The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Would Like To See Website At Oaklane
Dear Editor,
To whom it may concern:
I think it would be a great advantage to all if the retirement center in Stronghurst could have their own website.
I would like very much to be able to communicate with my grandmother who has resided there for the better part of ten years now.
I live in Omaha, Nebraska and it is hard with the economy to travel.
This would truly keep our very much loved ones a little closer to us.
Tell Helen Matteson her grandaughter Tammy loves her very much.
Maybe this will open up that opportunity to move closer together into the future. Thanks so much.
Tammy Mossburg
Omaha, Nebraska.
email: mkaygyrl@aol.com http://www.marykay.com/tmossburg
State Senate Targets Sportsmen
Dear Editor,
It has come to my attention that our rights are "under attack" yet again by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and his cronies in the Illinois General Assembly.
They have managed to pass three bills, one bearing Mayor Daley's name out of House and Senate Committees that threaten the future of gun ownership in Illinois.
These gun ban bills had been proposed before but were tossed out only to rear their ugly heads once again.
To my knowledge there has been little or no press coverage of the bills proposed to take away our right to bear arms as stated in the Constitution of the United States.
(See the provisions of the bills below.)
Did you know this was going on? Do you want the Mayor of Chicago dictating the rights of all Illinois citizens? I don't!
(In addition, our new Governor, a Chicago native, proposes to raise FOID card fees from $5.00 to a whopping $250.00, generously down from his pre-election proposed $500.00.)
All collectors, sportsmen and firearm owners alike need to be aware of how these bills will affect the, i.e. hunting seasons, competitive shooting, protecting livestock, varmint elimination, etc. Consider having to move your firearms out of state to save them.
Consider being ordered to surrender your firearms over to law enforcement officers.
Consider having your firearms confiscated and destroyed.
Consider those of you who have firearms that have belonged to family members, those passed down from father to son, grandfather to grandson, uncle to nephew, those firearms probably don't have the required paperwork, but possess them or use them and it's a felony.
If you have a FOID card and have purchased firearms, filled out the required paperwork, the state knows who you are and what you've got.
Will the citizens of the State of Illinois have to be fearful of surprise, warrantless searches? FYI, DNR officers need no search warrant to enter your home to conduct a search and have been used to such lengths.
Gun manufacturers in the state would have to shut down and relocate, and these manufacturers supply firearms to our military and to law enforcement. Read the bills, they're frightening.
Where does it stop?
Mayor Daly and his friends seem to think these bills will stop gun crime, who do they think they're kidding?!
None of us who have an ounce of intelligence and common sense!
Mayor Daley and his "Machine" should not be allowed to make the citizens of the State of Illinois swallow "his" gun ban bills. Mayor Daley should take care of his own city and not involve the State of Illinois as a whole in his problems.
We non-Chicagoans of the State of Illinois have managed just fine without him (or in spite of him) and his influence and I am confident we will continue to do so into the future.
SB 1195-The Daley Gun Ban
SB 1185 is billed as an assault weapons ban, but in reality it does much more.
Under this bill it becomes a felony to manufacture, possess or transfer any magazine with a capacity over 10 rounds, as well as a host of firearms.
Firearms would be banned if they have any one of a list of features, such as a folding stock, pistol grip or threaded muzzle.
That means M1 carbines owned by veterans are banned, Ruger 10/22s with after market stocks are banned and rifles used by competitive shooters are banned.
The bill also bans any semi-automatic firearms with a bore diameter over .50 and a magazine capacity over 5 rounds. That means semi-automatic shotguns 28 gauge or larger can be banned!
Modern muzzleloaders are banned. The pheasant or deer hunter with one of these guns would have 90 days to turn their gun into the police, get it out of state or destroy it.
Thousands of hunters and shooters would have to find new ways to practice their sport.
SB 1195 would shut down many gun manufacturers in the state of Illinois.
These manufacturers supply firearms to the U.S. military and to law enforcement.
There is no exemption for guns manufactured for the military, so these companies would have to move to another state or go out of business.
HB 2532 - Statewide Gun Registration
HB 2532 Requires that all gun dealers be licensed by the state. Since the dealers are already licensed by the federal government, this system would be redundant, and many gun dealers could not afford the additional fees and would go out of business.
However, the real purpose of the bill is much more frightening. HB 2532 would create a central database to register every gun and gun purchaser in the state.
It would also allow law enforcement to conduct warrantless searches of gunshops at any time without prior notice. This harassment would no doubt put other dealers out of business.
HB 2356 - Gun Show Ban
HB 2356 would require that any sale of a firearm at a gun show go through a licensed dealer. But, the definition of a gun show includes any gun club meeting, organized shooting event or even a hunt at your hunting club. If you were to sell or trade a gun to your law-abiding friends or family, you would have to go through a dealer and pay whatever fee the dealer chooses.
The battleground for this legislation is the Illinois State Senate. It is very important that you contact your State Senator immediately and ask them to strongly oppose this unrealistic legislation.
Please call today and keep calling until they get the message. Call Senator John Sullivan, at (217) 222-2295.
Elaine Wilson
Stronghurst
Dear Editor,
On Thursday, March 13, State Bill 1195 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 6 to 4. SB 1195 now comes before the Illinois Senate for debate. This legislation impacts sportsmen, gun owners and the state industry.
"SB 1195 states the General Assembly finds that the use of semi-automatic weapons, devices, or attachments for sport or recreation is substantially outweighed by the danger these weapons or devices present to human life, and that restrictions should therefore be placed on the manufacture, delivery, and possession of these weapons, devices, and attachments".
Hunters, SB 1195 bans any semi-automatic firearm with a bore diameter of .50 caliber and larger, and a magazine capacity over 5 rounds. This includes many 10, 12, 16, 20, and 28 gauge semi-automatic shotguns, plus black powder rifles with a bore diameter greater than .50 caliber. SB 1195 outlaws the manufacture and possession of magazines and magazine parts capable of holding more than 10 rounds.
Illinois based companies Armalite, Les Baer, Rich River Arms, Springfield Armory, DS Arms, and others will be unable to employ their workers and prohibited from manufacturing these firearms for individuals or to fulfill current contracts with the U.S. military. Millions of dollars of state income tax revenue, corporate taxes and sales tax will be lost forever in Illinois, at the same time the state is facing a $5 billion dollar budget deficit.
Under SB 1195, individuals must surrender their firearms to the state or local police within 90 days of enactment, remove it from the state or destroy the firearm. Non-compliance with any part of SB 1195 will cause you to be charged with a felony. All this after the state has already required you to undergo background checks prior to receiving an FOID card and purchasing your firearm.
The Illinois House and Senate could take action on these bills at any time! It is urgent that you call and write your State Representative and State Senator immediately and urge them to oppose this bill. Continue to call your elected officials and remind them that it is your God given right under the Constitution of the United States to bear arms and you will not accept any gun bill. The State is trying to take guns from the wrong people.
State Senator: John Sullivan (217)782-2479; State Representative: Rich Meyers (309)836-2707,
Thank You,
Michael Wilson
Oquawka