Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago). (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

LaShawn Ford has served as an Illinois State Representative since 2007.  Like his fellow Chicago Democrat General Assembly members, he has been a fairly consistent vote against gun rights since, well, forever.

But he recently appeared on radio station WLS-AM encouraging residents to arm themselves and get their carry licenses.

What caused Rep. Ford’s sudden, very public change when it comes to guns? Could it be the “come to Jesus” moment this past weekend outside his home that left one man dead?  Or was it the fact that his car was riddled with gunfire during the incident?

Regardless of the reason Ford has changed his way of thinking, we welcome it. His constituents deserve the proven personal defense benefits of firearms ownership and concealed carry.

WLS-AM has the story of what happened outside Ford’s home:

After another violent weekend that saw eight people killed and at least 32 others wounded, one lawmaker is taking action by encouraging his constituents to arm themselves.

Bullets from a shooting that left a 22-year-old dead in the Austin Neighborhood on the West Side Sunday also found State Rep. La Shawn Ford’s (D-Chicago) car. …

“I think about it all the time,” Ford said of the shootings that plague his community. “That’s why I’m working with a concealed carry instructor and we’re going to go through the neighborhood and we’re going to encourage people to get their concealed carry license because it makes no sense for people not to have the protections that they need.”

You’re absolutely right, Rep. Ford. We’ve been saying the same thing since the beginning of time.

Better late than never for you to notice the proven benefits of firearm ownership for good guys and gals. We’re glad to have you on our side.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

180 COMMENTS

    • Not counting the cost of the hardware, ammo, etc., what’s the bottom line cost for a avg citizen to carry?

      • Can’t speak for Chicago, but in NC open carry is completely legal without permits. As far as concealed carry is concerned, you can figure about $150 for training and permitting fees.

      • A quick Google search shows the permission slip itself for Illinois residents is $150. Not sure but the class itself can run between $40-$100 plus fingerprint costs, and sheriff dept fees.

        • Skippy, you’re close. The permit cost $150 for residents and two 8 hour classes that run approximately $100-$150 each. Fingerprints are not required but will speed up the application process. (Mine took 99 days without prints) There are no sheriffs fees.

        • I recently got mine in Illinois. It took 56 days with prints. The price breakdown is below.

          Licenses (Illinois)
          FOID Card – $10+credit card fee
          Concealed Carry License – $150+credit card fee
          Fingerprinting – $50
          16 Hour Class – $75+$20 range fee

          Hardware (Some Online, Some in Cook)
          Glock 26 (USA) – $599.98+sales tax ($60.29)
          Cook County Firearm Tax – $25
          ISP NICS – $3
          3 10round G26 mags to rotate every 90 days – $89.85
          Galco Holster (USA) – $80
          Big Daddy Double Magazine Pouch (USA) – $15
          Cleaning Supplies – $30 with taxes included
          Federal Ammo Train + Protect 50 rounds (USA) – $26.99+sales tax
          Cook county ammo tax – $2.50 ($0.05 per round)

          I spend at least $1650 on everything (all the things above and practice at the range). Take a guess of how much money went to China.
          Lets take away American jobs and lives by banning guns!

      • I just renewed my permit. $50 for 3 hours of class time and range qualification. $153.38 to the state for licensing, the $3.38 was a credit card fee, it was that or $.50 for eCheck fee. You are greatly encouraged to apply online. You can call in but I’ve only heard horror stories about multiple hour calls if they answer the phone at all. Prices for the initial 16 hour class vary. Also, if you want to get you permit in 90 days instead of 120 then you need to supply fingerprints, it’s been 5 years but I think the cost of printing was about $70 and the class was $250.

      • I live in the chicago area and so far my cost has been as follows. Mind you i put my money where my mouth was only just last May and bought my first gun but i think this is a pretty fair breakdown of what it would cost most people:
        Sig P320 9mm Compact – CPO (im pretty sure it was brand new) 379+9.99+30= 418.99
        CCL class – 56.00 (Groupon – i see no point in paying 150-300 for what is the exact same thing)
        Range Fee – 20
        Finger Printing – 85
        Illinois CCL – 150
        Safe – 65.00
        Ears – 12.00
        Dewalt tool lockable/waterproof box – 25.00
        Total(ish): 831.99
        1700 rounds of 9mm – 350.00 (remeber cook county bullet tax….mother f’rs)

        So say 1000 minimum, to buy, certify, licence and keep safe from kids in house. I didnt get anything fancy to shoot but but I got quality.
        My next big purchase for it will be a red dot sight and mount for it.

        I figure you could get a SW sheild or SD9VE for 250, or a Taurus or similar for around the same so knock off 150 but i feel $900-1000k is a good minimum “buy in” for concealed carry in Illinois.
        This price floor pretty much excludes the demographic Rep. Ford represents. Hell, i live in a pretty affluent neighborhood but since most of us have kids, mortgage, property tax, tuition etc. its cost prohibitive for most of my peer group as well.
        When I discuss with friends my plan for getting a gun and CCL almost all agree and they them selves want to get one as well, surprisingly this sentiment is strong even amongst my more left leaning friends as well.
        Then I tell them the price to play they pretty much say “oh shit”. (Not my friend with a wall full of Benelli’s and AR-15’s but hes what you could say is an outlier.)

        Im jewish and attened synagogue regularly. I only plan on carrying in synagogue as do others i know in my community as well. The cost involved could be viewed as over kill for a few hours of CCW carry a week, but for me its become non negotiable.

