By John Boch

What would you say to a group of politicians who attack everyday, law-abiding baseball fans and wanted to ban America’s favorite pastime? What if they claimed it was because the game is dangerous? You’d think they were pretty out of touch, wouldn’t you? And you would be absolutely right. Well, the Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) has declared war on everyday, law-abiding gun owners in Illinois along with America’s favorite rifle, the ubiquitous and versatile modern sporting rifle known to all as the AR-15 . . .

The Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) proudly wears the “DEMOCRATS: The Party of Gun Control” label in a series of mailings sent by the DPI as part of a coordinated attack on law-abiding gun owners in Illinois.

Stephanie Kifowit wants to distract prospective constituents from her party’s support of a 67% increase in the income tax rate in Illinois, the abolition of the state’s death penalty and the Illinois’ endless deficit spending. So instead, she’s created a convenient strawman — America’s favorite rifle. It’s just another example of the party’s non-stop war on gun owners.

The mailings suggest that owners of ARs are only one bad hair day away from shooting up their towns and cities. They present a danger to their families, neighbors and communities. And naturally, the Democrats are the last line of defense against bloodletting in our schools and on our streets, promising to support more bans on semi-auto rifles and full capacity magazines.

Who runs the Democratic Party in Illinois? Michael Madigan, the Illinois House Speaker and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.

Why don’t we have right-to-carry in Illinois? Because Madigan and the IDP want it that way.

Who has sent out these flyers in a host of Illinois districts? The Madigan-controlled Illinois Democratic Party machine.

Oh yeah, who gave us Illinoisans a 67% increase in personal income taxes back in 2010? Who has given us this state’s horrendous deficit spending over the last decade and more? Who gave us the repeal of the death penalty in Illinois? You probably get the picture by now. But they don’t want to talk about any of that. Instead, they’d rather shout about scary black rifles.


Contributions to the Democratic Party of Illinois or any Democratic candidate for state office are contributions to a coordinated, anti-gun political campaign to smear Illinois gun owners and to continue infringing on our Constitutionally protected rights. Donations to downstate Democrats running for the House of Representatives are effectively donations to support this sort of coordinated campaign. It’s support for a candidate who will vote with Madigan as Speaker of the Illinois House and continuation of the status quo in Springfield.

Irrespective of that candidate’s claimed position on right-to-carry, gun rights or other civil rights including self-defense, that candidate has far less power than Madigan. We need a little hope and change in the leadership of the Illinois House. And from that change in leadership, hopefully change will occur within the Democratic Party of Illinois to end their coordinated war on hard-working, law-abiding, gun-owning residents of our state.

John Boch is president of Guns Save Life.

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54 COMMENTS

  1. Anything with a scope on it = sniper rifle to these morons.

    Might as well just flat out say they want to ban ALL guns.

    • They wont say that til they ban the scary guns first. Then when criminals are still killing people, they’ll try to take all the guns.

      IMO, this isnt an issue confined to IL. The IL Dems might be emboldened by the way they’ve been allowed to run roughshod all over the Constitution, but many of the Dems want to pass national gun control laws. Re-instituting the AWB is on their platform, and in 2009 Eric Holder claimed that Obama was planning on having an AWB again, but they “didnt know the timetable”.

  2. The dems, they gave us the AWB, 10 round mag limits, the 68gca etc. etc. etc. And let’s not forget that Difi, a California dem, wants to bring back the national AWB and make it permanent.

    Think your guns will be safe cause you don’t live in Ca. Or Ill. Remember the first AWB was national and so will the next one.

    • Hell, I’m a Democrat living in CA and I thoroughly detest Feinstein. She’s a poster child for the powers of incumbency when Senators run for reelection. I’ve voted for against her in every primary since I’ve lived here.

    • I was born and raised democrat. Finally changed this year.
      Regardless of your core beliefs, these outright assaults on our liberties and freedoms has got to stop.

      Also anyone who supports the Brady Campaign supports as complete ban on all guns!
      “Our main agenda is to have all guns banned. We must use whatever means possible. It doesn’t matter if you have to distort the facts or even lie. Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who would resist us have been totally disarmed.”
      Sara Brady
      Chairman, Handgun Control Inc, to Senator Howard Metzenbaum
      The National Educator, January 1994, Page 3.

