August 18, 2022
We are hearing the push for so-called “assault weapons“ bans in the Chicago suburbs. I imagine we will see a push for this in the Illinois General Assembly in a Special Session, most likely after Labor Day. Governor Pritzker was one of those politicians featured in a special report on WGN television out of Chicago. The Governor addressed why the bans have not passed. The Governor said, “There is the powerful Illinois State Rifle Association, a subset of the National Rifle Association, that’s had a lot of influence over the years.” The Governor went on to say “that they are in a position to overcome that obstacle (meaning the ISRA) and get an assault weapons ban in our state. I am certainly pushing for it.” We will have to see Governor.
The City of Naperville passed an ordinance Tuesday night, or I should say early Wednesday morning at 1:20am. The ordinance bans the sales of semiautomatic rifles or as they call them so-called “assault weapons.” This ordinance takes effect in six months. There were 442 signed opponents and 73 proponents but that didn’t matter to the City Council. The ordinance passed 8-1. This isn’t over yet.
Over the past several years, we have seen 27 attempts of banning so-called assault weapons. Of course, a couple of weeks ago, the Associated Press pointed out there really is no such thing as an assault weapon. It is a made-up term that is very misleading. In fact, the term was designed to be misleading, to influence and intimidate the naive and uninformed. The only people that would be affected by a so-called assault weapons ban would be the law-abiding citizens that use them for target shooting, hunting and self-defense. Criminals not only don’t care, they are also glad because it gives them an advantage over the law-abiding citizens. The anti-gun side ignores the fact that there are about 47,000 firearm laws in the books which are ignored or simply not enforced.
The liberals whine that the United States has a higher percentage of the population in prison than other developed countries. First, we are not “other” countries and our population is far different than other countries. A person has to work pretty hard to get a prison sentence in the United States, but we have a lot of people who are happy to try, it seems. The liberals complain that it is expensive to keep people in prison. Somehow this argument leaves the victims out and, in fact, ignores them. We are not able to ask the woman who has been raped and butchered in her own home, or the carjacking victim who is lying beside the road bleeding out, or the nine-year-old kid who is dying from gang violence on Chicago’s southwest side. If I could, I would be willing to bet the victims would say the expense was worth it. Finally, we are told that they, the criminals, and the crazies, are better off living among us. What about us? No one seems to care that we are not better off.
The fact is that the law-abiding citizens in the United States have a right to defend themselves. The best way to do that is with a semiautomatic firearm. Somehow, these liberals think criminals will be nice and play by the rules. Only a fool or fools would believe that. Crimes happen in 3 to 5 seconds. No cop is going to come and save you. That is up to you. The cry is that it should not be this way. Well maybe not, but it has always been this way and it is not going to change. The best way to defend yourself is with an AR15 or similar firearm. Anyone who believes otherwise is living in lala land.
There are those who want to crush the Second Amendment and yes, the Illinois State Rifle Association has and will continue to stand in their way. There are 2.4 million law-abiding gun owners in Illinois who haven’t done anything to anyone, yet it is us who are the targets of anti-gun laws. To say that anti-gun laws are there to protect the innocent is not true. Anti-gun laws only make it easier for the criminals and for the government to control you and me.
The Illinois State Rifle Association Precision Pistol Championship was a great success. Thanks to John Newman and all the great volunteers and staff that made it happen. Thank you to all.
The Illinois State Rifle Association will hold the 86th State Smallbore Championship on September 10 and 11. This is the longest running continuous shooting championship in the United States. This championship was held during World War II and the Korean War. I am proud to say we are continuing that tradition.
This year, the ISRA, in conjunction with the Aurora Sportsman’s Club, is holding our first F-Class High Power Rifle Championship. The line is already full, and a waiting list has begun. Thanks to all the ISRA members and Aurora Sportsmen’s Club members who are making this happen.
Just for the record, I have a book on loan from Jim Miller on rifle marksmanship. This isn’t just any book. This book was developed by the National Rifle Association and the War Department for training soldiers in marksmanship before reporting for basic training in WWII. Some 300,000 civilian VOLUNTEERS trained thousands of soldiers in marksmanship. Holding these above mentioned championships, as well as other events, are all part of keeping marksmanship skills alive and keeping the United States ready. This was the idea of President Theodore Roosevelt. The Illinois State Rifle Association was one of the first to gladly sign up for this duty. In a way, President Theodore Roosevelt was the founder of the Illinois State Rifle Association. We are still at it Mr. Roosevelt, 119 years later. We keep our promises.
The Massad Ayoob MAG 80 Course, September 7th-11th at our range, is an intensive study of defensive firearms that teaches extreme speed for hits, and includes shooting at greater distances, and management of such contingencies as weak hand draws, one-hand only reloads and malfunction clearing if wounded, etc. Students receive several hours of hands-on training in handgun disarming, and in countering attempts by an attacker to disarm them. Shooting while moving, and the use of long guns for defense, are among the areas covered. Round count: 500 handgun, 100 long gun. Prerequisites: MAG-20/Classroom plus MAG-20/Live Fire; MAG-40 or LFI-I. Contact Andy Kemp at 208-771-3413 or Andy1911@imaxmail.net
August 2022
FOID – 2,413,581
CCL – 441,175
Tidbits:
August 18, 1931 – The Yangtze River in China floods, causing the greatest loss of life of any known flood.
Approximately 3.7 million people died both as a direct result of the flood and starvation that followed.
August 18, 1920 -The 19th Amendment is ratified, giving women the right to vote.
