August 3, 2023
We are all watching and waiting for the decision from the Seventh Circuit Court on the Illinois gun ban. Nothing yet.
Some things are happening elsewhere, however. The Fifth Circuit Court in Texas handed the Second Amendment Foundation a favorable ruling in the lawsuit over the ATFs rules on frames, receivers and other parts. The case is known as Van Der Stok v Garland. Attorney General Garland asked Justice Alito to stay the Fifth Circuit’s order. Judge Alito granted the stay but only for a week. Interesting.
Attorney Thomas Maag of Madison County, announced his intention to file suit against the Illinois gun ban (PICA) on Fifth Amendment grounds. The claim is that to be forced to register a firearm the State of Illinois has declared illegal is a form of self-incrimination. It is my understanding, there is precedence to support this suit in the Supreme Court of the United States in prior rulings. We will see.
In another Second Amendment Foundation lawsuit, SAF, et al v ATF, et al, the Fifth
Circuit has ruled the “Final Rule” on pistol braces is “likely illegal” because the Biden Administration and ATF, violated the Administrative Procedures Act. This is a victory for the SAF and other plaintiffs. I am personally shocked, shocked I tell you, that the Biden Administration and ATF would have such a blatant disregard for the rights of citizens they disagree with. One would think, they think they are God Almighty.
Just a reminder the Supreme Court of the United States goes back in regular session on the first Monday in October.
All other ISRA lawsuits are plugging along in their respective discovery phases.
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The ISRA Gold Women’s team took Second Place in the two-person team event at the NRA National Matches. The team was made up of Claudia Boothe, Amanda Ehler and Jennifer Yoder. Two Person teams can have four people on them who serve as team captains, coaches or alternate firing members.
At the National High Power Championship, Camp Perry, Ohio, in the Presidents 100 match, 9 of the top 100 shooters are ISRA members from Illinois.
The ISRA is the home of marksmanship in Illinois.
The Grand American World Trapshooting Championships are under-way at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Illinois. What a great event! The first few days are dedicated to the AIM youth program championships (Academics – Integrity – Marksmanship). The Illinois State Rifle Association is a chief sponsor of the AIM Program and proud of it, I might add. Last weekend the ISRA had 60 or thereabouts, volunteers helping. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. Folks like you make all the difference.
It was great to see all those young shooters there. They are very good, by the way. One young man came in who is in the sub-Junior category and I asked him how his practice went. “Not so good. I only shot a 95”, he replied. I have never shot a 95 with a shotgun, just for the record. Good for him. All the many young people who visited the ISRA store were great. On Saturday evening, a severe squall with high winds came though about 5pm.
We kept the ISRA store open so anyone who needed shelter had a place to go. Many of those there were in campers, and they were told not to go back to the campgrounds. There were naturally a lot of children as well as adults who came in. I would guess there were about 40 people. The kids were as good as could be. They sat down and waited out the storm. There was not a single problem. I have found that kids in the shooting sports, are well mannered, respectful, disciplined and better students. Their grades almost always go up when they participate in the shooting sports. For all those nay-sayers out there, who condemn kids and firearms, you don’t know what you are talking about.
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In San Antonio, Texas, a car thief stole a car about 4 am. The owner reported the theft to the police, but they couldn’t find the car. The owner found the car about 1 pm that afternoon in a mall parking lot. The car thief was still in the car with a female passenger. The owner of the stolen car called the police and approached the thief with his concealed carry pistol drawn, intent on holding the thief until the police arrived. It was not to be. The thief decided to draw his own gun and shoot at the owner of the stolen car. Bad decision. The thief is now dead. Of course, you all know how much I care. The owner of the vehicle was wounded and the passenger in the stolen car is in critical condition. Of course, the relatives of the thief are crying “vigilantism”. I still don’t care. The reason people become vigilantes is because the law doesn’t do anything.
No good deed goes unpunished. A good example occurred in San Francisco. A security guard was attacked by a thief, and he killed the thief in self-defense. So, the San Francisco DA did not charge the guard because it was clearly self-defense, but the security guard was fired for not having a concealed carry permit and not being in proper uniform. What! You defend your own life, and the lives of others because you didn’t have the right shoulder patch, or maybe none at all, you get punished.
The percentage of gun ownership in the United States has been estimated at about 33%, but recent surveys indicate that it could be as high a 60%. There are a lot of gun owners who won’t answer the survey form on gun ownership or lie when asked. Who could be surprised – nobody!
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The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports the Biden Administration is withholding federal funding for schools, that teach hunter education and archery. Ben Cassidy, Executive Vice President of government and public affairs for Safari Club International said on Fox News Digital, “It is ironic that the U.S. Department of Education is actively denying young Americans the chance to educate themselves on basic firearm education and hunting safety, so they can go afield knowing how to keep their friends and family safe.” You know I don’t think it is surprising at all. Many hunters have thought they were safe from government attacks on their sport. It was never so, and will never be so, until we all get together and recognize what a menace the government is to freedom.