  3. Ugh. I’m pretty sure IL would be the only state capable of polarizing me into a single-issue voter. And that’s saying something considering I can’t remember the last time I voted for a conservative candidate for anything more significant than a non-partisan city or county office.

  4. “.50 cal guns in the streets? Yeah, that makes sense. We need to outlaw those. I mean, they’re practically the only weapon of choice for gangs, murderers, thugs, and mass shooters. If only Aurora would’ve outlawed those evil .50 cal assault weapons with shoulder thingies that go up, who knows what…wait, what? Nobody uses these guns? Their prohibitive cost combined with the cost of ammo makes outlawing them pointless? Lies. They’re scary and they’re only used to hunt people, so every mass murderer owns at least one. We’ll have none of that ‘logic’ crap in this discussion. “

    • I really want to see a gang banger try to tote a Barrett around town, that would be hilarious. I even beg the cops to take him to the range and let him shoot it. The only catch would be that they would force him (using his own money to pay for the ammo) to shoot it about 250 times in a row. I bet he’d start crying really quickly.

  5. I get a kick out of the way they get all upset about .50s. It makes sense though, because of all those….y’know…….murders……By gang members………….with .50BMG……

    • Lol I hate this state. I need to move now for sure. before I lose what I own & bought legally in this state. Nobody in Chicago ghettos has a .50cal let alone can afford one. Besides the size of them. I remember awhile back Chicago cops would rather u drive around with a shotgun empty of coarse rather than handguns because they were easier to be seen for there safety. Illinois need to worry about all the illegal guns coming from our boarders that aren’t registered after all thats how all the gangbangers get there guns trust me I can’t even walk in to any gun store in this state without being hammered for my FOID at least three times before I can even buy a single accessory for my guns let alone by any ammo. I know criminals got it made hook up with so scum bag who most likely has ties with ppl higher up just pick choose no ID required have a nice day tell all your friends. while every criminal has a gun to rob & kill the powers at be wanna take my god & constitutional given right to protect myself & family. I pay taxes work hard contribute to as many good causes as I can follow the law & respect all human life. But lets face it I’ve lived in Chicago all my life I’ve been rob held up at gun point ill never forget when my two bothers got held up at our store & the bastard thugs kept telling them I should kill both of u right now ill never forget when I called the cops when they finally got there I swear 45min laters , I told the officers wtf they woulda been dead they turned to me & said well sir what was going to happen woulda already happened it doesn’t make sense for us to show up while there still here it better we showed after they were gone wtf sorry brings back bad memories & sorry for running on & on. But that’s why I don’t trust anybody to protect & serve me or my family anymore that’s why we all went & bought guns after we got our FOID cards & after all what happened we still couldn’t bring any of our weapons to our Chicago store we had to hire armed off duty cops that’s what the city mad us do I hate this state & city they protect the crooks & put all us tax paying law abiding citizens at the mercy of the criminal. Sorry again venting.

    • Cus when I want to commit a drive-by shooting, the first thing I do is buy an $8,000, 5′ long, 32# rifle.

      Don’t forget about all those “aircraft taking off or landing” that get shot down.

      🙄

  6. Those ads make me sick. But in terms of raping the truth, they’re no worse than the “death panel” claims some republicans were spouting a couple years ago. This is what both political parties do best: lie. Fear beats the truth every time, and they know it.

  7. Today they want to ban military-style semi-autos. Tomorrow slingshots.
    Today they want to abolish the 2A. Tomorrow the Bill of Rights.

    In theory, I like the idea of society providing to all financial welfare nets, free education and training, full health care, etc. In theory, I like the idea of government massively stepping in to clean up the social problem areas of society from ghettos to gangsters. Unfortunately, in reality big fascist-imperialist and socialist nanny-state government is a nightmare. It leads to police state liberty abuses, prosperity dropping, broken families, rewards bad behavior ie generations on welfare, national bankruptcies, and to the dependency of the people on the system which will eventually betray them, etc.

    If America abolished the Nineteenth Amendment, most of the support for the modern fascist police-nanny state and the existence of the huge costly intrusive government would go away.

  8. I know it’s easier said than done,but citizens in that State that can need to get out of it,just like Kalifornia and others.

  9. These advertisements are aimed at the “undecided” citizens. Pro gun advocates will waste their time with reasoned responses and statistics showing how gun ownership has deterred crime, not added to it.

