I am watching anti-gunners on the march in several states.  The greatest change is in the State of Virginia but the anti-gun push is on in Washington, Oregon and New Mexico.  I call this Creeping Californiaism (CC for short).  The heck with the COVID-19, CC is much more dangerous.  All joking aside, the only cure for this is for gun owners to stop ranting and get organized and stay organized.  It takes money to fight these people and their anti-gun agenda.  It takes more than just to say we have a Second Amendment; gun owners have to fight to keep it.  Not only do we have to fight for it, we have to fight for it in an organized manner if we expect to win.  Of all the State Associations, the ISRA is the most organized.  It is time for people in every state to stop depending on organizations like the NRA to do everything.  When I first started fighting for gun rights, everyone looked around and waited for the NRA to come galloping in on a big white horse and save the day.  Early on, those of us in the ISRA understood that someday the big white horse wouldn’t make it.  I am not saying we should abandon the NRA, in fact, we should support them even more but for the foreseeable future the Washington D.C. swamp is going to keep them busy.  We need to take care of ourselves in our home states.

In a previous Thursday Bulletin I mentioned when the Illinois General Assembly would go back into session.  There have already been changes.  The Illinois House of Representatives will only meet one day in February, the 10th.  On this day they will adopt rules to hold subject matter hearings remotely.  They will not, and should not, have hearings which will advance bills and resolutions remotely.  We will keep you updated.

By now most of you know the NRA has filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.  Chapter 11 is protection from creditors, not complete bankruptcy.  The NRA has also announced it will reincorporate in Texas.  The NRA Board of Directors and Wayne LaPierre have been chastised and applauded for these moves.  I am on the applauding side of these moves.  It has been suggested many times that the NRA, which was founded and incorporated in New York State in 1871, move out of New York to a more friendly state.  It’s too bad it had to happen this way but at least it is getting done.

All through 2020 I have reported that firearm sales were skyrocketing and the final numbers prove that.  A new record of 21,000,000 background checks that resulted in firearm sales was set.  Of those 21,000,000 sales, 40% of them were to women.  African Americans purchased 58% more firearms than in any previous year.  Many of those were to African American women.  The record 21,000,000 firearm sales exceeded those during the 2016 Presidential Election by 34%.  The final tally shows there were 8,400,000 new gun owners in the United States.  The NICS check for December 2020 was 3,937,066, an all-time high once again.  For the entire year, the NICS checks were 39,695,315, as expected, another new record. This was driven by not only increased firearm sales but also background checks for concealed carry permits.  The number of firearm sales was down slightly for December but I believe that was simply because there was nothing to buy, at least, that anyone wanted. 

On Friday, January 8, the Illinois General Assembly will return to Springfield for Lame Duck Session.  One bill we will be watching is SB1966 which is in the Senate.  Please call your State Senator and ask them to oppose SB1966.  On Wednesday, January 13, this bill will die at noon when the 102nd General Assembly is sworn in. 

Due to inclement weather, our Range is CLOSED today.

The year 2020 is about to slip into history.  Many are rejoicing that 2020 is gone or soon will be, depending on when you read this.  There are many that can’t wait to see 2021 because they hope things will get better.  I think the hope that things will get better in 2021 is on tenuous footing.  Hope, as I always point out, is poor strategy.  In 2020, gun owners had a President that had their back.  Red China was at the gates of fortress USA but we had a President that was fighting them.  It looks like we will have an anti-gun President appointing advisors and Cabinet members who are anti-gun and Red China will no longer be at the gates, but in the Oval Office.  The future doesn’t look all that bright as far as I am concerned.  I think we may look back on 2020 as the good old days.