Executive Directors Message
Richard Pearson

The Super Bowl taught us all a lesson if we are willing to learn.  I am not what you could call a football fan.  I was once.  I even had season tickets to the Chicago Bears but when they traded away their Super Bowl Championship team, I mailed the tickets back with specific instructions on what to do with them.  Fans of professional sports teams are only a means to an end for the owners. 

Back to the lesson: In the weeks prior to the Super Bowl, the sports talking heads were explaining why the Philadelphia Eagles had the advantage (on paper).  Gamblers were giving the Eagles a 4, 6, or even 10-point advantage.  The lesson is that a football game is not played on paper; it is played on a field with human beings.  There are many things like that in the world we live in.  It is up to each of us to make the outcomes we want, not to blindly accept what others tell you the outcome will be.

All the lawsuits that deal with the State of Illinois’ so-called “assault weapons” ban will be brought together under the ISRA lawsuit Harrel et al v Raoul et al.  The due date for the Defendants to respond is March 2, 2023.

On February 13, 2023, Judge Stephen P. McGlynn issued the following Order:

Within is the response to (16) Motions for a Preliminary Injunction, Defendants shall provide illustrative examples of each and every banned firearm under 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9.  Signed by Judge Stephen P. McGlynn on 2/13/2023.

It is my guess that the 170 firearms banned in HB5471 was blindly adopted from a list from one of the anti-gun groups and never researched by anyone in the General Assembly.  Most of the people involved in HB5471 wouldn’t know one of the listed firearms if they tripped over it in broad daylight.

Currently, there has been no movement in the other ISRA lawsuits.

The lame stream media and the left-wing politicians have done a great job misleading the American public regarding crime and firearms.  Researcher John Lott recently published an article entitled “When Misinformation Drives Bad Policy”.  The article appeared in Real Clear Politics and was later reprinted in the California Rifle and Pistol Association’s magazine and exposes the depth of the misinformation about firearms and crime.  In a survey of 1000 likely voters, an average of 46% of the time people believe that firearms are involved in violent crime.  Before you read any further, make a note of what you think that percentage is in your mind.  Don’t peek at the rest of this article before you note your opinion.

The survey found that Democrats think that firearms are involved in violent crime 56.9% of the time. Republicans believe that number to be 37%.  Those who make over $250,000 per year or work for the government, believe that number to be 56.1%.  Women think that number is 50%.  Men think that number is 43%.  There are other break downs in the article if you care to look.

In the year 2020, the latest year for which the latest crime statistics are available, the U.S. Department of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey shows there were 4,558,150 rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, and 21,570 murders.  That is a total of 4,579,720 violent crimes.  Of these crimes, firearms were involved 364,080 times.  That amounts to a little over 7.94%, nothing anywhere near the number people think.

This, of course, is done on purpose by the left-wing mob that wants to crush private firearms ownership in the United States.  One of the major fights we have is this proliferation of misinformation.   We have to be out in front constantly setting the record straight.  Not easy by any stretch of the imagination.  This is old fashioned “brain washing” at its finest.

In Phoenix, Arizona, 26-year-old Oscar Luna walked into a restaurant and began shooting.  A legally armed citizen shot Luna who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.  The local media swept the incident under the rug as much as they could.  The defensive use of firearms does not make the kind of news headlines the yellow dog media likes to print.

On a more humorous note, the New York Times is questioning why “Gun Free Zone” signs have not stopped people for illegally carrying firearms in Time Square.  This has to fall under the heading of “How dumb are you anyway?”  Some have said there needs to be a national data base of Gun Free Zones, presumably so criminals can look them up online and avoid them.  Folks, you just can’t make up stuff like this. 

It is time to start looking at the ISRA website for proposed legislation that will affect your gun rights.   We track both pro-gun and anti-gun bills.  You will notice the website has a new look from last year on the bill tracking page.  We have improved our descriptions and it is easier to read.  ISRA Lobbyist Bill Potts is in charge of keeping an eye on all of these bills.  He is doing a great job. 

It won’t be long before it will be time for witness slips.  You might want to go to the tutorials on witness slips on our website if you haven’t filed any before, or to just brush up a little if you have.

Don’t forget IGOLD is scheduled for Wednesday, March, 29.  You will receive a mailing on IGOLD soon.  IGOLD will be at the Bank of Springfield Center again this year.  The doors will open at 10:30am and the program will start at 11:30am.  The march to the Capitol will begin at 1:00pm sharp.  We should be done by 3:00pm.

I know some groups are talking about bringing buses.  That is great.  We need to know If you are bringing a bus because we have to arrange for parking.  The ISRA will pay for the parking, but we need to know as soon as possible. 

Tidbits:
February 16, 1804 - The United States Navy under, command of Lt. Stephen Decatur, attacks the Barbary pirates and destroys a captured U.S. Navy frigate, the U.S.S. Philadelphia.  The Philadelphia had run aground and the Barbary pirates captured her.  The Philadelphia was a sister ship to the U.S.S. Constitution. The ship would have been the most powerful ship the Barbary pirates had which is why it had to be destroyed.

