 |
|
|
|
While details still remain sketchy about this horrible crime, our hearts and
prayers go out to the families, friends, and communities of the five women slain
in a Tinley Park, IL clothing store. We offer our words of condolence and can
only hope time can ease the shock and heartbreak caused by such a senseless
crime. Whether this was a completely random act or perpetrated by someone who knew one of the women, one thing is certain - these defenseless women were all victims of more than a violent criminal. While the mayor of Tinley Park, Edward J. Zabrocki is quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times as saying “... We’re a victim of our society that we live in.” (Sun Times Article) I believe the women were also victims of the state in which they were in - Illinois. We can compare the incident in Tinley Park with a recent incident in Colorado. Colorado is a state which licenses its citizens to carry a firearm for personal protection. Illinois on the other hand is one of only two states which does not have a current law providing citizens with such a license and also considers it a felony violation of the criminal code to carry a loaded weapon period. In fact, the Illinois State Police webpage recommends that Illinois women should protect themselves with a rat tail comb, nail file, or car keys. (ISP Website - What to do when Confronted) In the Colorado incident, a woman in a Colorado Springs church stopped a deranged person who had already killed several people and was intent on killing more. Jean Assam, a member of the church and licensed by the state of Colorado to carry a personal firearm, used her own gun to stop the attacker from entering a populated area of the church and is hailed as a hero in her community. Would having a personal firearm for protection have prevented or lessened the number of women killed in the Tinley Park store? That is a question we may never be able to answer but there is a question we can answer - Are Illinois women any less deserving of the right to protect themselves against violent crime than the women in the 48 states with some form of a Right to Carry law like neighboring Indiana or Missouri? Are Illinois women somehow more inept, less intelligent, less capable of protecting themselves than the women in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, or the rest of the country? NO! In the face of a violent crime such as the one in Tinley Park, the women of Illinois deserve the right to protect themselves with something more than a nail file or car key. We urge the women of Illinois to contact their state legislators and demand a Right to Carry law in the state of Illinois. Ms. Rowe is a firearms instructor and an active ISRA Member,. Self-defense is a basic human right and that is why I am an advocate today for legislation guaranteeing our right to protect ourselves and our families. |
| Send Comments to Valinda Rowe |