J.B. Pritzker coronavirus guns
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

From the Second Amendment Foundation:

The Second Amendment Foundation applauds Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for including firearm and ammunition suppliers on the list of “essential businesses and operations” that will remain open during the Prairie State’s “Shelter-In-Place” emergency due to the ongoing COVID-19 Coronavirus emergency.

“When an anti-gun Democrat governor declares that essential businesses include firearm and ammunition suppliers and retailers for the purposes of safety and security, that is a really big deal,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “Every governor should copy the Illinois example when issuing ‘shelter-in-place’ and business closure orders in the face of the Coronavirus.”

Three other states are already under sweeping emergency orders as the nation copes with the Coronavirus pandemic. They are New York, Pennsylvania and California.

“Depending upon how long this emergency continues,” Gottlieb observed, “many Americans may find themselves facing situations where they will need to be their own first responders. Gov. Pritzker obviously understands this, and we encourage the governors of all other states to recognize this isn’t an issue of party politics but of personal and community safety.”

Executive Order 2020-10 directs all individuals living within the state of Illinois to stay at home, except for “Essential Activities, Essential Government Functions, or to operate Essential Businesses and Operations.” These include information technology equipment manufacturers and suppliers, hardware, food, cleaning supplies, and “firearm and ammunition suppliers and retailers for purposes of safety and security,” the order says.

“We are all in this together,” Gottlieb stated, “and we will make it through, together, as well. Stay safe, stay well and stay ready.”

 

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.

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82 COMMENTS

      • The Peoples Socialist Republic of Illinois. Come join the “fun”. You’ll never want to leave.

        • Lived there for 22 years…then I got to Texas as quick as I could. I go back to visit when they honor my LTC

    • Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh don’t tell. It may have been a lucky mistake for us.
      Pritzker was criticizing the president this morning on the news show for not having a million test kids and ventilators available in 24 hrs; (yes, an exaggeration). Trump could cure cancer and they’d accuse him of putting health care workers out of a job.

    • Isn’t Illinois one of those states where you have to get a permit to even buy a gun in the first place? Open stores won’t help the panic buyers (most of whom are new to guns), if they have to sign up for a class, get finger printed at the local PD, wait four weeks for processing, etc.

      • Yes, Illinois requires a Firearm Owner’s ID to be able to buy a gun, or even touch one in a gun store. It doesn’t take any tests, courses or fingerprinting to get one though (yet). Picture and 10 bucks is all you need. Apply online at Illinois State Police and about two months later you can kinda-sorta exercise your inalienable, constitutionally protected human right to keep arms. (No NFA stuff.)
        Not to bear them, mind you. That would take much more money, 16 hours of courses and extra license. No open carry, period.

        • You can legally own a SBR in IL. No machine guns, suppressors or short barreled shotguns though.

        • The IL FOID card has 2 functions. First it is a tax on gun ownership. Second, when they ban firearms it gives the government a prime suspect(s) list and a good place to start.

    • You believe this fat lazy ass for one minute? I wouldn’t trust him is far as I can roll him down a steep hill. This asshole has another plan. How are we going to buy ammo and firearms out of state?

      • Yeah, if you didn’t already have your FOID, you’re boned. Want a CCL? Lol… good luck getting that 16 hours of classroom training done.

        • Ahhhhhh, that’s the catch!

          Carry classes are *not* on the list, and since they *technically* are a ‘school’, they are closed with the schools!

          Maybe? A leftist is *always* looking for an excuse…

        • smh in amazement. freshly washed hands fp. he is not wrong. smacks of virtue signalling.
          there are no intentions to step back the onerous regulations of illinois.
          repeal foid you fat bastard.
          and why would he cut off revenue? they get 50 bucks per transfer, a nickel per round, and a penny for .22.
          i’ll bet the only time people are stupid enought to subject themselves to that is during times like this.

  3. Still an @sshat. Don’t forget what he, his minions and certain (2) large Illinois based firearm manufacturers/importers put into place in Illinois. This does not change a thing.

  4. JB the Hutt knows that he’s only holding on to his job by the skin of his teeth. Most of Illinois hates his tax cheating guts.

  6. It’s exemptions for some but still mess with other businesses. Why does he or the state get to decide what is a necessary? Why does he get to decide if a business should be shut down. This shouldn’t be in the governments power to begin with.

