this week there are 132 gun bills with more to come. Coming up on March 4th at 2:00pm, there will be a virtual hearing on HB0238, an Ammunition Tax Bill (Sonya Harper-D-6). To sign in and listen to the hearing, go to:
[link removed]
Last week when I was writing the Thursday Bulletin, I looked out the window and the snow was blowing horizontally with wind chills hitting 30 degrees below zero in some places. Now Mother Nature has seemed to come to her senses and the snow is melting. I am sure we will have a few setbacks but things are looking up. It is time to start finalizing plans for the shooting season. I am already signed
up for a few competitions and classes. The first is the Glock Armorer Class on March 16, 2021 and the Glock Operator Class on March 17 & 18, 2021. On April 17 and 18, we are hosting an Appleseed rifle class. On May 15, Triple Threat Defense is offering a Concealed Carry II Class. MTG Is offering a night-shoot class on May 14; on May 15 and 16, an Intro to Defensive Pistol class will be held. There is a lot going on at the ISRA Range so check the
website.
I always watch what is going on in other states that could eventually affect us in Illinois. There is a case in North Carolina that is interesting in that the plaintiff is asking for damages because she was denied the ability to purchase a handgun for self-defense. If you want to purchase a pistol in North Carolina, the sheriff of the county you live in has to issue you a Pistol Purchase Permit (PPP).
Sheriff Baker of Wake County shut down the process because of COVID, effectively denying people their right of self-defense. One of those denied was Kelly Stafford. While Stafford was finally able to get the permit, she sued the sheriff for damages because of the denial of her rights. This case is known as Stafford v. Kelly. On Monday, Federal Judge Louise W. Flanagan ruled that the case against the sheriff can move forward. Of course, we have the FOID
card in Illinois which effectively does the same thing in certain instances. We will watch this case very closely.
Tidbits:
February 25, 1836 - Samuel Colt patents the revolver.
February 25, 1862 - Congress passes the Legal Tender Act making paper money acceptable for debts. This act allowed the Federal Government to print $150,000 in paper money to help finance the Civil War. The next year, 1863, another Legal Tender Act allowed the Federal Government to print another $500,000. You know the rest of the story.
February 26, 1917 - President Woodrow Wilson learns of the Zimmermann telegram. British Intelligence had intercepted a telegram from German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann to the German Ambassador to Mexico instructing him to offer Mexico financial aid and the return of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona in return for Mexico entering WWI on the side of Germany and becoming a German ally. If Mexico became a
German ally, this would keep American troops and supplies along the Southern border. Germany thought this would prevent American troops and supplies from going to Europe but it did not work. When the American public found out about it, they were enraged. At first the telegram was thought a fake but the German Foreign Secretary confirmed its authenticity. Border raids from Mexico were common and even led to John J. Pershing to cross the border in to Mexico and attack the
bandits. The Zimmermann telegram galvanized Americans and was one of the reasons the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917.
February 27, 1827 - The first Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans.
March 1, 1872 - Yellowstone National Park is created. It was the first national park in the United States.
March 2, 1904 - Theodor Seuss Geisel is born. Geisel wrote children’s book using his middle name, “Dr. Seuss“. Geisel’s bestselling book, “The Cat in The Hat” was published in 1957. I don’t know where Dr. Seuss lived but I think it must have been in
Whoville.
Thanks for being a member. If you are not a member, JOIN NOW
[link removed]
!
Upcoming Events: ISRA Calendar
[link removed]
For more information, visit www.isra.org
[link removed]
Saturday, February 27, 2021
The Well Armed Woman
Tuesday, March 2 & 9, 2021
Tuesday Afternoon Indoor Air Gun Open Practice
ISRA Indoor Air Gun Practice
Saturday, March 6, 2021
Range Work Day
AR-15 Care & Maintenance Class – CLASS IS FULL
Sunday, March 7, 2021
ISRA Black Powder League (Bonfield Muzzle Loaders)
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
ISRA International Air Pistol League
Saturday, March 13, 2021
2021 Illinois State Standard Pistol & Air Pistol Championship - Streator, IL
Saturday, March 13 & 27, 2021
NRA Range Safety Officer Course – CLASS IS FULL
Monday, March 15, 2021
2021 Illinois State NRA Indoor Pistol Championship – Junior Shooters Only-Plano, IL
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Glock Armorer Course
[link removed]
Thursday, March 17 & 18, 2021
Glock Operator Course
[link removed]
Gun & Trade Shows
Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: March 6 & 7, 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: March 6 & 7, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
Sunday: 800-2:00
Admission: $6.00
Aledo Gun & Knife Show – Aledo, IL
Mercer County Fairgrounds
Dates: March 13 & 14, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00 – 5:00
Sunday: 9:00 - 3:00
Admission: $5.00
Kane County Sportsman’s Show – St Charles, IL
Kane County Fairgrounds
Date: March 14, 2021
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00
PO Box 637
420 E Locust St
Chatsworth Illinois 60921
USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options, visit:
[link removed]