    Here is a plan. Use their tactics against them. Get the NRA to cut loose some money to plaster billboards with real life examples of lives saved by law abiding citizens defending themselves or others against the bad guys.

    Frankly, we do a poor job of convincing others that we are not a bunch of gun toting rednecks (although I am one).

    A real effort needs to be made to promote “gun sports”. Trap & skeet, target, action shooting, etc.

    • Exactly. Education and normalization are the key.

      In my personal experience living here in CA, many folks aren’t so much opposed as they are unfamiliar with shooting sports and vulnerable to fear-based arguments. This is an amazing opportunity for grassroots 2A supporters.

      I sponsor outings to an indoor range to introduce co-workers to shooting sports in a safe, comfortable environment. I provide free firearms safety instruction in both 1:1 and group settings. I help with the BSA shooting sports programs, and I take my own kids shooting. Hell, I even organized a trap/skeet outing for a bunch of folks I know through my very liberal UU congregation — and they all had a great time.

      Sure would be nice if the NRA educational program could take back some of the spotlight from the frothing-at-the-mouth political wing. I feel pretty strongly that education is the way to broaden the reach of the 2A movement, not shouting into a microphone.

      • I admire your commitment. I feel the NRA has done a poor job of introducing the “average” American to firearms and gun sports. More efforts like you describe would erase an awful lot of ignorance.

        • Thanks, much appreciated. My best day last month, hands down, was the day I took six of my employees to the range. Not for the obvious reasons, either — I figured out that one of my guys had undiagnosed cross-dominance (right hand, left eye) and after I helped him with that he went from “10 shots somewhere on the paper” to 10 shots inside the 9-ring at 7 yards.

          And next month, I’m taking my 12-year-old turkey hunting for the first time. 8 days and counting until I can pick up our new shotguns…

        • Well living here on the west coast it is really hard to deal with many. Either they want to run hysterically into the hills, or they might be interested.
          People look at you like a freak if you have an AR. Not so much where I live, since we are in a rural area.

        • Sanchanim,

          Here in the Bay Area you’d be amazed at the number of AR-type rifles you can spot at the outdoor ranges on the weekends. Many of them are .22LR, and not conversions but bought that way from the factory. I’ve seen more than a few MP5 clones in .22LR as well. The typical shooter of the above is a twenty-something out with a couple of friends.

          Frankly, I’d rather shoot next to someone with an AR than a dude with a milsurp Russian rifle. Getting whacked with flying casings from the AK clone next door gets old quick.

          Finding potential recruits is all about timing and context. Group outings coupled with discreet offers of individual instruction to the newbies seem to work the best, as does teaching the 4 rules using Nerf dart guns. People really get the whole muzzle-laser thing when I clear a Nerf Maverick revolver in front of them then, with their permission, point it directly at their chest.

        • Sanchanim, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska are all on the West Coast and we don’t suffer California’s affliction. Even though we have our own gun grabbers out there, thankfully they haven’t managed to get the traction they have south of the Siskiyous.

          A lot of Seattleites are skittish about guns, but thankfully we have a preemption law which keeps their efforts to turn this town into Chicago at bay.

  10. Just another hustling gun-grabber trying to sell Utopia at the cost of our freedom (the freedom not to be victims). Vote for me and the world will be all Rainbows and Unicorns. These pitches are always based in emotion and usually lack any tangible facts that stand up to scrutiny. Same as is ever was…. Same as is ever was….

  11. REJOICE!! Gallup poll of Americans. In 1990 78% felt we needed stricter gun laws.

    In 2010, 44%. Yes, steady decline. in 2010, 56% believe laws should remain where they are or be relaxed.

    See, “normal” Americans are not as stupid as politicians want to make us.

    • I think that when it comes to evaluating many issues that they deal with on a personal daily basis ie personal security, potential threats, how much protection they can realistically get from the police, the unknown future of society, etc many average citizen Americans can make good decisions.

    • Can anyone tell me, has there ever been some gangbanger shoot em up with a 50 cal?? I mean seriously!

  13. It’s good to know that Chicago (it’s still part of Illinois, no?) is safe from those eeeevil black rifles and such. Gee, it must be a great town, safe to walk around at night, free from crime, with low taxes and basically a paradise on Earth.

