After the 7th District Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision striking down Illinois’ blanket ban on concealed carry, the National Rifle Association has vowed that the Land of Lincoln will become a “shall issue” state. According to their man on the ground, the NRA’s working with state legislators to craft a new bill (within the 180-day time limit set by the Court) that will require the state to issue residents a concealed carry permit unless the licensing authority can provide a compelling reason a resident shouldn’t be able to exercise their Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. “Illinois will not be New Jersey,” Todd Vandermyde told TTAG, referring to the Garden’s State’s bureaucratic blockade of its citizens’ gun rights. What’s more . . .
Vandermyde reckons Illinois’ gun control advocates don’t have a pot to piss in [paraphrasing].
“The anti-gunners have been preparing for this contingency, but we will not have the law that they want: New Jersey on steroids. We have the majority in both chambers. We will have a Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida-style law.”
In fact, there’s only one reason Illinois doesn’t have a concealed carry licensing system already: Chicago. The city’s pro-gun control pols have been suppressing the state’s residents’ rights for decades. No more. Even more heartening . . .
If Vandermyde and his allies get their way—and it looks like they will—the Chicago machine won’t get a “carve-out” either. They won’t have a separate licensing process for Cook County.
“A year ago, you would have seen a very different law. After today’s decision there’s no way Chicago will get an exception.”
Vandermyde is lifting a few frosties before settling into the hard work of restoring residents’ Second Amendment right to bear arms; fending off those who would exploit the 7th Circuit court’s acceptance of “reasonable limitations” “consistent with public safety” to curtail Illinois’ gun rights.
“It’s been my experience that rushed legislation is never good legislation. We’re not going to rush anything through. We waited this long. We’re going to take our time and get it right . . .
“The big question now: what will the Governor do?”