Our 120th Anniversary Coin is available for $25 while they last. Buy our commemorative, collector’s coin and be entered in the raffle. Your contribution helps fund the many activities of the ISRA. Call the office at (815) 635-3198, or email: member@isra.org to place your order today!
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August 4, 1790
The Revenue Cutter Service is established. This was the forerunner of the United States Coast Guard. Happy 233rd birthday!
August 4, 1936
Adolf Hitler has a bad day. Jesse Owens, aka the “Buckeye Bullet”, wins the Olympic Gold in the Long Jump, in Munich. Jesse went on to also win Gold in the 200-meter dash, and the 4 x 100 relay.
August 5, 1864
Union Admiral David G. Farragut wins the Battle of Mobile Bay. In doing so, captured the dreaded Confederate warship C.S.S. Tennessee, cutting the supply lines to the Port of Mobile by blockade runners, and set up the Union Army’s capture of Confederate Forts, Morgan and Gaines. Farragut famously was supposed to have said “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead. Whether he actually said that or not, is open to conjecture.
Nevertheless, this victory raised the spirits of the Union and helped propel victories in other places. This victory was the first of a series of victories that saved the Presidential Election of 1864 for Abraham Lincoln. By the way, in 1864, mines were called torpedoes, and not what we think of them as, today.
August 6, 1787
The first draft of the Constitution is debated. At stake were the checks and balances needed to provide equity between the three branches of government. It would not be until September 17, 1787, that the plan was finally voted on.
August 6, 1945
The first atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima by the B-29 bomber, Enola Gay. The pilot was Colonel Paul W. Tibbets of Quincy, Illinois. The bomber was named for his mother.
August 7, 1782
George Washington creates the “Badge of Military Merit” more commonly known as the Purple Heart. Only three such Purple Hearts are known to have been awarded during the Revolutionary War. The records were lost for a long time. In 1927, General Charles Summerall tried to revive the award. General Douglas MacArthur took up the cause and Congress and announced its reinstatement on February 22, 1932. My father received two Purple Hearts.
August 8, 1844
Nauvoo, Illinois. Brigham Young is chosen to be the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Mormons). It was a tumultuous time. Joseph Smith, the church’s founder, and his brother Hyrum had been murdered six weeks earlier. One of the families in the church was the Browning family.
ISRA Smallbore & F-Class Rifle League – Range 5 – 2:00-Dusk – August 3
Women’s Team Pistol Practice – Range 1 – 4:00-7:00 – August 3
Godley Park District Summer Camp – Range 4 & Pavilion – 9:30-1:00 – August 4
ISRA Steel Challenge – Range 8, 9, 10, 11 – 7:00-5:00 – August 5
Range Work Day – August 5
ISRA 3Gun – Range 8, 9, 10, 11 – 7:00-2:00 – August 6
Bonfield Muzzle Loaders-Black Powder – Clubhouse & Range 2 (7:00-2:00), Range 6 (12:00-2:00) – August 6
Vintage Military Rifle League – Range 5 – 3:00-5:00 – August 7
Tuesday Night Irregular Rifles – Range 3 & Pavilion – 11:30-Dusk – August 8
Benchrest League – Range 4 – 8:00-Dusk – August 9
F-Class Rifle League – Range 3 – 8:00-5:00 – August 9
Women’s Team Pistol Practice – Range 1 – 4:00-7:00 – August 9
Paper Steel League – Range 11 – 5:00-Dusk – August 9
Thank you for being a member!
If you are not an ISRA member, join today!
Donate: https://isra.org/support-us/
Visit: www.isra.org
Upcoming Meetings: https://isra.org/isra-activities-and-events/
Upcoming Range Events: https://isra.org/the-range/#range-calendar
August 4 – 5 Prairie State Longrifle Show, Days Inn, Princeton
August 12 – 13 Bloomington Gun & Knife Show, Interstate Center, Bloomington
August 26 – 27 Belleville Gun & Knife Show, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Belleville
August 27 Lake County Gun & Sportsman Show, Antioch VFW, Antioch
September 16-17 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee County Fairgrounds
September 17 McHenry County Gun Show, McHenry County Fairgrounds, Woodstock
September 23 National Civil War and Collector Arms Show, DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton
September 23 Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club, Chillicothe
Sept. 30 – Oct. 1 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Assoc. Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin
October 8 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
October 22 McHenry County Gun Show, McHenry County Fairgrounds, Woodstock
October 28 – 29 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton
November 4 – 5 Decatur Gun & Knife Show, Decatur Conference Center, Decatur
November 4 – 5 ECA Hunting & Trade Shows, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Belleville
November 4 – 5 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee County Fairgrounds
November 12 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
November 19 McHenry County Gun Show, McHenry County Fairgrounds, Woodstock