    “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
    Michael Madigan H. L. Mencken

  15. One ad mentioned .50 cal machine guns?!?! Where does she think she is, Mogadishu? Although, parts of Mogadishu are probably safer than areas in Chicago.
    But seriously, when was the last time somebody in AMERICA, let alone Illinois or Chicago, ran around with a .50 BMG bolted to the top of their rusted out old truck?
    When you can’t win on substance, go for emotion.

    • so i’ve heard, there has never been a recorded violent crime that involved a 50 cal in america.

      • Are you referring to the video posted here about hunting hogs? +1 for you, sir. Not quite what I meant, but well played.

  16. loved the pic of that .30 cal belt fed. Those are for sale in Illinois? Really? How much? How many? Making a case for gun control is one thing, but why do they have to lie about it?

  17. You want to combat the gun control nuts with real numbers?? See the chart below. This is the year 2000. Percentages remain roughly the same in the last decade.

    Deaths Due to Unintentional Injuries, 2000 (Estimates) (Chart compiled by GunCite. Source of data, except as noted, National Safety Council, Injury Facts, 2001 Edition, pp. 8-9, 84)
    Children under 14 (left hand column is all ages)
    All Automobile 43,000 2400
    Falls 16,200 140
    Poisoning by solids, liquids 11,700 100
    Pedestrian (by auto) 5,300 550
    Drowning 3,900 800
    Fires, burns 3,600 660
    Suffocation by ingested object 3,400 120
    Firearms 600 80
    Poisoning by gases, vapors 400 20
    All other causes 14,500 1100
    TOTAL 97,300 5400

    Fatal gun accidents often receive national attention. Subsequently politicians demand mandatory firearms safety classes for all gun owners, yet many more lives could be saved by randomly selecting and educating a group of drivers rather than gun owners, not to mention the populace at large regarding, administering first-aid, how to eat, and basic common sense safety habits. (It is not being suggested that such training be offered or mandated.)

    Go to this link for full article: http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvacci.html

  18. Even a vote for a “good” democrat means one more seat for a democrat machine. Pull the R lever.

    • GS650G,

      Some of your comments seem very different politically from your original comments that I can recall way back when. 🙂

  19. Wow, the Barrett M82A1, those are some classy criminals. I am clearly in the wrong line of work if the Chicago gang bangers are plunking down for the Big 50 to do their dirty work. Being a street dealer must pay way better than dentistry.

    • “Being a street dealer must pay way better than dentistry.”

      It very well may. I suspect dentistry provides somewhat longer career opportunities though.

  20. “As a former Marine Stephanie Nitwit, I mean Kifowit, knows that military style assault weapons belong on the battlefield.” Sounds like the law abiding citizens of Chicago need plenty of AR’s and AK’s

  21. What do you expect. The commies and the mob don’ want the people of Ill. to have guns to defend themselves. Also that would make obama look bad.

  22. Stephanie Kifowit…..that is funny. Two weeks ago I get a knock on the door while I was just heading out to put my new Romney/Ryan window sticker on my car. Guess who was knocking? She talked a good game I will give her that.

  24. Rumor has it that under pending legislation…
    the keeping and bearing of pitchforks and torches, transporting of tarpots without all necessary local, State and Federal D.O.T. permits and approved placards, igniting any substance underneath any vessel which could in any way be used as a tarpot and the amassing of any pile of more than one-third pound of feathers near any railroad siding is hereby prohibited under law.

  25. Those flyers are genuinely humurous. I couldn’t even ged mad. Talking about making streets safer; by banning firearms that are used in less than 1% of shootings? $8,000 M82s that can shoot down airplanes have been used to do that exactly how many crimes? Did anyone else notice the range of the M82 on that flyer? I don’t want to spoil the surprise, go read it.

    • LOL, Derek! Missed that. Holy cow, that’d be a helluva shot…like TWICE the range of the longest ever kill shot from that rifle.

  26. I live in the Chicago suburbs and this is a request to all gun owners – please do NOT buy any product manufactured in this state or distributed by any company located here. Also, do not travel on airlines headquartered here or through O’Hare. Let the state hurt enough that residents finally begin to think and stop voting the same crooks that they keep voting in election after election. The State of Ill-Annoy is two steps away from going broke. DO help it in that attempt because its politicians want exactly that, considering the laws that they’ve been passing so far.

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