    I still can’t believe my county and neighbors voted for him.

    • I’m fine with it so long as it doesn’t become permanent. Once the crises goes away, so must these powers.

      People don’t have the right to infringe upon each others rights, including the right to life. Living a lifestyle that spreads a dangerous disease can be argued to violate others rights. Since we don’t know who is carrying it or not, we have to put in guidelines to limit human interaction in order to limit the spread of the disease. Of you have it and hug every grandmother you meet and they start dying, they’re just as dead as if you’d stabbed them. To prevent this violation of the right to life, we must temporarily eliminate unnecessary interaction.

      • The Huscarl,

        I appreciate your sentiment. Consider this: if I want to go out in public with gloves, a face shield (to protect my eyes), and a respirator, why shouldn’t I be able to do that regardless of what activity I intend to conduct? I would have taken measures to protect myself and I could care less how many people have Coronavirus. Government should not limit me in that situation.

        And consider the person who is ill-prepared or is facing a totally different crisis in his/her life. He/she may determine that the risk of contracting the virus and becoming critically ill or dying is less than their immediate crisis at hand (which could be guaranteed personal financial disaster leading to critical illness or death from other causes associated with a financial disaster).

        I don’t see where government has any righteous authority to ban people from venturing out of their homes.

        Does government have righteous authority to provide excellent information to people about the risks of leaving their homes so that people can decide for themselves whether leaving their home is worth the risk? Absolutely! Does government have righteous authority to encourage people to reduce their public activities during a virus outbreak? Sure! Mandating that people stay at home, however, and condemning certain people to other personal disasters as well as almost certainly destroying our national economy is not something that government has any moral obligation nor righteous authority to do.

      • My 78 year old mother still runs the family restaurant that my grandfather started in 1959 in a little rural town in Maryland.

        Well, she did, until the government shut down both dine-in restaurants and all the businesses that used to get lunches catered. You know what happens when a restaurant can’t sell food? The food goes bad if it isn’t donated somewhere. And then there’s no money to buy more food later, when you’re allowed to sell it again. In the meantime, still gotta pay the bills.

        People talk about “stimulus” for businesses. Yeah, those are loans. We can’t bay the bills we have now, how are we going to pay those bills, plus a new loan, when we’re STILL NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE.

        Business wasn’t great to begin with. It only had to make enough profit to keep her going. And now, after 61 years, it’s gone. Her only hope is to liquidate, hope there’s a buyer, and hope that that money lasts until she dies.

        Nothing to pass down to her sons. Nothing to show for a life’s work. Nothing to show for my grandparent’s life’s work. Not because she failed, or they failed, but because the government decided to get involved.

        So every time you or someone else goes “Well, I’m totally on board with this”, remember that it’s YOU, and people like YOU, who destroyed my family.

    • Blarec,

      Yes! Government deciding where and when we can shop? Government deciding what we can purchase? Government deciding whether we can leave our homes? Government deciding how we each should care for ourselves and our families? Government deciding when our 2A right applies and when it does no? No. We have been tumulting toward greater and greater infringements on the natural rights enshrined in our Constitution. This is a good time for civil disobedience. My wife and I are heading outside for no other reason than we want to walk around the neighborhood.

      • My wife and I are heading outside as well. There’s a beautiful 6-mile mountain trail we enjoy. Fortunately for us, L.A. County has specifically allowed outdoor exercise during the “stay at home” order.

        • Italy was the same way 10 days ago. Look at where they are now. As a reference Italy has 20 million more people than Commiefornia and about 10% less land mass. While I understand everyone’s desire to be outside and do those things they always have. Just because you can do something…Doesn’t mean you should. Never forget the 2 most important factors in every decision. Consequences and Regrets. Be Safe Maintain OP SEC and as Always Keep Your Powder Dry.

        • @Darkman,

          SoCal is a sprawling area, with many trails and places to go where a person is definitely further from others than the recommended six feet. Today it’s an absolutely gorgeous Spring day, sunny, clear blue sky (no chemtrails, something I haven’t seen since the day after 9/11), air is clean and crisp (no smog due to the recent rains and the absence of cars on the roads), and everything is green and leafing/blooming. As much as our Mayor Garcetti is a Leftist goofball, he wisely recommends that Angelinos get outside for fresh air and exercise. Nothing will make the masses rebel like being forced to stay indoors for the entire 30 days we’re under lockdown. Besides, we Angelinos are known for biking and jogging, so that’s what we do.

