John Richardson has some detailed information about the Ezell v. Chicago case, sponsored by SAF. Looks like the judge denied the preliminary injunction. It’s amazing what the City of Chicago is claiming in this case. They are literally worried that the parking lots of shooting ranges present a potential for criminal activity and accidents, and therefore we have to be protected from ourselves. That’s what they think of us. The judge in this case also seems to be treating the right to bear arms as a property right, which I think is improper.
It’s a shame we don’t have a more friendly Congress. I’d get Congress to charter a few indoor ranges in Chicago using their militia powers, open them to the public, and defy Daley to try to do anything about it.
That’s a great idea about having some Federal ranges open to the public in Chicago! You will notice in the Opinion that neither the Federal ranges nor the CPD ranges upset their neighborhoods.
One of the things that ISRA will be pushing for in the Illinois legislature is state preemption of local gun laws. With the Republican Brady who is pro-gun and leading the race, it could come to pass.
If Chicago were to pass a law forbidding the presence of printing presses and churches in the city limits, would defenders of the law say, “Plaintiffs are still entitled to speak verbally and worship at home, so their first amendment rights to freedom of the press and religion are not completely impinged?”
The fight against the anti-gunners will finally have been won once infringing on the second amendment is just as unthinkable as infringing on the first (after all, both amendments protect fundamental rights).
Joe Huffman is right; we have to make Brady membership just as unthinkable as KKK membership has become.
“It’s a shame we don’t have a more friendly Congress.” And a perfect time to do something about it :) Since this is October and November is so darned close I’d invite any interested person to read about Dino Rossi (A rated) at their most convenient search engine. Then compare to incumbent Patty Murray (F rated) and perform the indicated response on the donate/volunteer button right here:
http://www.dinorossi.com/ just sayin’ Boyd K
There is a federal law that says any range built with any federal money has to be open to the public.
Mike, that’s true, but the reality is that in many places those “public” ranges are open for a day or two a year for hunter sight-in, if they’re open at all.
I suspect that’s the reason my local couty mounties’ range is open Sunday afternoon (and Wed nights for a bullseye league). It’s outdoors, and closed for the winter, but it’s better than nothing.