        Also i find shooting to be very relaxing and a stress reliever for me. It requires complete focus and attention to master and stay safe, which means i can allow everything else to fall away and get lost in the sport.

        Just my $0.02

        • Pretty pricey for a permission slip to exercise a Right. Y’all up there (and in similar places) have my condolences. No permission slips required here. No formal training or “cooling off” time required either. And since I’m a good customer of my LGS, he doesn’t charge me for the Fed NICS either. Many of his firearms ( and ammo) are discounted for military(active, reserve & retired), and if I buy on our annual State 2A sales tax holiday, I don’t get hit with a 7% sales tax. I can and have, walked in bought a gun and walked out 10 minutes later with the gun and as much ammo as I can carry or afford.

          Damn shame other States don’t treat their citizens the same.

        • $400+ just for the government permission slips and hoop-jumping.

          Seven years ago when I got my CCW in Washington state, I could’ve managed that, but not now. I did a late renewal last year for $55 and that was stretching the budget. Luckily the progbots here in WA haven’t got around to pricing the lower-middle and poor out of the right to self-defense (but give them time; they’ll get there).

          “Progressive” politicians… F ’em all with a fence post.

        • “The cost involved could be viewed as over kill for a few hours of CCW carry a week, but for me its become non negotiable.”

          Why would you limit yourself to only a few hours a week for house of worship carry?

          Things aren’t exactly safe and violence-free outside of those walls…

        • I’m missing something. a half dozen or more are murdered every week, are they all in a synagogue, or what? Or is your life, and the lives of your friends and family, useless and not worth defending unless you are in a synagogue when attacked? Something does not add up.

        • To A,
          Nice break down. I have a number of firearms, all types. Don’t know all total spent since I shoot at least once a week. The CCW where I live in Georgia is about $80.
          Sorry it’s come to this but this Is what we must and have a right to do for ourselves and our family.

        • If I had to live in Chicago I would carry 24/7 it won’t save your life locked up at home. Even at home by the time you unlock it and can use it. Bang your already dead. !!!!

        • A cheap price for your life.
          I have been concealed carry for several years (and even through the prohibitive states)
          I do think it is time that WE as AMERICANS go back to taking back our rights from a prohibitive government that wants us to be victims and rely on the state for protection
          I would carry a cop, but they are just too damn heavy!

      • Used Glock, or maybe find a S&W M&P on sale or preorder. Other reliable and costly brands like Kel-Tec are available. I see them regularly in the $250 – $350 range, new and used With an Uncle Mike’s Super Belt Slide holster $25; Premium carry ammo $25; 250 rounds factory reloads practice ammo $50; CCW Classes $50-75 where I live; and a Permit $67. I have no disposable income, have a hard time paying my bills, but in time I scratched and saved to get a quality firearm, trading and my CCW. It’s a matter of how important the defense of your loved ones and yourself is to someone. To me it is mission essential.

      • “Your comment, is in poor taste.”

        If ‘poor taste’ bothers you, you’ve picked the wrong place to hang out.

        You will get no ‘trigger warnings’ here in TTAG. Verbal fisty-cuffs if not outright streetlights are the way things roll around here… ..

        • Not any more Geoff. This is the kinder, gentler TTAG. Now if you use certain words your post gets put on hold pending review.

          I tried to make a joke last night when someone said “cuck-holding”, a joke along the lines of carry a cop, a person being heavy at all. Straight to comment purgatory with a notice that what I saw was a preview pending review.

        • Not any more Geoff. Now comments with certain words have to await moderation. My original reply to you, right here o. this comment, is current waiting.

        • “Now comments with certain words have to await moderation.”

          Ah. Any idea what triggered the moderation?

          BTW, it should have been streetfights, not streetlights on my original comment…

        • To get around the trigger…

          It’s an eight letter word for a man who’s wife is unfaithful. It starts with C and ends with OLD. A common derisive phrase these days in politics.

          The four letter version, starting with C and ending with K also triggers moderation.

        • testing, 1,2,3…

          c.u.c.k…

          Slid right on through.

          Looks like you can ‘game’ the filter with a bit of creativity…

        • “College kids don’t mind.”

          You do realize most college kids are Democrats, don’t you? 😉

        • There is good reason to believe that this a myth.

          First, data: Now, I haven’t torn these particular polls and surveys apart for their internals (where they’re even published and I automatically ignore those because they’re flat out frauds by definition) but where there is polling done on this college students are far more libertarian in their views than they are “Democrat”. For example: guns actually poll quite well among undergrads but so does abortion.

          Insofar as the publicly available polling college students tend to be far less “liberal” than is often said unless your definition of “liberal” is “they disagree with me about something”.

          Secondly, this has been studied in some interesting places. Remove the college students from Harvard and Cambridge becomes MORE liberal. https://harvardpolitics.com/harvard/just-liberal-college-students/

          Also, my anecdotal experience is quite current (as of 3.5 hours ago in fact) and comes at this point from Colorado University BOULDER where I spend an inordinate amount of time interacting with undergrads. They are decidedly NOT ultra-liberal in the way portrayed in Conservative publications. They are, in fact, in my experience, quite data and reality driven in their decision making across most majors and minors.

          Now, of course, it’s Boulder. There are some far out whackadoodle Lefties on campus. They get A LOT of attention but if I had to estimate it I’d say that they’re <5% of the student population and mostly they're actually townies on campus to agitate which the University, quite rightly, allows under their free speech policies. However, any given "far Left" position that has major "play" or advertising on campus is usually ignored by the vast majority of students who just want to go about their day and get their work done. Out of literally thousands of students passing by such an event a few dozen to a hundred stop.