August 19, 1812 – The U.S.S. Constitution defeats the British ship Guerriere off the coast of Nova Scotia and earns the name “Old Ironsides”. The U.S.S. Constitution was one of six U.S. Navy Frigates authorized by the Navy Act of 1794. The ship was launched in 1797. These were heavy frigates carrying 44 guns as a standard compliment and could carry as many as 50 guns. The heavy guns were 24-pound cannons which was the weight of the cannonballs. The U.S.S. Constitution and her sister ships were made of American white oak and live oak. Their hulls we’re 22 inches thick and were made with seven inch thick White Oak planks 40 feet long backed up by vertical live oak planks, and then another layer of white oak planks. The hull was then covered with copper sheathing provided by Paul Revere. Live oak is extraordinarily strong, long grained wood. It took 60 acres of trees to build each ship. Other frigates in her class were the U.S.S. United States, U.S.S. Constellation, U.S.S. President, U.S.S. Congress, and the U.S.S. Chesapeake. They became the backbone of the U.S. Navy squadrons patrolling the oceans.
The British ship HMS Guerriere was known for stopping American merchant ships and impressing (kidnapping) American seamen and forcing them to serve in the British Navy. As you might guess, the Guerriere was well known to the American Navy. The Captain of the Guerriere was James Dacres who wanted to engage the U.S.S. Constitution and be the first British Captain to sink or capture an American ship in the War of 1812. He boasted to his crew that a victory over the U.S.S. Constitution would make his career. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for, you might get it.
Captain Isaac Hull commanded the U.S.S. Constitution. Hull was a veteran of the Barbary Wars and was cool under fire. To his credit, British Captain Dacres had five American impressed seamen aboard the Guerriere and sent them below so they would not be forced to fight their own countrymen. Dacres began firing at a distance on the U.S.S. Constitution. Captain Hull remained cool and maneuvered the Constitution within 25 yards of the Guerriere and then fired a devastating broadside. The Guerriere fired but it’s cannon balls just bounced off the Constitution. A British lookout shouted “Huzza, her sides are made of iron.” The name stuck. The American 24-pound cannons punched 30 holes through the Guerriere’s hull. Within 35 minutes, the Guerriere was a sinking wreck. The Constitution had pock marks but no real damage. The sturdy oak construction had done its job.
Word had reached Boston of the Constitution’s victory before the ship even returned to port. People crowded the wharves and roof tops to see her sail into the harbor. The crowd shouted their praise for the ship and crew. While the victory had little influence on the outcome of the War of 1812, it lifted American morale. The U.S.S. Constitution is still a commissioned ship in the United States Navy and is moored in Boston Harbor. The U.S. Navy maintains 53,000 acres of oak timber in Indiana to make sure there is quality wood available for repair. At this point, about 85 percent of the original ship has been replaced. Not bad for 205 years old. Of all the historic sites I have visited, the U.S.S. Constitution sticks out in my mind the most. If you get a chance, you should visit her. Her time was truly a time of wooden ships and iron men.
August 21, 1897 – Ransom Eli Olds founds Olds Motor Works in Lansing, Michigan. A fire destroyed the original plant and only a curved dash single cylinder car survived. The Olds became a hit of the 1901 New York Auto Show. In 1904, Olds left the company over a dispute with the board of directors as to what type of cars the company should manufacture. Olds wanted smaller less expensive cars the board of directors wanted bigger more expensive cars. Later, Olds founded the REO Motor Company. In 1908, the original Oldsmobile company was purchased by General Motors. In 2004, the Oldsmobile line of cars was discontinued by General Motors.
August 24, 79AD, maybe – Mount Vesuvius erupts, sending 60 feet of mud and 17 feet of volcanic ash covering the area. The reason I said “maybe” is because excavations have found fall fruit preserved in the volcanic ash that would put the date in October. In any case, the volcano destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae. It has been a long time since I was there, but it is an interesting place. People decided to ride out the eruption by hiding in their homes. That was a mistake. If you are ever near an erupting volcano, get out of there as fast and far away as you can. Otherwise, some day, someone will be taking a tour and looking at what is left of you. Not a pretty picture.
Thanks for being a member. If you are not already a member, join us today! Big things are just beyond the horizon, and we need your help.
For more information, visit www.isra.org
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, August 20, 2022
Defensive Tactics for Concealed Carry-Level II
Guardian Tactics Advanced CCL Training-Level I & II
Sunday, August 21, 2022
ISRA Bullseye Match & Combat Match
Rifle/Pistol Training
Springfield Armory Pistol Match
Saturday, August 20 & 21, 2022
ISRA Academy NRA Basic Rifle Class
Monday, August 22, 2022
Private Event
Monday, August 22 & 29, 2022
Military Bench Rest League
Tuesday, August 23 & 30, 2022
Tuesday Night Irregular Rifle League
Wednesday, August 24 & 31, 2022
F-Class Rifle League
Bench Rest League
Paper & Steel League
Thursday, August 25 & September 1, 2022
ISRA Smallbore Prone/F-Class League
Thursday, August 25, 2022
Private Event
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Armed Women of America
RSO Meeting
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Glock League
9th Annual Law Weapons Shootout
Thursday, September 1, 2022
Private Event
Thursday, September 7 – Sunday, September 11, 2022
MAG-80 with Massad Ayoob
Gun & Trade Shows
Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: August 20 & 21, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00
Belleville Gun & Knife Show – Belleville, IL
Belleville Fairgrounds
Dates: August 27 & 28, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00