Recently I saw this ad at a Chicago train subway line and of course the answer is… yes. Unfortunately Illinois governor Quinn, who barely won the Democratic primary and barely won the general election, views his mandate as unstoppable and refuses to recognize this reality.
In this article from the Chicago Tribune, Quinn says he will oppose concealed carry, making Illinois 1 of only 2 states that have no form of this in the United States.
“The concept of concealed, loaded hand guns in the possession of private citizens does not enhance public safety, on the contrary it increases danger for everyday people as they go about their lives,” Quinn said.
It is immensely frustrating that a governor whose largest city leads in the nation in absolute number of murders (even though we are third in population) can’t see that strict gun laws do nothing to deter criminals.
The state of Indiana, right next door to Chicago, in fact part of the metropolitan area, has a very flexible concealed carry law and they don’t see that public safety is diminished.
It is hopeful that the downstate Democrats that support responsible firearms laws (by responsible meaning allowing responsible citizens to have firearms, rather than just criminals) will join with Republicans in passing this law. Quinn has proved to be a doctrinaire “classic” liberal Democrat, banning death row (I guess he would have rather had Gacy live out his life on the public’s dime the same way Speck did), raising taxes 67% and siding with unions at every turn. Literally I cannot think of a single thing that Quinn has done that hasn’t been straight out of the most liberal playbook, even though Illinois is a moderate state.
Cross posted at LITGM
I wonder if Mr. Quinn ever goes outside of Illinois or Wisconsin, to the nether regions of the rest of the U.S. where they have a version of conceal carry, or if he is scared of the immense danger that lurks about. Then again he probably has his own private security that packs immense heat (like other famous gun haters such as Rosie or Daley) so maybe it doesn’t matter.
Illinois is a moderate state? Beg to differ. We produced Quinn, Obama, the odious Jan Schakowsky, Luis Gutierrez… face it, we’re California with lousy weather.
face it, we’re California with lousy weather.
And no surfing and no skiing. California doesn’t work anymore but the weather is good while you are waiting for the lights to go back on.
Leftists are elitist and concealed carry is an anti-elitist solution. Individuals arming themselves does nothing to enhance the power and status of Leftist so they don’t like the idea.
Leftists see all social and economic problems as being caused by a lack of centralized control. From that perspective, the idea that giving individuals more power, even the power to protect themselves, is just insane. Instead, you bring about a better world by restricting the power of ordinary people to make choices.
I would have to agree with Percy Dovetonsils .. Illinois is a “moderate” state as a whole, but the Cook County machine politics that’s really runs the state is extremely liberal. What are the odds that an Alan Dixon could be elected in Illinois?