          Conversely, religious folks trying to proselytize on campus get a fair bit of attention. Much more than the far Lefties do. Many times as much in my observations. When some really, really far Right person shows up and starts talking they tend to draw a crowd but mostly those people are just there for the spectacle that's sure to appear when some far Left person, again usually a townie, starts screaming at the Far Right person which is pretty well guaranteed to happen.

          Further, the University and City cops actually offer protection on Fridays (the common day for really Right leaning folks to put up soapboxes) to the Far Right people by standing guard. When I ask about this (which I do pretty regularly) I always get the same response, which is that they're not there to protect the person from the students but from the Far Left townies who might actually get violent.

          So, all in all, yes education is a problem and I do think that the propaganda needs to be fought against but it's not as big of a problem as we tend to think. Other problems with the college/post college age group are far larger and remain unaddressed because, IMHO, they're not a bogeyman for some Right leaning talking head to swing a big stick at.

        • *where they’re published, I automatically ignore those that DON’T publish internals.

          Damn fingers have a mind of their own today.

    • if you’re going to ask them to inform on the criminal element in their midst…which is the only way to put an end to it…then they obviously need some way to protect themselves…

      • It’s pretty much proven that living a conservative lifestyle is what keeps people from being arrested. No matter what lies the degenerates try to tell us.

        • Well, “conservatives” do make the laws that will put you in prison if you are not being “conservative.”

      • What were you arrested for? BTW, glad to see you up & running. I thought for sure you’d met your end charging an ICE facility the other day.

        • Barney, this article itself shows that not all liberals are in favor of more restrictive gun laws.

          I have owned A.R. 15s for 40 years.

          Gun ownership isn’t the problem, it’s irresponsible gun owners who seemingly worship their firearms and feel inadequate without them. The entire culture has grown to glorify death and destruction, who knows exactly why but violent movies and videogames have served to glorify negative behaviors.
          Not to mention the continual state of war the military industrial complex has fostered for the past 70 years.

        • …this article itself shows that not all liberals are in favor of more restrictive gun laws….

          No, it doesn’t. This guy could be for CCW *and* still be all-in on “assault weapon” bans and all manner of other restrictions. Until he votes otherwise, it’s best to assume he is. If he wants to get reelected as a Democrat, he’ll have to be.

        • Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he’s seen the light in this particular instance. I just don’t trust like that.

        • Owned an AR for 40 years in America, yet also an avowed socialist in favor of gun control. Excuse me while I call massive bullshit. ARs were the obscure of the obscure in the late 70s & quite expensive (and with an uneven reputation), only staunch gun enthusiasts & ex-mil collectors had them. Why didn’t you convert it to an M16 while you had the chance, if I may ask? LOL.

          If I said “I’ve had a black friend for 40 years” you’d have no problem calling me a racist, so I have no problem calling you a lying commie Fudd (I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt & assume you do at least own some sort of firearm)

        • Again, why do you think all liberals want to ban A.R. 15‘s?

          And yes, indeed bought a cold SP one supporter for $420 including tax in 1979. Anyone who wanted could’ve bought a cold SP one supporter, either full links 20 inch or a CAR 15 model for about $400 in 1979.

          And yes, A.R. 15‘s were obscure in 1979 and well into the 80s, and the situation was excellent. Any patriot who wanted to own one could own one without restriction, easily available usually buy special order from your LGS.

          Only individuals who were savvy enough to understand what an A.R. 15 was and who had the financial wherewithal to pay in advance to order from there LGS were able to acquire an AR 15.

          That is exactly my point.

          It wasn’t until crazy survivalist, fringe religious cults and other wackos started acquiring AR 15’s because of the extreme publicity from the firearms manufacturers that we ran into trouble.

          Now America’s homes are flooded with A.R. 15 style weapons, high-capacity magazines and thousands of rounds of ammo. And soon it will happen in your jurisdiction, opioid addicted grandkids selling grandpa’s weapons to their dope dealers for more dope.

          Sure, there are extreme leftist who want to ban all guns, but the vast majority of liberals are much more reasonable than Fox News portrays.

        • Word up Barney, converting A.R. 15’s to full auto M-16s has always been illegal.

          And anyone who considers themselves well-versed on the AR15 platform will know that the colt SP1 Sporters had cut down M-16 bolt carriers that would not work full auto.
          The tale of the boat on the lower side was machine away so that there would be no Siri engagement. It would require a new bolt carrier and drilling a hole in the receiver.

          FYI, the serial number on my SP1, which I still own, is SP190XXX, look that up in your funk and
          wagnalls.

          So now I’m calling bullshit on your firearms expertise, such as it is. Obviously, you know very little about modern semi automatic rifles.

        • conversions were easy and legal if you sought a form 1…a drop-in auto sear and a new bolt and a set of internals were all that was required…some did it legally…many did not…everything you needed including instructions could be found at your local gun show

        • Nope, one does not need a new bolt, M-16 and AR 15 bolts are identical.

          The difference is in the bolt carrier.

      • So there is a funk and Wagnalls for A.R. 15 serial numbers, just looked it up. I was off by a couple years, I bought my SP one in 1983, about 36 years ago so I was close. I guess it was just too much of that Mr. natural blotter acid in the 80s, memory not what it used to be…

    • Somebody should be running around shooting up this a-hole’s friends, get ’em all on board.

