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In my heart of hearts, I’d like to wish each and every
one of you a happy and prosperous new year. However, my
head knows that 2009 may well be a very unhappy new year
for those of us who honor the traditional view of the
law-abiding citizen’s right to keep and bear arms.
Yes, 2008 gave us a significant victory in the form of
the Heller Decision. Finally, after more than two
centuries, the Supreme Court figured out that our
Constitution recognizes that gun ownership is an
individual right. On the other hand, the gun control
movement was quick to seize upon vagueness within the
Heller Decision as vindication for a renewed and
intensified effort to suppress free exercise of that
individual right.
Our cause wasn’t helped at all by the Republican Party’s
failure to field a presidential candidate who could beat
an, inexperienced, philosophically-flawed candidate like
Barack Obama. Now we’re saddled with a President who has
spent most of his short political life campaigning and
very little time actually legislating. So, for the next
four years, the presidency will be most likely be
defined by endless photo-ops with kids, tales from the
links, and vapid sloganeering from behind the
presidential seal. Meanwhile, the affairs of state will
be the province of the Democrats’ first family, Bill and
Hillary.
I wish I could be optimistic about the future of gun
rights in Illinois, and the nation as a whole, but I
cannot. On the federal level, you can fully expect the
“Clinton cabinet” to swiftly place “reasonable”
administrative controls on the civilian transfer and
sale of firearms. More regulations on retail gun dealers
and more intrusive questions on Form 4473 are two ways
to make gun ownership less attractive and more
expensive. Expect pushes for additional taxes on
ammunition and new calls for bans of popular sporting
arms and, of course, a constant browbeating of
law-abiding firearm owners from administration officials
and the liberal press.
The situation in Illinois is less predictable, but
equally dangerous. As I write this message, the state is
in a deep, unprecedented, and embarrassing
constitutional crisis. On a positive note, the
legislature will be very distracted resolving the
“Blagojevich problem” and, thus, may be unwilling to get
involved in a gun control fight. On the other hand,
incoming freshman legislators combined with a new senate
leadership pose a number of unknowns. Therefore, a
legislative “sneak attack” against gun owners is a
distinct possibility.
Indeed, times appear bleak for gun owners, but
preservation of our freedoms is not a lost cause. The
most valuable asset in the long battle to protect our
rights has been you, the law-abiding firearm owner. It
is comforting to know that you can be counted on to come
through when times get rough. You’re always there to
make phone calls to legislators, attend rallies,
confront gun controllers, and make monetary donations in
support of gun rights. As much as your support is
appreciated, we all wish it wasn’t necessary. But times
being what they are, you may find yourself being called
into action more often than in the past. Your moral
support is a key buttress to our lobbying operations on
the ground in Springfield. You are why we fight so hard.
The ISRA has a very aggressive campaign plan for 2009.
This campaign plan includes the introduction of
legislation designed to blunt any attempts to curtail
your rights with so-called “reasonable” gun control. The
campaign also includes new grassroots initiatives that
will project your power into the politics of your local
communities. This unprecedented organizing effort will
have, as its centerpiece, the 2009 edition of the
Illinois Gun Owners’ Lobby Day (IGOLD)
with follow-on local and state-wide events throughout
the year. You will play an important role in this
effort. Early next year, you will be receiving a
campaign toolkit for launching and maintaining the
renewed grassroots effort. Keep your eyes open for the
toolkit and other important ISRA communications that
will be coming your way in the very near future.
In the mean time, I would like you to take the
opportunity this New Year’s weekend to spend some time
with your families and reflect upon the freedoms you’ve
enjoyed as citizens of the United States. Please keep
our valiant troops in your hearts and minds as they
advance the cause of righteousness around the globe. The
next three weeks may very well be the last days of
America as we have known her. Freedom will only be
preserved if you, as individuals, raise your voices,
stick to your principles, and jealously guard the
traditions that released this land from the shackles of
colonialism and transformed it into the shining beacon
of freedom that it is today.
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