By now you have probably heard that Illinois is the only state in the U.S. to not allow its citizens the right to carry a concealed firearm. It's a right that citizens of every other state have, but not here.
Concealed
carry is any easy issue for me. I’ve been a Life Member of the National Rifle
Association for more than 35 years. I became a Life Member of the NRA when I
was 18 years old. I’m not a Johnny-come-lately to the issue. Find me one single
politician in Illinois who has been a Life Member of the NRA longer than I
have. If there is such a person, I want to meet him and shake his hand. My Life
membership in the NRA is something I’m extremely proud of. Concealed Carry is a
hot button for downstate voters, and now we’re seeing a lot of politicians jump
on the bandwagon; politicians that have never made concealed carry a priority
before, maybe never held a gun before.
We
shouldn’t even need to be talking about this issue. Our U.S. Supreme Court says
the people’s right to keep and bear arms is a constitutional right, which
states can’t take away. But this is Illinois. And it’s run by Chicago
politicians. I’ve got some bad news for those fellas. Times are changing and
their stranglehold on downstate Illinois is coming to an end. We’re going to
get Concealed Carry in Illinois. And I’m going to Springfield to make sure of
that. 49 other states can’t be wrong.
Law-abiding
citizens have a right to defend their homes and they have a right to defend
themselves when they’re not at home. Concealed
carry for Illinois is long past due. I’m confident of one thing. We need to turn up the heat on this issue.
People are tired of waiting any longer. Now is the time for concealed carry in
Illinois. It has to be a legislative
priority.
Many
politicians are wishy-washy and don’t want to offend anybody on this issue. To
be blunt, I say to hell with that notion because the robbers, thugs, rapists
and gangs don’t want law-abiding citizens to be able to defend themselves. If for no other reasons, I want the criminals
to wonder whether I just might be one of those guys who has a license to carry
a concealed weapon.
Last
year, some politicians in Illinois tried a publicity stunt of introducing a
bill that would give a very limited right to carry a concealed weapon in parts
of Illinois if the local county sheriff agreed to it. Trouble is, that bill would undermine the
efforts of the NRA and the Illinois Rifle Association to make concealed carry
legal in all of Illinois, as a constitutional right. It makes you wonder what
side those politicians are really on. My
guess? It depends on which way the wind is blowing or from which direction the
money is flowing.
Additionally,
under that publicity stunt bill, how would anyone know where it was legal and
where it wasn’t? If I’m filling up my
car at a gas station in the city late some night, or if our car breaks down on
a lonely toll-way, or a thousand other scenarios, I want the crooks to wonder
whether I might have a licensed concealed carry permit. I want to be able to defend myself, and my
family wherever I am in Illinois.
I’m
big on Concealed Carry.
I’ll
make passing a concealed carry bill for all of Illinois a priority.
I’m
a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment. Always have been, always
will be.
You
can take that to the bank.
"Thirty-five years ago, when I was 18 years old, I
made a conscious
decision to become a Life member of the NRA, to protect my right to
keep and
bear arms. I am strongly committed to allowing law-abiding citizens
the right
to obtain a license to carry a concealed gun in all counties in
Illinois in order to protect themselves, their families and their
property."- Dr. Tom Pliura