      • *friends’ cars. We all know if the friends get shot, they become dummy-puppets for gun control victimry

  3. Yet, because he has “D” after his name, the gun community will still oppose him. We need to be finding these “Ds'” that are pro gun-owners rights and doing all that can be done to advance them, showing that supporting gun owners is a winning strategy.

    • Once a Demokkkommie, always a Demokkkommie. Given his voting history, I don’t care what comes out of his mouth.

      • Unless this “come to Jesus” moment causes his voting history to change from this point forward. That’s the whole point of the article, I believe.

        We all pine for Dems to take their heads out of the sand and understand the 2A community. Now that this particular gentleman apparently is seeing the light, don’t knock it. Encourage him in his quest for education and training.

        • Yeah, “pro gun” Demokkkommies seem like nice people until one of them firebombs an ICE facility… The reality is that no Demokkkommie is “pro gun” they are all about using their guns to take away the rights of people who don’t agree with them.

    • Actually a more likely consequence of his viewpoint change is that he will be have a rabid anti-gun primary challenger, who will be funded by the usual suspects. Then again I’m a politically independent fiscal conservative so I hold Republican and Democrats equally in contempt.

      Respectfully submitted

    • Hasaf, wake up.. One comment, because he is pissed his car was hit, and you are bending over the table.

      Go look at his voting record, do you really believe Boss Madagan will allow one of the “Borg” to stray outside the group think mind set and off the “D” plantation?

      You want to do all you can to advance him?

      Great, go grab his campaign sign and canvas his neighborhood and… Wait where did Hasaf go?

    • Because of his heresy he won’t have that ‘D’ by his name for long. And his constituents won’t for him without it.

    • Gun people won’t oppose him because he’s a Democrat, they’ll oppose him because within a month, some party boss in his area is going to set him back on course, and he’ll renounce his newfound admiration for self defense. Either that, or they’ll kick him out of the party entirely. Then brand him a racist. It’s just what Democrats do, and why they’ll never have support from gun owners.

      • Unless we find more ways to create more wobble on their side.

        No, he can’t be trusted. But we need to see how this can be replicated so other Democrats start wobbling from their citizen-disarmist dogmatism. Maybe one day it won’t always be our side doing the caving-in.

    • A pro-firearms freedom Dem is better than a gun grabbing Dem, but still a Dem. So, regardless of gun policy, there are going to be plenty of other deal breakers.

  4. It sad to say but only when a gun grabber is personally attacked, will they PERHAPS change their mind. It didn’t work for Diane Frankenstein in California. Quite frankly it might take longer for a white Jew, a white homosexual, or any white gun rapper in general. They actually believe in law enforcement is still protecting them. While as your average black person knows already that they cannot rely on the police to protect them.

    There are several gun rights groups in the Chicago area that this lawmaker can reach out to.

    If this is the amount of violence necessary to force a local black lawmaker to change his way of thinking. I wonder how much violence will be necessary in the white areas to force a change in thinking on their part???

  5. Better late than never. And what Jim Warren said !! Carrying a gun for self preservation, is to my mind the same as a home with a fire extinguisher, if there’s a fire in your home , you will want a fighting chance of putting it out , if there’s a criminal intent on harming you & your loved ones , same applies as you will want a gun to extinguish the threat.

  6. I have been living in Chicago for 75 years already, when there were only three murders per day. How long is it going to take for the legal authorities to make Chicago a safer place to live? One solution would be for the Police to prosecute firearms violators with stiff enough penalties to make it unpleasant for people to violate gun laws.

    • Better option would be to send in the Marines and round up every gangmember and ship them off to a penal colony in the middle of the Pacific.

    • “It’s against the law” doesn’t seem to work very well. I’m thinking more Vigilante Justice with no LEO’s involved

      • An EMP event or other prolonged civil disruption would result in that kind of justice really quickly.

    • The legal authorities never make anyplace safer. The people do and they just get caught up in the movement.

    • Charles N. Barnett,

      First of all, Cook County Prosecutors are notorious for giving violent criminals what amounts to a “slap on the wrist” with minimal or no prison time. That is a gargantuan problem.

      Second of all, Chicago Police are notorious for having a pathetic, embarrassingly low rate of solving violent crimes, especially murders.

      Third, Chicago is notorious for city Alderman partnering with violent criminal gang leaders. The gang leaders promise to order the people in their territories to vote for a specific Alderman who, in turn, promises to ensure that Chicago Police reduce/eliminate patrols in those gang leader territories and even squash criminal investigations of those gang leaders.

      Fourth, psychologically and spiritually healthy and intact families are virtually non-existent in the violent neighborhoods in Chicago. Thus, violent neighborhoods (rather than healthy families) actually raise those children and instill horrific values, or arguably, no values at all. The entirely predictable result: you have 10s of thousands of people who have zero regard for the sanctity of human life and have zero reservations stealing someone’s property, raping someone, and even killing someone for any reason or no reason at all.

      Those are the core problems in Chicago. Unfortunately, government is unwilling to fix the first three problems. And government is utterly and totally unable to fix the fourth problem.

      • They cant even throw the book at juicy smollett. Their “prosecution” of gang thugs is laughable.

    • Those gangsters violating 2nd Amendment infringements use their stolen guns to murder. So I don’t think any new laws or heavy sentencing will stop young testosterone filled males from being violent and murderers. That’s the job of the adults to raise better humans.

      • “stolen”?….only in the sense that they were straw-purchased and then reported as such to avoid complicity….this is how it is done repeatedly….

