NRA dials up heat on gun ban
Chicago's law in group's sights
By Ray Long and Christi Parsons
Tribune staff reporters
February 3, 2005
SPRINGFIELD -- Fresh off its success at poking holes in a Wilmette handgun ban, the National Rifle Association has launched a new legislative drive to dismantle strong gun prohibitions in Chicago and test Gov. Rod Blagojevich's wavering commitment to broader gun control.
Taking direct aim at Mayor Richard Daley's hard-line stance against the proliferation of guns, the NRA package of state legislation would allow residents of Chicago and other communities that ban handgun ownership to legally keep the weapons in their homes for self-defense purposes. It also would hold Chicago and other places with bans liable for injuries that residents claimed could have been avoided had they been allowed to carry handguns.
The new aggressive approach by the powerful gun lobby will put pressure on Blagojevich to have more personal involvement in the gun-control debate as he prepares to deliver his annual State of the State message Thursday. Blagojevich aggressively pushed anti-gun measures while he was in Congress, but that caused him trouble with Downstate voters as a candidate for governor and he has largely sidestepped the issue since.
As governor, he has not pushed far-reaching gun control as a major plank in his agenda, though an aide said Wednesday that Blagojevich will "enthusiastically support" a package of anti-gun measures proposed by Daley.
On Thursday, however, Blagojevich is expected to highlight a high-profile drive he launched before Christmas to crack down on the sale of violent video games to minors.
Blagojevich has given verbal support to Daley-backed gun-control measures in the past, but has not forcefully lobbied for their passage. Among measures pushed by Daley this year are ones that would ban the sale of assault weapons and restrict handgun purchases to one a month.
The NRA's counter-strategy is decidedly anti-Chicago.
The gun-rights group was emboldened by last year's passage in the Democrat-controlled legislature of the so-called Wilmette bill, inspired by the case of a resident of the North Shore suburb who shot an intruder in his home and was then charged with violating a local handgun ban.
The legislation created a loophole in handgun bans by allowing someone like the Wilmette man to claim self-defense as they fight such charges in court. Blagojevich vetoed the bill, but lawmakers overrode that action this year and the measure became law
"With the situation in Wilmette last year, there was a change in the tone of the debate," said Todd Vandermyde, an NRA lobbyist. "Look at the votes we put on those bills. There were huge majorities."
This year's NRA package would punch a big hole in local handgun bans by creating an exception for residents who say they are keeping the weapons in their homes for self-defense.
It would also allow people to sue municipalities with gun bans for injuries suffered as a result of a crime that they say could have been prevented had they been allowed to carry a gun.
Another NRA measure would strip Chicago aldermen of the right to carry guns as long as the city continues to ban gun ownership by everyone else.
Debate on many issues in Springfield divides along party lines, but gun control is one that tends to split along a geographic rather than partisan line.
"There's a lot of fear in southern Illinois that politicians upstate don't have the same respect for the 2nd Amendment that we do," said Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion), a sponsor of some of the NRA measures. "Perhaps it's because they don't grow up in the same environment that we do in terms of firearm ownership being used in a responsible and productive manner. So it's really a cultural difference."
Supporters of the mayor's proposals say the NRA-backed bills are dangerous.
"It's unfortunate the NRA is actively looking to erode the gun-safety laws in the state of Illinois at a time when there is continued gun violence in our state," said Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago).
In other action, Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), who has been a vocal advocate for civil rights and racial sensitivity, said he planned to increase pressure on the University of Illinois to eliminate Chief Illiniwek, the longtime school mascot who dances in Native American dress at university sporting events.
But pressed on how he planned to accomplish something other critics of the chief have tried to do for years, Jones resorted to a joke that seemed to reinforce the kind of stereotype he was complaining about.
"I'm going to scalp him," Jones said.
Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune
Chicago's law in group's sights
By Ray Long and Christi Parsons
Tribune staff reporters
February 3, 2005
SPRINGFIELD -- Fresh off its success at poking holes in a Wilmette handgun ban, the National Rifle Association has launched a new legislative drive to dismantle strong gun prohibitions in Chicago and test Gov. Rod Blagojevich's wavering commitment to broader gun control.
Taking direct aim at Mayor Richard Daley's hard-line stance against the proliferation of guns, the NRA package of state legislation would allow residents of Chicago and other communities that ban handgun ownership to legally keep the weapons in their homes for self-defense purposes. It also would hold Chicago and other places with bans liable for injuries that residents claimed could have been avoided had they been allowed to carry handguns.
The new aggressive approach by the powerful gun lobby will put pressure on Blagojevich to have more personal involvement in the gun-control debate as he prepares to deliver his annual State of the State message Thursday. Blagojevich aggressively pushed anti-gun measures while he was in Congress, but that caused him trouble with Downstate voters as a candidate for governor and he has largely sidestepped the issue since.
As governor, he has not pushed far-reaching gun control as a major plank in his agenda, though an aide said Wednesday that Blagojevich will "enthusiastically support" a package of anti-gun measures proposed by Daley.
On Thursday, however, Blagojevich is expected to highlight a high-profile drive he launched before Christmas to crack down on the sale of violent video games to minors.
Blagojevich has given verbal support to Daley-backed gun-control measures in the past, but has not forcefully lobbied for their passage. Among measures pushed by Daley this year are ones that would ban the sale of assault weapons and restrict handgun purchases to one a month.
The NRA's counter-strategy is decidedly anti-Chicago.
The gun-rights group was emboldened by last year's passage in the Democrat-controlled legislature of the so-called Wilmette bill, inspired by the case of a resident of the North Shore suburb who shot an intruder in his home and was then charged with violating a local handgun ban.
The legislation created a loophole in handgun bans by allowing someone like the Wilmette man to claim self-defense as they fight such charges in court. Blagojevich vetoed the bill, but lawmakers overrode that action this year and the measure became law
"With the situation in Wilmette last year, there was a change in the tone of the debate," said Todd Vandermyde, an NRA lobbyist. "Look at the votes we put on those bills. There were huge majorities."
This year's NRA package would punch a big hole in local handgun bans by creating an exception for residents who say they are keeping the weapons in their homes for self-defense.
It would also allow people to sue municipalities with gun bans for injuries suffered as a result of a crime that they say could have been prevented had they been allowed to carry a gun.
Another NRA measure would strip Chicago aldermen of the right to carry guns as long as the city continues to ban gun ownership by everyone else.
Debate on many issues in Springfield divides along party lines, but gun control is one that tends to split along a geographic rather than partisan line.
"There's a lot of fear in southern Illinois that politicians upstate don't have the same respect for the 2nd Amendment that we do," said Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion), a sponsor of some of the NRA measures. "Perhaps it's because they don't grow up in the same environment that we do in terms of firearm ownership being used in a responsible and productive manner. So it's really a cultural difference."
Supporters of the mayor's proposals say the NRA-backed bills are dangerous.
"It's unfortunate the NRA is actively looking to erode the gun-safety laws in the state of Illinois at a time when there is continued gun violence in our state," said Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago).
In other action, Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), who has been a vocal advocate for civil rights and racial sensitivity, said he planned to increase pressure on the University of Illinois to eliminate Chief Illiniwek, the longtime school mascot who dances in Native American dress at university sporting events.
But pressed on how he planned to accomplish something other critics of the chief have tried to do for years, Jones resorted to a joke that seemed to reinforce the kind of stereotype he was complaining about.
"I'm going to scalp him," Jones said.
Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune
The ball is now rolling in the other direction, let's see how far it will go. 