The Barbary pirates were in the business of capturing ships and their cargos and ransoming those ships and cargo back to the rightful owners.  Even the mighty British Navy paid ransom to the pirates.  The upstart United States and President Thomas Jefferson weren’t going to pussyfoot around and took the pirates head on.  After that, the Barbary pirates give U.S. ship a wide berth.

February 17, 1820 - The Missouri Compromise.  The U.S. Senate allows Missouri to Join the Union as a slave state and Maine would join the Union as a free state.  The issue was divisive and was an important step that would eventually end up as a cause of the American Civil War.  Instead of settling the issue of slavery, the Missouri Compromise caused it to fester for the next 30 years until there was no turning back.  The idea of kicking the can down the road to let someone else deal with the problem is not a new idea in Washington, D.C.

February 18, 1943 - The leaders of the “White Rose” resistance movement in Germany are arrested.  Not everyone in Germany followed Adolf Hitler.  The “White Rose” movement was centered around medical students.   A sister of one of the leaders turned the bother in.  Five days later, the leaders were beheaded.  Thanks sis.

February 19, 1943 - The invasion of the Japanese Island of Iwo Jima begins.  This would be one of the bloodiest battles the United States Marines ever, and will ever have fought in.  The Marine Memorial in Washington D.C. commemorates the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi.  I knew several Marines that were in the Iwo Jima invasion and battle.  Their stories and courage are both terrifying and inspiring.  One of those wounded was a young Marine by the name of Lee Marvin.  He and one of my acquaintances were on stretchers side by side.  Both had been wounded by shrapnel in the fanny. 

February 20, 1942 - Lt. Edward O’Hare of Chicago becomes America’s First Ace in WWII.  A Navy pilot, O’Hare shot down five Japanese bombers that were attacking the U.S.S Lexington, stopping the attack.  In 1959, Chicago’s new airport became known as O’Hare Field in honor of the Chicago native.

February 22, 1732 - George Washington is born in Westmoreland County, Virginia.  A loyal Subject of the King, Washington would rise to the rank of colonel in the French and Indian war.  Washington was always creative in his approach to military affairs. 

Washington suffered from bad teeth.  One of the myths about Washington was that he had wood teeth.  That was not true.  His teeth were made from hippopotamus bone.  They did fit terribly, however.  When he commanded the American Army, he required his officers to brush their teeth every morning.  The homemade toothpaste was a concoction of wood ashes and salt.

February 22, 1847 - The Battle of Buena Vista.  General Zachary Taylor, nicknamed “Old Rough and Ready”, finds himself outnumbered by General Santa Anna.  Santa Anna had 15,000 troops to Taylor’s 5000.  The American artillery was devastating.  By the end of the day, the Mexicans were forced to withdraw.  The Mexican War brought most of what would become the Southwestern United States into American territory.  
 
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Visit www.isra.org
Upcoming Events: https://isra.org/events-calendar/

Thursday February 16 & 23, 2023
Women’s Pistol Team Practice

Saturday, February 18, 2023
Private RSO Event

Sunday, February 19, 2023
NRA Rifle Instructor Class

Tuesday, February 21 & 28, 2023
Air Gun Practice

Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Pellet Rifle League

Saturday, February 25, 2023
Armed Women of America

Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Pellet Rifle League
Women’s Pistol Team Practice

Saturday, March 4, 2023
AR-15 Maintenance & Care Class
Range Work Day
IL Concealed Carry Renewal Class

Sunday, March 5, 2023
Bonfield Muzzle Loaders

Gun & Trade Shows

Central Illinois Gun Collectors Gun Show – New Berlin, IL
Sangamon County Fairgrounds
Dates: February 18 & 19, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
             Sunday: 9:00-2:00
Admission: $5.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: February 18 & 19, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00

Boot City Opry Gun & Knife Show – Terre Haute, IN
Boot City Opry
Dates: February 18 & 19, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

McHenry County Gun Show – Woodstock, IL
McHenry County Fairgrounds
Date: February 19, 2023
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:00
Admission: $5.00

Decatur Gun & Knife Show – Decatur, IL
Decatur Conference Center & Hotel
Dates: February 25 & 26, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $8.00

Bloomington Gun & Knife Show – Bloomington, IL
Interstate Center
Dates: March 4 & 5, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $7.00

Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show – Kankakee, IL
Kankakee County Fairgrounds
Dates: March 4 & 5, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

Aledo Gun & Knife Show – Aledo, IL
Mercer County Fairgrounds
Dates: March 11 & 12, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Belleville Gun & Knife Show – Belleville, IL
Belle-Clair Fairgrounds
Dates: March 11 & 12, 2023
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $7.00/$10.00 Weekend Pass

Kane County Sportsman’s Show – St Charles, IL
Kane County Fairgrounds
Date: March 12, 2023
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00






 































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