    • Best option is agree that no single person votes for a Democrat for the next 50 years. But, after 75 years you are still voting Democrat, right? And wondering why it never gets better?

      • And ban all immigration and lock down the borders for 50 years and see weather that approach results in a stronger better country.

    • So what are you? Lib or conversative? You ever been mugged? You don’t know what you’re talking about if you can’t back up what you say.

      Let’s talk aboutz da gunz…

  8. . We the Government give you permission to exercise your Second Amendment Rights.

    • A democrat that realized he may actually have to face the consequences of their bad policies.

    • Democrats are actually very intelligent and educated compared to the Republicans. That’s how they win more than the Republicans. They’re not stupid people. Their ideas come off as dumb because they have to appeal to the average person, but they know exactly what they are doing and were they are going.

      You underestimate them at your peril.

        • Democrats know what incrementalist psychological operations requires. They have taken over education (and entertainment) to use as a tool for indoctrination of the children day one of their government schooling. They understand what it takes to control the mind and exploit human emotions to get their desired results. They know how to take advantage of low level human instincts in order to collectivize and dilute. They have written books/papers/studies detailing the process required to achieve a one world government where people worship their rulers.

          Republicans/conservatives have no clue about the operations the Democrats/leftists conduct. They actually thought Democrats weren’t communists and that they weren’t actually going to confiscate all weapons using the police state. They still think Democrats are stupid people who don’t understand their laws do not work like intended, when in fact they are working exactly as they intended them to by giving leftists more power and the opportunity to expand it forevermore.

          Democrats are more intelligent/educated than Republicans. That is reality. Republicans rely on religion and some pretend to understand the concepts of the Bill of Rights. Democrats can appeal to the majority without having to use religion nor do they even have to be patriotic. The general tone of Republican rhetoric is God and country. Resulting in Republicans losing and getting frustrated, then lashing out with attempts to stop non whites from growing in size in a futile struggle of stupidity.

          You can be silly and compare yourself to an average lefty in the street all you want, but that won’t change the fact that leftism is winning around the world and has been able to for centuries.

          If Republicans were so smart America wouldn’t be in the mess that it is and conservatives wouldn’t be getting beaten in front of the cops (as they stand there and snicker). America wouldn’t be attacking other countries so the refugees can move in mass to America and turn it into a leftist’s paradise. Republicans wouldn’t be allowing Trump to conduct his secret missions around the world, and preparations for a war with Iran, to create more refugees that will make their way to America. They wouldn’t be making a push for crypto currency as a replacement for the federal reserve note over getting rid of the federal reserve.

          Either the Republicans are dumb or liars.

        • The only correction I’d make is that BOTH voting bases are dominated by idiots. Democratic/liberal voters are indeed too stupid to see the consequences they’re setting in motion, just like most Republican voters are too stupid to see that their political leaders are and always will be feckless losers who differ from their Democrat “enemies” more in degree than kind.

        • User1 made sense……until he went off the rails with the trump “secret trips” and going to war with iran stuff….

      • Oh, none of this is hard.

        The vanguard are sociopathic smart — says so on the label; the useful idiots they herd, are, well, that — says so on the label the vanguard put on them. Everyone else is to be persuaded or coerced — says so on the mission statement.

        The greatest trick the progressives ever played was convincing their targets that they don’t mean what they say.

  10. MEH…he’s still a Chiraq dumbocrat. Sure get a gun PEASANT. Now that ILLinois is making it even more expensive. Did he vote for the “new” BS ILL infringements? Higher taxes? Draconion FFL licensing? Sanctuary? Pro-life(LOL)? Happy “marriage”? Homie is FOS😫

  11. Where’s Kutcher? We’re being punk’d, right?

    Im going to get some more current references for prime day.

  12. The cost of concealed carry is too much for somebody supporting a low income family.
    -The class/application fee/finger prints/range fee will easily add up to $300+
    -The class will take up a grand total of 16 hours of a persons time. Which means they may have to take off work (and lose money)
    -Firearms such as hi points are banned due to melting point law. So it stops a person from getting a cheap gun in the interim.
    -Cook County has a $25 firearm tax which adds to the cost.
    -Most Cook County gun shops such as midwest guns have an insane mark up on their prices (Ruger LCP $300+ out the door..)
    -To make matters worse there is a 5 cent bullet tax in cook county, which makes practice expensive.

    All of these stupid laws/factors are meant to keep poor people disarmed.

    • “-Firearms such as hi points are banned due to melting point law.”

      That’s a really good point. “Melting point laws” need to be declared unconstitutional. A Hi-Point 9mm is a perfectly safe (and boring) handgun being discriminated against just because it’s made with a cheap zinc-alloy inexpensive enough to make it affordable for the poor…

      • Hey Goeff, what are melting point laws? Like a gun is going to melt when you shoot it? They get checked by a company’s quality control before being shipped. No company could stay in business if their guns melted in peoples’ hands.

        Let’s talk aboutz da gunz…

        • “Hey Goeff, what are melting point laws? Like a gun is going to melt when you shoot it?”

          No, a “Melting point law” is a law that outlaws a gun made from a cheap ‘pot metal’ zinc alloy. They are blatantly racist laws were enacted to keep inexpensive guns from being sold to the poor inner-city minorities. The lie they used to pass those laws was that they were unsafe. Some were, most weren’t.

          “Legal definition of a “junk gun” usually specifies the materials that used in the manufacture of the gun, targeting zinc castings, low melting points (usually 800 degrees Fahrenheit), powder metallurgy, and other low-cost manufacturing techniques.”

