I will personally be taking every young man in my family (all of whom are "law abiding") to get a FOID card and I will be purchasing them the gun of their choice. You can read the website of the local newspaper on any given day and see comments from people who are filled with hate and want guns so they can "protect themselves, their families and their property
When crap like this starts happening (see article below), I want my people to be ready to "protect themselves, their families and their property."
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| It's a Matter of Time before this happens in Peoria, Illinois |
Tuesday a federal appeals court struck down a ban on carrying concealed weapons in Illinois. Illinois is the last state where carrying weapons is entirely illegal.
The ruling is a victory for gun rights advocates such as Peoria mayor Jim Ardis, who argues that the prohibition against concealed weapons violates rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Ardis:
"We deserve our 2nd Amendment right to carry as law-abiding citizens of the United States. I am confident that this ruling will permit us to continue our crime prevention efforts in Peoria with additional support from our citizens who want to carry to protect themselves, their families and their property."
In 2009, Ardis proposed that Peoria serve as a pilot city for a concealed carry law, saying it could answer whether gun ownership prevents crime.
Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard said he has been a long-time supporter of Ardis' pilot program, so long as the law is written correctly.
"Assuming the court ruling stands, the important thing now will be to ensure that the law is written so that concealed carry can be implemented safely and that the infrastructure can be built to provide any necessary training, testing, or other certifications," he wrote in an email response.
State lawmakers have 180 days to write a new law that legalizes concealed carry. Tazewell State's Attorney Stewart Umholtz said he doesn't want to comment on the issue until the document has been reviewed.
"I think it is important that people focus on both the fact that there is a right, and with every right there are awesome responsibilities for exercising those rights," he said. "I think too much of the discussion focuses on rights and not responsibilities."
But John Meek, owner of Midwest Firearms in East Peoria, said the right to bear arms is both constitutional and a personal necessity for him, as gun stores are normally targeted for theft. He and the other store employee both carry a Glock pistol for protection, he said.
"We have a right to protect ourselves as citizens, and it is highly unconstitutional to prevent," he said. "I am totally in favor of law-abiding citizens that want to carry guns." Source