I entirely approve of resistance by firearms owners in Illinois to new legislation requiring them to register certain types of weapons or surrender them. Nevertheless, the response by left-wing politicians in that state was predictable. I don't know why some people are surprised by it.
On Wednesday, State Senator Julie Morrison, the Majority Caucus Whip, introduced legislation that could result in Illinois gun owners’ losing their driver’s licenses without due process, less than two weeks after 2 million Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card holders rebelled and chose not to register their firearms in protest of Gov. Pritzker’s assault weapons ban that he signed into law last January.
In a video statement released on Thursday evening, Illinois State Rifle Association president Doug Mayhall said, “Now the anti-gun legislators are coming after your Driver’s License!”
Mayhall went on to explain Senate Bill 2720, which “proposes that when a FOID card is revoked – and the FOID card holder does not comply with Section 9.5 of the FOID Act by surrendering their FOID card to authorities – the gun owner may not be issued a driver’s license; renew a driver’s license; retain a drivers license; or be issued a permit to drive under the Illinois Vehicle Code.”
The legislation also requires the Illinois State Police to notify the Secretary of State’s office and report anyone that fails to comply with Section 9.5.
But the issue is more troublesome than simply having your FOID card revoked according to Mayhall.
“Under the Red Flag Law – there can be an ex parte case filed against you. In other words, someone can say you are a problem and go before a judge without you present. You then can lose your FOID card and not get a hearing for at least two weeks.
So what’s the bottom line here? A person under this bill can be falsely accused and lose their right to drive without a single hearing.”
There's more at the link.
When are people going to realize that our politicians - right-wing as much as left-wing, conservative as much as liberals or progressives - don't care what we think? They care about power. They care about us doing what they tell us. As far as they're concerned, "freedom" is a nice drum to beat at election time when they need our votes, but something to be put far back on the shelf and forgotten at other times.
In New York and Connecticut, when locals ignored or defied assault weapons legislation during the first decade of this century, the authorities didn't push too hard. They knew they would meet resistance, and were worried about it. However, since then, we've had COVID and the whole brouhaha about the extent to which the State can order us around, take charge of our lives, and make us do as the authorities dictate (whether or not we want to). That's now become the mantra of most left-wing and progressive politicians. "If you won't do what we tell you, we'll force you to do so - or else!"
It's long gone time we realized that there's a price to be paid for defying illegitimate, dictatorial, unconstitutional authority. Our Founding Fathers knew that, and paid the price gladly. Do we have the same courage they displayed? - because we're going to need it. We ain't seen nothing yet.
Peter
There is only answer, and it's an ugly one.
ReplyDeleteI'm in The Peoples Republic of Illinois. Just bought a house about 90 miles south of Chicongo suburbs where I was. I found out the other day I moved to town where the ISRA is located. I guess I put myself on the front line of the resistance. LOL.
DeleteI wish you'd add Mewe to your link-posting buttons.
ReplyDeleteRemember ---the people making these kind of laws all have addresses
ReplyDeleteThis.
DeleteThey are very upset about the mass non-compliance
ReplyDeleteAs !ong as these commies are allowed to live this is how they will ALWAYS act.
ReplyDeleteThe only solution is a lot of rope and lamp posts. The left listens to NOTHING
but the universal language. Violence. This is the truth. It's an ugly truth
but truth none the less.
I am always amazed with the disconnect between politicians thought process and the laws they create.
ReplyDeleteA man much smarter than me said, " If your going to make a criminal, I might as well act the part.
How unusual. As I read of their antics in Illinois, part of a song from Rage Against The Machine started PLAYING LOUDLY in my mind's ear. It is not safe for work; but the first letters of the words of the refrain are:
ReplyDeleteF Y I W D W Y T M,
F Y I W D W Y T M,
F Y I W D W Y T M,
F Y I W D W Y T M,
Peace to all people of good will.
Milton
To paraphrase the Daleks: Defenestrate! Defenestrate! Defenestrate!
ReplyDeleteCommies being commies is all I see. Typical of many governments here today.
ReplyDelete