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_night_special

          Did you just learn something new about guns? 🙂

    • “-Firearms such as hi points are banned due to melting point law. So it stops a person from getting a cheap gun in the interim.”

      Cripes, I had managed to forget about those atrocities. What a blatant “F you” to their low income constituents.

      • Realistically the total cost for my permit was:
        – Class $150
        – Range Fees/Qualification Ammo/Target $50
        – Application Fee $150 for 5 years
        – M&P Shield $300 after FFL Fees/Shipping
        – Extra Magazine $25
        – Hornady Critical Duty 9mm $25
        – Alien Gear Holster $40
        – Trigger Guard Holster for Pocket Carry/Glove Box $25
        -A Decent Gun Belt $50
        -If you need a safe $50-$100 for a cheap lock box/biometric (required by law if any minors are in the house in Cook County)
        -16 hours of my life I won’t get back
        -Gas Money (Range was out in Dupage/Gun handling was in new lenox)
        -2 to 3 month wait time for something you need NOW.

        How is somebody making ends meet supposed to afford all this?

        Also you need to use a computer now, have access to a scanner, etc to actually submit the application/upload the instructors certification okaying you to apply.

        • Thank you for coming forward and unmasking. (Forgive me if you’ve posted to other TTAG threads.) There is a real cost to RKBA, besides the cost of basic goods (pistol, range ammo, range, fees, a CC holster.) This cost hits lower-income Americans harder, and should be emphasized at all levels of government.

          I know you don’t have time to go to local government meetings because you’re supporting yourself and your family.

        • securing your gun rights in a place like Illinois sounds like a depressing and frustrating affair….thankfully, most of us don’t have to put up with all that nonsense…

      • “Cripes, I had managed to forget about those atrocities. What a blatant “F you” to their low income constituents.”

        Yep, and nearly all of them were passed by Democrats. A law “for their own good”…

  13. It’s not SUPER uncommon to find pro-gun or neutral Democrats in Illinois, but from the Chicago area? Shiiiiiiiiit, son.

    If he doesn’t flip flop, I’ll be surprised.

    • Flip or/and flop, too soon to tell but time will tell. We can only hope he stays the course. Speculation, conjecture and guessing is just that and presently no way to really know how this will turn out in the long haul. Interesting turn of events, indeed!

  14. What’s with the I-told-you-so attitude? Has that ever been effective or helpful?

    Let’s build on the fact that someone’s mind has opened. Let’s ise this case to being defemsive gun use back into the conversation.

  15. Let’s not forget that Demokkkommies have absolutely no problem with their street thugs being armed. Just check out the “John Brown” Gun Club affiliates all over the country. They are basically breeding grounds for left wing domestic terrorists one of whom just got shot trying to burn down an ICE facility where illegals are held in better conditions than most Americans who pay taxes for their upkeep.

    • “Just check out the “John Brown” Gun Club affiliates all over the country.”

      Yep, affiliated with the ‘Redneck Revolt’ assholes :

      “Terrorist Who Firebombed ICE Facility Wrote In Manifesto: “I Am Antifa””

      https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-15/terrorist-who-firebombed-ice-facility-wrote-manifesto-i-am-antifa

      There is some good news –

      “According to an internal poll within the Democratic party, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar are decidedly radioactive to swing voters, who have a highly unfavorable view of both according to Axios.”

      https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-15/poll-swing-voters-recoil-over-aoc-and-other-left-wing-progressives

      • I’m a little disappointed that TTAG decided to not run a story about a left wing terrorist with a document affiliation to one of the left wing “pro-gun” groups that they always say we should support. Maybe it doesn’t fit the narrative of “whomever is mouthing the right platitudes gets to call themselves a 2nd Amendment activist”?

        • They’re usually quite S L O W on the trigger Serge. And I decline to be an unpaid contributor. Only FOX has reported on it as far as I know(not even CBN). Whatever-lock n load!

        • I don’t think they support Antifa’s communist push and terrorism. I think they support lefties with guns who use them in defense of life, liberty and property. That’s very different.

          Right wing guys commit terrorist attacks in America. They shoot up houses of worship and federal buildings. Should we also not support/defend right wing people owning guns?

          With your mentality we shouldn’t support this black Democrat man who decided to change at least some part of his ideology, which people on the right say is impossible to do therefore we shouldn’t even try with people like him.

        • Sorry bro, but at no point have National Socialists been “right wing”… that’s a slur made up by far-left marxists.

          The last actual terrorist attack I can think of by an actual “right winger” was Oklahoma City.

        • I already shown you proof that the guy that shot up the federal building in Texas was right wing. He stormed the federal building in a more futile attempt than the Antifa member did the ICE facility.

          On the European scale of left-right politics, national socialists are considered right wing. On an accurate political scale, national socialists are left wing along side communists and anarchists are extreme right.

          I judge on the proper left-right scale where communism is extreme left and anarchy is extreme right. Which is why I consider current Republicans to be lefties, in the vain of national socialists, based off their policies, laws and rhetoric.

        • I am delusional and crazy when you are the one denying the evidence I gave you that shows the man that attacked the federal courthouse in Texas was on the “right” and disliked lefties? You think I am the one that can’t comprehend that communism is all the way to the left as one can get and that anarchists whom want to get rid of centralized involuntary government are the opposite of lefties?

