Posted on 05/25/2005 7:38:50 AM PDT by holymoly
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers narrowly rejected a proposed ban on assault weapons and .50-caliber rifles Tuesday amid intense lobbying by both sides in the debate.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has repeatedly called for stronger gun control measures. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a fellow Chicago Democrat, got personally involved by calling lawmakers and distributing videos demonstrating the firepower of assault weapons.
The National Rifle Association argued that the proposed ban was too broad and would ban weapons used by hunters, target-shooters and collectors as well.
Rep. Edward Acevedo, a Chicago police officer, denied his legislation would have a broad impact. He said it contains specific exceptions that narrow it to weapons with more sinister uses. "I believe these weapons are made for mass destruction and war," said Acevedo, a Democrat.
He and the governor's office intend to continue pushing for a ban.
The measure also targeted .50-caliber rifles, which critics say have the power and range to punch through body armor, kill someone from a mile away or even bring down an airplane as it takes off or lands.
Rep. Lovana “Lou” Jones (D-26th) said weapons have little to do with the problems of drugs and poor schools that plague her constituents. Echoing the comments of gun-control opponents, she questioned whether a ban would actually keep the weapons off the street.
"That's a wasted vote as far as I'm concerned because nothing's going to stop them from making them," Jones said, "and as long as they make them, people are going to buy them."
Assault weapons were banned by federal law until last year.
I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts these videos showed fully-automatic weapons, and not the semi-automatic firearms which would have been banned.
Just more proof that liberals do not have much to do with themselves these days -- other than infringe upon the rights of law abiding citizens. It is politically tough being irrelevant....
These people are so incredibly stupid; Chicago is the friggin' murder capitol of the US and GUNS ARE ILLEGAL. Why won't one friggin' lazy, liberal reporter ask Daley about this?
The definitions lawmakers use for these guns are so misleading; what ends up happening is that law-abiding citizens get screwed. The criminals ignore the law and get the weapons anyway.
I hope Blago and Daley rot in jail. Both are total scum.
Which of course are the exact weapons that the Second Amendment was written to protect, you RAT!
Asking for stricter gun control in Illinois is a bit like asking for stricter gun control in the UK -- there's not much room to maneuver.
Cause they don't want to end up wearing concrete shoes at the bottom of Lake Michigan?
Why do I get the feeling he's taking a double-dip?
I hope none of these bans go through as I was planning on my next firearms purchase being a .50 BMG varient for long range target shooting.
The bad news is, "narrowly".
A .22 will kill someone a mile away. The trick is to hit them.
More incentive to get your 50 soon. have fun with it.
Rep. Lovana “Lou” Jones (D-26th) said weapons have little to do with the problems of drugs and poor schools that plague her constituents.
Finally, someone who knows the truth.
They the chicago press are the propaganda arm of the the daley crime machine, why do you think guns are banned in chicago, have to stop the competition.
In 60 seconds an automobile can kill someone a mile away too, so let's ban automobiles.
Right! Exactly. We cannot keep drugs out of this country. We CANNOT KEEP ILLEGALS out of this country. Ban guns, and they just become the next big contraband for the sellers.
Good! But I guarantee you the politicians pushing this will be back.
Assuming that is an accurate reflection of the NRA's position, I would like it better if the NRA had chosen wording a little less suggestive of a willingness to compromise on the 2nd Amendment.
But I suspect that this is just the usual incompetence/malice of the media at work, and that NRA's position is in fact not one to compromise on this issue in Illinois.
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