By now, you’ve probably heard about Illinois State Senator Donne Trotter’s little run-in with the TSA at O’Hare on Wednesday. Seems the Democrat and state senate appropriations committee chairman he was trying to board a plane for D.C. when a .25 caliber gun and loaded magazine turned up in his bag (would you want to spend much time in D.C. unarmed?). Anyway, while having an announced candidate for Jesse Jackson Jr.’s now vacant US House seat caught in America’s most ungunfriendly city with, yes, a gun tickles our schadenfreude bone something fierce, Trotter’s not the string-up-the-gun-nuts kind of Illinois pol everyone assumes him to be . . .
No, we have it on good authority from someone who’s plugged into the Illinois gun rights scene that despite his state and party affiliation, Trotter is actually pro-gun. Now usually, in a rights-free zone like Illinois (come to think of it, there really isn’t another rights-free zone quite like Illinois) “pro-gun” could mean someone who won’t go as far as advocating outright confiscation. But in Trotter’s case, he could be considered pro-2A in most other jurisdictions.
Not that it was always thus. Back in 1995 he voted against concealed carry in the state. But things have a funny way of changing. Especially when your district is redrawn to include parts of rural Illinois outside the Chicago kleptosphere.
So now that he represents more than just the south side, Trotter actually voted against Governor Pat Quinn’s “amendatory veto” last week that would have created a new Prairie State assault weapons ban. And as our friend confirms, he’s indicated that if a concealed carry bill were to come up again for a vote, he’d support it.
Does that make it OK that he showed up at an airport group grope station with a mouse gun in his bag? Nope. But no matter what the TSA thinks, we’d feel just fine sitting next to Donne on a plane if he was packing. So the Senator’s made a hash of his campaign to take over Jackson’s House seat. But his gun wasn’t registered in the city and if anti-gun state’s attorney Anita Alvarez has her way, he’ll spend one to three in the hoosegow for this.
So don’t confuse him with some of the more egregious gungrabbers in the Land of Lincoln. Call us when Rahm or attorney Alvarez is caught packing heat. In the mean time, how about decriminalizing the Second Amendment in Illinois?
“if anti-gun state’s attorney Anita Alvarez has her way, he’ll spend one to three in the hoosegow for this”
— She will probably do her best to put him out of the way.
“Back in 1995 he voted against concealed carry in the state. But things have a funny way of changing. Especially when your district is redrawn to include parts of rural Illinois outside the Chicago kleptosphere.”
— Back in 1995, I was younger, living in anti-gun San Francisco, knew little about gun issues and rights, and was liberal-minded. Back then, I was against the rights of private citizens to own handguns. I changed.
Aharon says:
“Back in 1995, I was younger, living in anti-gun San Francisco, knew little about gun issues and rights, and was liberal-minded. Back then, I was against the rights of private citizens to own handguns. I changed.”
Yep, that sounds about right for this forum. A couple of years ago you didn’t not only know squat about guns but were against them. Now you’re an expert! How exactly? Oh yeah, through reading posts on the Internet and taking courses from other losers that can’t do anything productive so they teach to idiots like you that believe what they say. Oh yes, let’s not forget gaming! You’re all expert gamers! Let’s review a game again on a gun site! That makes sense. Idiots. Oh, please say OMG! again like a little girls. What a bunch of jokers! I bet not 10 of you have ever been in a fire fight and 9 of those have just peed your pants and not even fired your weapon effectively.
I’ve been around you type a lot unfortunately and I know when the shit hits the fan you cave, nearly every time.
Please, do regale us with tales of your heroic gun fights. Or just piss off and quit trolling.
Where in the hell did you get that from a decent post by Aharon? You need some meds.
Troll much?
Why are you here?
This is one of the most hysterical reply comments that I have ever received in all my long years of posting extensive Internet comments. Stick around Jeremiah you are a hoot.
To respond to your comments towards me:
1) I have never claimed to be an expert abut guns.
2) I have tried gaming though I’m not into it so no I am not a gamer.
3) Fortunately, I have not been in a fire fight (not even on the Internet) so I have not had the opportunity to piss in my pants in one.
Have you taken your meds today?
Funny, when someone calls you guys on your shit, he’s immediately branded a troll. I thought his observations were right on. I know – that makes me a troll too.