          Current Republicans want a centralized power with an offensive standing army and authoritarian police state. They want restrictions on liberties such as chemical consumption, homosexual marriage, unlicensed/undocumented travel, etc. They setup DHS, which brought us the loving TSA and ICE. They also support socialized healthcare and schooling. When Bush was president they tried to create “free speech zones” to stop protests against statism, socialism/taxes and illegal wars done by the neo cons — that was before Democrats started setting up their version of “safe spaces.”

          Let’s not forget what both Republicans and Democrats did to expand socialism without restriction in the U.S.:

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRzr1QU6K1o

        • Oh, god… the libertardian bullshit… it burns…

          “authoritarian police state”
          If you think the US has an authoritarian police state, you’re delusional. I’ve actually LIVED in an actual authoritarian police state. Get bent.
          “chemical consumption, homosexual marriage, unlicensed/undocumented travel”
          One of these is not like the others. HINT: One of them is a government backed contract.
          “They setup DHS, which brought us the loving TSA and ICE.”
          There is nothing wrong with ICE. Open borders in a world with different countries and cultures are a form of national suicide.
          “They also support socialized healthcare and schooling.”
          Lol… what?
          “illegal wars”
          At the very least a contradiction in terms. But sure… let’s just wait for the bad guys to come to us so that we can fight them in our back yard after they destroy our economy. #fullretard

          As for your “evidence”… show me that guy’s “manifesto” oh… wait…

  16. Interesting…so it looks like TTAG has deleted an entire set of comments posted here recently in which Vlad made one of his usual comments, then Pg2 responded that he agreed with Vlad, and then I responded to Pg2. All three in the comment sub-tree are now suddenly gone. This is the SECOND time this week this has happened in which Pg2 and I were part of the same conversation. I’m thinking that Pg2 is perhaps submitting requests to TTAG moderators to have people deleted.

    Seems to me that somebody at TTAG is engaging in comment deletion, even though there are no threats, foul language, or the like involved. This is beginning to smell like YouTube/Facebook style monitoring.

    • Meh, those two always go off on wildly off topic rants. I would have banhammered both of them months ago.

        • Not in recent vlad posts. He has given up trying to hide or act educated. He’s admitted to being antifa, he admitted to trolling under various accounts, he has no style. He comments on his own comments in a different style to troll. The guy is clearly a head case. I suspect TTAG won’t allow this type of commenting for much longer.

    • EDIT:

      Nope. My fault. The conversation is on another thread from earlier today. I got them mixed up somehow on my tabs (sheepish grin).

      Alright, Pg2, I owe you an apology. I can’t believe I’m actually having to say that, lol.

      • Too late, buckaroo. You already said it and everyone here knows. Apologies mean nothing.

        Suck it.

    • Good. Idiots like you should be banned. It’s not “monitoring”… it’s the same as every single forum that ever existed online. You act like an ass, you get treated like one and removed. There are no public places online. Each website and their comment sections are privately owned and operated. If you had problems on other websites, it’s probably not the moderators fault… maybe you should look in a fucken mirror and get your mental health issues addressed.

  17. I guess the rational next step would be for IL to get Constitutional Carry, as the people doing the murdering and wounding don’t bother with the licensing process? No?

    • Lol… yeah… we barely got legal SBRs… I’d settle for a full un-banning of NFA items. While the concealed carry laws are stupid, at least they are “shall issue” unlike the majority of radical Demokkkommie states.

      • There is one problem with the SBRs we have.

        IIRC The SBR can’t be under 26″ in this state, or the ATF won’t approve it.

        • Only it it’s a reenactment SBR. A C&R license holder SBR will get approved under that length. I should know, I have one.

      • I would certainly love an unbanning of NFA items. Though I still hate the tax (and wait) of the obviously unconstitutional NFA. I would pay it to get a couple of suppressors if that was an option. Constitutional carry, being nothing more than an acknowledgement and confirmation of what the Constitution says, would be an extraordinary achievement.

        • Honestly, short term, I’d be happy with a very short list.

          Mandatory reciprocity of CCW licenses across state lines.
          A removal of the post-1986 ban
          Pre-emption on all “type” regulations of any firearms or components.

          Constitutional carry is a nice dream, but it will take a LONG time.

      • NFA isn’t going anywhere…you guys just don’t understand that the powers that be don’t want the masses to have access to that kind of weaponry…….

        • “constitutional carry” now exists in a great many states….none of them blue…..

    • I don’t care who Maj. Toure “works for”, I’m damn glad he is doing it.

      He is making serious positive inroads in Philadelphia…

      • I was referring to:

        “I think about it all the time. That’s why I’m working with a concealed carry instructor and we’re going to go through the neighborhood and we’re going to encourage people to get their concealed carry license because it makes no sense for people not to have the protections that they need.”

        That sounds like what Black Guns Matter does. Maj does go to those areas. If he isn’t involved he should contact Ford asap.

        • As long as they are informing them that with that concealed carry comes great responsibility as well. I see a lot of these people understanding the talking points, but most of them probably don’t know when and when not to use it, or how to justify their use if they do. I think it’s great as well. It’s powerful information. As long as the biased racial divide can be conquered and people understand their right to self defense as well as how knowing such a right can impact an entire community and save them from corrupt control tactics, then I’m all for it.

  19. I’m willing to bet money that come time for the fall legislative session, Rep. Ford will still vote FOR any new gun control legislation or fee increases.

  20. “Hell hath no fury like the ass-kicked Liberal… All we have to do is beat the shit out of all of them, and they will all get a gun…”

    Clint Smith

  22. Comes the dawn!!! Enough nonsense if a person wants a gun let him have it. This kind of stuff happens weather you are armor or not. There is no way that this kind of bullshit is going to stop until we do something about it

  23. Just before the “Millennium”, a friend’s rabidly (and nastily) anti-gun mother called him on the phone begging for a gun to protect herself from the imminent zombie apocalypse.