          That being said, you’re correct that all of us should always be cautious. But walking a trail in the foothills of SoCal is not the same as meandering the streets of Italy, where their government foolishly ignored the situation entirely until it was too late.

        • Six feet is an arbitrary number. I wouldn’t go outside right now without a gas mask.

          😀 😀 I can just imagine the faces on the people in the supermarket if I go in with a full CBRN mask.

  7. But you can’t buy a gun because the police that process those applications are not at work…

  8. More officials need to recognize the danger we will all face when prisoners are being released and LEO’s being overwhelmed.

  9. I’m gonna say something unpopular here but it’s my honest opinion.

    Gun stores are not essential businesses. It’s feasible (if foolish) to live without weapons. Not having a gun or not having ammo won’t kill you. Not having food or water or medicine will.

    The idea of being prepared means having the things you need on hand before disaster strikes. These people waited for the disaster and then figured out that the government might not always be there for them. I have little sympathy.

    • Good luck holding on to your food, water, and medicine if you don’t have guns and ammo when the supply chain breaks down. Sounds pretty essential to me.

      • Society isn’t going to break down in totality. There will be plenty of people without guns who survive this. Having guns and ammo will increase the chances of getting to the far side of this crisis unscathed but being without will not be a death sentence.

        • You are speaking of the general then maming a leap to the specific.

          i.e. People having guns will make it through – A person not having a gun is not a death sentence.

          Pretty arrogant response and massive assumption. You cant know all situations and people.

          You might make it through, unless your meth-head neighbor decides he can take your stuff. You sound like a leftist.

        • Society never breaks down until it does. I’m as prepared as anyone could be. If it all collapses it will happen very quickly. I would love to be wrong on this.

      • It was a murder who murdered, not a lack of ownership of firearms and ammo. I carry every day for just such a possibility. There are also people who don’t carry any day because they don’t believe in being ready for such things. Many of them live long and happy (if ignorant) lives. While people who own and train with firearms are more independent and self-reliant (which are good traits to have) not having them is not, in and of itself, a death sentence.

        • Sometimes smokers outlive non-smokers, therefore smoking won’t kill you. It isn’t a death sentence until it is.

        • It was a murder who murdered, not a lack of ownership of firearms and ammo.”

          When you come into contact with a knife wielding murderer, you don’t think firearms and ammo are needed to save your hide?

        • Huscarl,

          You are right; a gun is not necessary; some people survive without a gun. Owning and carrying a gun improves you chances; you’ve decided to improve your odds by being a gun owner. Good for you.

          Same here.

          A gun may not be ‘necessary’, but owning one, carrying it, and being well-trained in its use is a good idea and a good practice.

          The state, however, has no authority to infringe on my right to own and carry. Panic-demic be darned.

        • i don’t believe he carries. you’re a very polite person, lifsvr.
          i don’t have the patience to listen to the stupid, some people don’t die without a vaccine crap. we all have a right to our choices, but that “some people” crap isn’t tolerable; it’s just being literal and obvious. who the hell takes the standpoint that everything is variable. waste of damn breath.
          new leftist bridge dweller amongst.

        • i’m being moderated because i said the v word. thanx poltergeist the second.
          is immunization similarly flagged?

    • Really? So when your prepared behind sees a 24/7 armed guard protected Gov. etc. rule to shut down citizen access to a Constitutional Right you see that as acceptable? When did food, medicine and water stop home invaders, murderers, thieves, rapists, kidnappers, vehicle hijackings, perverts, bullies, tyrants, etc?
      News for you…The Constitution Of The United States is never for sale, trade or rent. Prepared or not it applies equally no matter the circumstances. That’s Chiseled.

    • Sa e could be said of a fire extinguisher or first aid kit.

      Their absence wont kill you, but a fire or blood loss certainly will.

    • I stopped reading your drivel at “not having a gun or ammunition won’t kill you”…..
      THE FK IT WON’T!!!!!…… IF SOMEONE BREAKS INTO YOUR HOUSE THEN YES, NOT HAVING A MEANS OF PROTECTION WILL KILL YOU…..

      ….gd the morons are out in force today…

    • The Huscarl,

      Not having a gun or not having ammo won’t kill you. Not having food or water or medicine will.

