Wilmette board should be dropped in worst part of Chicago armed with only a phone

I am Vice President of a Northern Illinois water fowlers association. I am appalled that a lawful hardworking individual is being targeted for just protecting his family, his home and everything he holds dear in his life like his child. [See related articles and letters on Hale DeMar and the Wilmette gun ban, below].

Gun laws today basically target and disarm lawful, hardworking folks who in today's times know how criminal the real world is outside. All these lawful folks are doing is just trying to keep the criminal activity outside of their home, not permit it to have a free pass to enter their home.

Criminals know what soft targets are. They are people who look or are vulnerable. Cities and townships who pass tough laws that prohibit individuals to own guns are basically putting their lawful, tax-paying, hardworking folks at risk of being a crime statistic.

The Illinois Foid card is just another way for lawful individuals to be made out as criminals if their Foid cards aren't valid, or they don't own one.

The Foid card to many in the State of Illinois is just a scam to collect $5.00 from lawful gun citizens of the state. That's right, it is nothing more than a money scam in a lot of people's eyes.

People from out of state can come to Illinois and hunt and buy ammo without a Foid card. The Foid card doesn't do anything to get criminals off the street or put them behind bars for that matter.

Folks today have Social Security cards and drivers licenses, and this is how background information should be gathered on a person wanting to buy a gun. I don't know of any criminal who carries a Foid card in Illinois, and I would bet my life on it that 90% of the thugs who roam the streets of Chicago looking for a victim don't have one either.

What should be obvious to people is that criminals who commit hard crimes do not follow the laws, and this makes every person and child of one of these handgun ban towns a perfect target. Maybe the next time this happens in their town, a man and his child might not be so lucky to come out of it with their lives. Then who do we blame for these senseless deaths? The city? The town board?

If the cities and towns want to make it safe for children and the people who live in them, they have to enforce the law and put the bad guys away for the length of their sentence, no time out for good behavior. It was bad behavior that landed them in jail in the first place. Second criminal penalties should be increased and carried out to the full extent of the law - no ands, no ifs, no buts.

In Illinois I call our criminal system the revolving door. If you think I am wrong look into Chicago's jails and Mayor Daley's created problem. He has made the streets of Chicago no more safe than when he started, in my opinion. I think he has made then more dangerous if you ask me.

Laws today have gone past logic and actually have put innocent people at risk of being the next target of a thug. With lawful, tax- paying residents being victims of these laws that violate their rights, just what are they going to do when a thug breaks in to their home or approaches them? Do they ask the thug to stop, go away, or hold on a second before you assault me, I have to make an important 911 call?

It is sad to think people are being forced to succumb to the idea that they might be the next victim or that their child may fall victim to these laws that prohibit law-abiding people from protecting themselves or their homes in which they live.

Maybe the town board that passed the law should be told to sleep in the worst part of Chicago for a week with only a phone. I bet a few would come out with a different opinion, as they will see how long it takes for a police car to show up.

You know, in a way I don't give a damn if they know I have a gun. That gives the demothieves that want to come to my house and break in fair warning that I will blow their sorry asses away if they try to come in my home. I tell people I have a gun. I have NRA stickers on my vehicles, 2nd Amendment Stickers on my vehicles, even a 2nd Amendment sticker on my front window. I have a small sign posted next to my ADC security sign. It says simply: No tresspassing, armed response. Nuff said. I don't give a crack who knows I have a gun. I also have a carry permit.

One question that needs to be asked is why does the expiration of a license that is related to the exercise of a constitutional right provide for jail time for an otherwise law-abiding citizen? We don't jail drivers for letting their driver's license expire, and there is no constitutional right to drive a car.

At most, and even this is too much, the offense should only consist of a reasonable fine. Curiously enough, the courts have ruled that criminals do not have to register their fire arms or apply for fire arms owners identification cards because that would amount to self-incrimination.

Maybe we should take a cue from the Hon. Mayor of San Francisco and just start our own brand of civil disobedience. i cannot think of a constitutional right that is more often "infringed" than the 2nd amendment with these endless unconstitutional laws.

What should be obvious to people is that criminals who commit hard crimes do not follow the laws

What should be obvious is that politicions that would make criminals out of good citizens need to be removed, one way or another.

At one time in our history they served the people and were afraid to offend the people they worked for.

Now the people are afraid of their servants. This needs to be rectified.

One question that needs to be asked is why does the expiration of a license that is related to the exercise of a constitutional right provide for jail time for an otherwise law-abiding citizen?

Actually, it doesn't, but don't expect prosecutors to follow what the statutes actually say. My reading of the statutes suggests that since this guy's firearm was in his house, he committed no crime. Notice:

About the purchase for firearms...
430 ILCS 65/3) (from Ch. 38, par. 83‑3)
Sec. 3. (a) Except as provided in Section 3a, no person may knowingly transfer, or cause to be transferred, any firearm or any firearm ammunition to any person within this State unless the transferee with whom he deals displays a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card which has previously been issued in his name by the Department of State Police under the provisions of this Act. In addition, all firearm transfers by federally licensed firearm dealers are subject to Section 3.1.

...and about the transportation...
(720 ILCS 5/24‑1) (from Ch. 38, par. 24‑1)
(4) Carries or possesses in any vehicle or concealed on or about his person except when on his land or in his own abode or fixed place of business any pistol, revolver, stun gun or taser or other firearm, except that this subsection (a) (4) does not apply to or affect transportation of weapons that meet one of the following conditions:
(i) are broken down in a non‑functioning state; or
(ii) are not immediately accessible; or
(iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card; or
...but when it comes to actually having firearms at one's abode... (430 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch. 38, par. 83‑2)
Sec. 2. Firearm Owner's Identification Card required; exceptions.
(a) (1) No person may acquire or possess any firearm within this State without having in his or her possession a Firearm Owner's Identification Card previously issued in his or her name by the Department of State Police under the provisions of this Act.
(2) No person may acquire or possess firearm ammunition within this State without having in his or her possession a Firearm Owner's Identification Card previously issued in his or her name by the Department of State Police under the provisions of this Act.

Notice the difference in the red sections? So what exactly was this guy's crime?

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