    His reply: “No.” [sound of phone being hung up]

  24. He wouldn’t take the facts presented by pro gun folks but swallowed and supported ever gun control measure he saw. Now, when shit’s on his doorstep “he gets it”! To bad he’s been denying and restricting the 2A Rights to others that have understood the need to be armed long before his epiphany! How many victims could have been prevented during that time.

    • Yea. He will definitely be one of those morons who says “Conceal carry good. AR 30 round mags bad”.

  25. There is exactly one way to describe the above situation, the system that exists and operates in Illinois. Extortion comes to mind, as does Grand Larceny by government, take your pick. By the way, regarding the Chicago pol, Mr. Ford, one wonders as to how much of a role he played in the creation of the system that so plagues the law abiding resident, that he now tells them to brave. Good luck to the citizenry, they will need it.

  26. “After Shooting, Chicago Democrat Advocates Residents Get Guns and Carry Permits”

    OH…after many record setting/breaking yrs, NOW it’s an issue…???

  27. I live in Ca and do not have to beg any sheriff for permission to own a handgun. While my choices are not what other states allow, I can buy 1 a month and get it after a waiting period. While this is very restrictive, my owning a firearm is legal as long as I am federally legal to own the weapon. Saying that being a gun owner is at the Sheriff’s discretion is fake news and just might keep someone from trying to buy a firearm in Ca.

    • If you are refering to the “beg a sherriff” that Haz was making a comment about, it appears to be a backgound check like when we have to fill out a DROS form. But what’s odd for N.C. folks is “Applicant must be required to authorize a mental health check” wut?
      Without doing any research, I believe, when it come to handguns, us folks in CA have it the worst.

    • Different states have different laws. Some cities or states require you to register your gun just to own/possess it, even if you inherited it. Others don’t. Illinois requires a FOID, or Firearm Owners Identification to possess a firearm or purchase ammo. In regard to CHL permits, some states, like Alabama, are “shall issue” states. In other words, if you pass the background check, they shall issue the CHL. Places like DC are “may issue” states or areas, and even though you pass the background check, you may or may not be issued a CHL, based on the whim of the particular powers that be, or whether you show to their satisfaction that you have a reasonable need for a CHL, or both. In other words, even a person who can show proof of serious and credible threats to their safety may not be allowed a CHL, if they don’t have the right connections. I’m all for Constitutional Carry, but until the whole country get it, I’ll continue to pay my $100 every 5 years for my CHL permit.

  28. You’ll notice that he only changed his anti-gun stance to a semi pro-gun one when HIS car got shot up, not before. I imagine that once his party bosses have a talk with him he will go back to the rank and file or the party will make sure that he’s primaried in the next election.

  30. Army vet here; I live in Georgia, had to pay around $75 for a carry permit. No classes, no extra training, just had to fill out the paperwork and patiently wait for my background check to clear. I have to pay a $35 renewal fee once every 5 years. I kind of feel bad for those whom have to take extra classes just to be able to carry a firearm.

  31. every weekend
    especially this time of year
    the equivalent of a high casualty mass shooting event occurs in the city of chicago
    last republican mayor in chicago:
    1931

  32. YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT MONEY, WHY, WHAT IS YOUR LIFE WORTH? CRIMINALS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ALL THE LEGAL FEES, BUT THEY WILL PAY ANY PRICE TO GET AN ILLEGAL GUN. IS YOUR LIFE AND THOSE OF YOUR FAMILIES SO CHEAP THAT YOU WILL NOT GET THE NECESSARY MONIES TO BE LEGAL AND PROTECT YOURSELF AND THOSE YOU LOVE. IF THAT IS YOUR ANSWER THEN I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

    • easy there big fella
      turn off the all caps for a minute and listen up
      theres lotsa people out there that every month theyre trying to figure out how much money is left over for food after paying rent and utilities
      if one of their kids gets sick and goes to the doctor even a 20 dollar copay and 20 bucks for a prescription isnt in the budget and thats assuming they have insurance
      for folks like them to find the better part of a grand to get a foid card a carry gun and a ccl is a pretty mammoth undertaking
      im afraid its not nearly as cut and dry as you are trying to make it out to be
      give it a rest already

  33. easy there big fella
    turn off the all caps for a minute and listen up
    theres lotsa people out there that every month theyre trying to figure out how much money is left over for food after paying rent and utilities
    if one of their kids gets sick and goes to the doctor even a 20 dollar copay and 20 bucks for a prescription isnt in the budget and thats assuming they have insurance
    for folks like them to find the better part of a grand to get a foid card a carry gun and a ccl is a pretty mammoth undertaking
    im afraid its not nearly as cut and dry as you are trying to make it out to be
    give it a rest already

  34. What a hypocrite.
    How many times did he deny the right to keep and bear arms, to self defense?
    He deserves nothing but being fed to a woodchipper.
    All politicians should be held to their votes and denied anything they deny to others.

  35. Virginia lists a bunch of qualifiers you may already have, such as having attended a hunter safety course/etc. Depending on the locality, the judge can accept about anything as proof of competence, but if he requires any, he HAS to accept any qualifier on the list.
    Maximum fee is $50 for 5 years, most localities only charge $15 for a 5 year renewal.

  36. Might as well carry since the black racist mayor seems unconcerned about the homicide rate.

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