      There is a fundamental error in your statement: you are assuming arbitrary time frames that are advantageous to your claim and rejecting other time frames which negate your claim.

      I can say the same thing about shelter, even if we exclude Winter months. Not having shelter won’t kill you. Of course that only applies as long as the time frame over which you have no shelter coincides with mild weather. The first time that temperature dips into the low 50s and rains for several hours with breezy winds, you will die of hypothermia and not having shelter will kill you.

      The same applies to not having a firearm and ammunition during a societal catastrophe. It won’t kill you during the time frame that social conditions are the weather equivalent of mild. It will kill you over a long enough time frame that allows social conditions to deteriorate to the equivalent of weather that causes hypothermia.

      Furthermore, even if we limit ourselves to very short windows of time (just a few days), someone somewhere will die if they do not have shelter and someone somewhere will die if they do not have a firearm.

      • not a minute goes by world wide that lack of shelter or self defense means does not cost a life.

    • I have to agree here. I decided years ago that a gun in the house was safer than the alternative. It used to be that I did not trust myself(I drank a lot), so I just never got one. Growing up and getting more responsible(along with the family thinking it was a good idea) changed us. We got some basic training at an off time at the range and it was a good experience.

      This purchase wasn’t a knee jerk, it was planned. While I applaud anyone who decides that he/she needs a firearm for protection, getting one as a knee jerk reaction to someone who took all the TP at the box store is not a real reason to have a gun, particulairy, someone who has never had one before.

  10. Not having a gun or not having ammo won’t kill you. But the cretin who takes advantage of that status will lose no sleep over having done so.

  12. I too am shocked at Prickster. Especially after “Trump is raciss” after calling a Chinese virus CHINESE. I guess if I have some extra dough(😃)I can saunter over to Shoot Point Blank Mokena and do whatever. But only if I can replace “my precious” 223…saving it up for the prison/jail release😩😖😏

    • Shoot Point Blank. Great business model. Decent prices, good frequent sales and employees that understand that the customer keeps the door open. Frequent the one in Naperville every week. Clean, organized and safe range.

      Shoulda bought more ammo……

      • “Shoulda bought more ammo……”

        I’m looking at it this way –

        I don’t have as much as I would have liked, but I’m not planning on extended range sessions and fun shoots until things stabilize…

    • “…223…saving it up for the prison/jail release.”
      i’ll donate to the cause if you set up outside cook county or joliet with a bipod.

  13. Frankly I am surprised,as J.B. Pritzker is not what I describe as a Constitutionalist .

  14. 😳

    Call me cynical, but I’m waiting the motive for this.

    My guess is that is the only way he could assure 5-0 could buy bubblegum.

  15. When we all can open carry in Illinois it will be better for the state as a whole for all firearms.

  16. Finally, an Illinois Democrat who doesn’t preach the Illinois leftist party line, speaks for liberty and hopefully, recognizes our God-given 2nd Amendment rights. I never thought I would ever give praise for an Illinois Democrat. Nice work, Governor Pritzker.

    • I know I’m going out on a limb here but I think we ought to hold off on that Freedom Medal for a while.

  18. I’m surprised that the F@t B@st@rd can speak, what with Xi Jinping’s 阴茎 stuck in his mouth.

  19. So, JaBa the Putz actually stated that Firearms and Ammunition stores were essential to safety and security. Does his handlers know he did that? BTW, if you actually read the Putz’s executive order gun shops have achieved the same level of necessity in our new world as liquor stores and dope shops. Now that’s a convenient store if I ever saw one.

  20. Too bad ol chubby jay bob didn’t feel that way when he gladly signed legislation that put many local gun shops out of business last year.

  21. I’m not interested in saying thank you to a politician who supports oppressive (FOID card) gun control in his state.
    The rich. Criminal or law abiding will always have guns. The poor just get continuously raped, robbed, and murdered.

  22. OMG! I am fully shocked! Finally, someone took a Red Pill and woke up.

    There is hope after all.

  23. i live in this state and have been waiting 7 months for my concealment permit that i renewed back in sept of 19 and still no permit this is just crazy here theres nobody working in the state police headquarters that do the renewals what a joke this state is it is just unreal but they took my 300 bucks with all the classes and range time you have to do what a joke.

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