Yes, guy, you’re a troll of the worst kind. You have nothing valid to say, you can’t be bothered with facts and apparently you don’t even live in this country. And somehow, in your own strange mind, it’s ok for you to tell other people what rights they should or should not be able to exercise… If you don’t like guns, fine, don’t buy / carry any, your CHOICE. But when it comes to the rest of us, we CHOOSE to own guns, legally. I realize it’s hard for you to understand that gun owners are responsible people and the last thing they want is to have to use a gun in a defensive situation, but that’s the truth. I feel sorry for you guy, you and your dementia.
Sure Mr. P., and if I wanted to go shopping in that mall in Oregon yesterday. Is it still none of my business what you guys do. Yes, I said you guys, because like most shooting rampages, he was one of you.
That’s ridiculous. But revealing.
And your point is…. what exactly? Not everyone grew up around guns, in a gun-friendly community. Many of us were not exposed to anything gun-related until later in life. At some point some people realize that big government is a problem, not a solution, and so they switch sides. What’s wrong with that? I can only give Aharon credit for admitting this and now being on our side. As for you, Jerry…you need to relax buddy.
I don’t think he is as pro gun as you think: “And more recently, in 2007, Trotter voted “yes” on a bill that banned large-capacity magazines.” Per http://www.guns.com/pro-gun-control-chicago-politician-gun-plane-11573.html. Now, if he changed between then and now, I can believe it but I don’t know for sure.
At best he’s a fence sitter.
“he’s indicated that if a concealed carry bill were to come up again for a vote, he’d support it.”
Talk is cheap. His voting record indicates otherwise. If he really were pro-gun he’d author legislation to allow CCW in Illinois.
He’s one of you. If we’re going to divide things up, it would be gun owners and non gun owners. Among you gun owners there are many hidden criminals and some of them are hypocrites too.
He’s yours, suck it up.
His choice of a .25 shows he doesn’t know much about guns.
^amen^
The other aspect of this whole situation: he has a “tan card”, given to private security personnel. Basically the ONLY people to conceal carry in Illinois besides full-blown law enforcement (and Chicago alderman, of course.) He doesn’t REALLY work a security job, so questions about cronyism and political favors abound. Ironically, having a tan card excuses him from the Chicago gun registration laws. Go figure.
Emily Miller should interview him, that would be interesting.
Going to jail over a .25ACP mouse gun would just be embarrassing. I might take the first plea deal offered so I could put the shame behind me ASAP.
I could imagine a scrawny, short guy sitting between 2 tall muscular guys when one of them asks
“What you in for?”
“Conceal Carry of a .25. What about you?”
“Triple homicide and armed robbery”
.25 ACP ain’t exactly a death ray, but if you’re legally (I think, guess, whatever) packing in anti-gun Chicago, concealment is probably the name of the game for legal folk. Better the gun you have, but the less attention, the better.
If your a Left Wing P*ssy a 25 is your Go To Gun
In Chicago or DC. A 25 is better than no gun. Even a 22 is better than no gun.
A .22 is better than a .25. More deadly by every index of cartridge lethality. A .22 magnum is better yet. There isn’t anything between a .22 and .380 that’s worth carrying.
.25 seems to be the better bet to me. Centerfire cartridge, so more reliable than any rimfire. Negligible difference in straight up power, according to Wikipedia. .25 costs more than .22, but what doesn’t?
A Pro gun rep from Chicago. no thats a first.
I was interested to read this post, because the original version I read on ammoland.com had no mention of any of the potential pro-gun leanings of this guy.
“… how about decriminalizing the Second Amendment in Illinois?”
OMG! OMG!!! What are you, some kind of crazed gun-nut right-wing radical? If you decriminalize the 2nd Amendment in Illinois, there will be BLOOD IN THE STREETS in Chicago!!!
Oh wait, there is already blood in the streets in Chicago – one of the most anti-gun cities in America, with one of the highest murder rates in America. Huh, can’t figure that out.
Are you telling me that with all their bans and restrictions, Chicago is NOT a crime-free oasis? Inconceivable!!!
From the article: come to think of it, there really isn’t another rights-free zone quite like Illinois
Comment: Based on the reports of anti-gun laws in the states NJ, NY, and CA make them worse than Illinois, but Illinois laws still need correction to uphold the US Constitution. For example, the state of Illinois requires registration of the gun owners, the FOID card, but NJ requires registration of the guns too and requires permits before purchasing the guns.
Comments are closed.