IGOLD - Illinois gun owners

[mack]

This coming wednesday March the 14th is IGOLD - Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day - come to the capital in Springfield on that day starting at 12:30pm and ending at 7:30pm - meet at the Howlett buildning. See ISRA website for details. Take the day off or call in sick if you have to, but be there if you care about your right to own a gun. Also call and write your senator and representative.

Right now we don't have the votes to stop this and we need everyone to get on the stick right now.

No excuses, I know that if this passes and I hear some gun owner complaining about it, then I will ask them if they were in Springfield on the 14th. If they say no then I will tell them to stop complaining because obviously it wasn't that important to them when it counted.

We need the biggest showing that they have ever seen for anything in Springfield and we need to melt their phone lines and overflow their incoming mail boxes.

Contact every family member and gun owner you know starting right now and get them to call, write, and go with you to Springfield. If you have reasonably behaved kids, take them out of school and give them a first hand civics lesson.

 

[mack]

Day after tomorrow - Weds - check ISRA for legislative updates - lots of other bans and restrictions in the works.

 

[Soybomb]

I wish I could attend, a huge thanks to all of you that are able to make it. I'll be stepping up my phone calls and letters to try to make up for it.

 

[Don Gwinn]

I can't be there during the day; we have to do our high-stakes testing for the state this week. I will be there for the reception in the afternoon/evening. Look for the shaved ape with the red beard.

I hope I'll meet some High Roaders there!

 

[sctman800]

I will see you there, I will be going on the Champaign bus, I will be the old biker with white hair and beard. Jim.

 

[Anotherguy]

I'll be there too. Enough is too much.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Well . . . . I don't know what will happen today yet, but it looks like I won't make it to IGOLD. My wife woke me up a few minutes ago; her water broke. She hasn't had any contractions yet, but the book says they'll start in 12 to 24 hours after that happens. The baby WAS due on April 1st, so this isn't totally unexpected, but honestly I had myself convinced that I had a little more time.

You guys have fun now! I'll only be a few blocks away . . . at Memorial Hospital.

(Uh, if I forgot to mention it, my wife is pregnant. About 8.5 months. We were told the due date meant up to two weeks before or two weeks after, and this is a little over two weeks before, so I shouldn't be surprised. But we were supposed to go to a baby shower on Saturday!)

Wish me luck, and I'll wish you all luck.

 

[Jeff White]

Don,
Good luck today.

I won't be able to make it to IGOLD. I had a jury trial scheduled for an arrest I made back in December for the 5th, it got changed to a bench trial on the 14th. If it gets continued or the defendant pleads early enough for me to make it to Springfield I'll drive up. But it's not looking good.

Jeff

 

[lee n. field]

About 8.5 months.

That number is kind of vague and approximate anyway. They come when they come.

May it all go well. Now go take care of the wife.

 

[jcb]

A coworker and I are taking off at lunch time and driving down, so I'll be there. This is just to important to miss.

 

[M110]

I'm leaving for Springfield within the hour.


Good luck Don!!

 

[Grayrider]

My thanks to any of you that go. Last I spoke to my boss he was headed that way. I live in Missouri, but I hope for the best for all of you and not just because I work for DSA.

John

 

[arson equity]

In Chicago, sorry I can't go, thanks to those of you who are.

 

[Jeff White]

I got out of court about 30 minutes ago. Too late to drive up unfortunately. Someone post an after action review.....

Jeff

 

[M110]

About 1200 of us showed up, they had to run us threw the auditorium in 3 groups. There were iGOLD buttoned, and t-shirted people EVERYWHERE!

My reps were in committee, but I dropped of the notes they gave us to use. Chatted with the receptionist a bit then went and sat in on some committee meetings.

Was totally a good day. Didnt stay for the reception though long drive back.

 

[Grayrider]

My boss said everyone he really needed to talk to (read anti-gunners) were "busy" for some reason.



Typical politicians.

John

 

[mack]

As has been mentioned there were an estimated 1,200 or more that showed up. I was running a little late - had to walk about a mile to get there from metered parking since I drove down. Saw Sen Rutherford, he met with us and a group of us thanked him for his support. Representative Sommer was out in a meeting so we left him cards, he is also pro-gun. Went to the governors office and he of course wasn't in town - but left him a letter anyway - also left letters for Sen Pres - Jones and House Speaker - Madigan.

It was a good turn out from previous years - and the leadership did not expect but maybe 500. The IGOLD yellow t-shirts went fast - had a chance to buy one of the last of the bunch, but was in a hurry to get into the meeting - as it turned out I needn't have hurried as I was just part of group two of three groups to go through the auditorium. I enjoyed the metal detectors immensely - so much fun when one is a smoker and gets to go in and out a few extra times.

I think we had a good showing and we must have exceeded the expectations game as far as turn out went since the other side is trying to spin it as if the numbers were just due to gun manufacturers just paying to load up buses - I don't think that will wash much since people were all visiting their senators and representatives. But you know you must have made at least some impression if the other side feels like they have to attack it.

At the reception, it was packed, a few represenatives showed up and looked at a display of some of the guns and gun accessories that would be banned and that could lead to felony arrests under the bills, (SB16 and HB873). Also discussed other bills.

I hope we made some headway, but I have to say that I am not personally optimistic about it. The ISRA leadership and NRA rep are just saying that it will be a tough road and that we have to work hard - all true - but no one is talking victory or even talking vote totals yet - also when talking with the Senator yesterday - I got the feeling that he sees us going down on this gun control legislation - his talk sounded more like a man preparing his constituents for bad news than for a possible victory.

Anyway, it was a nice day - great weather, good turn out, got our message out. I will be writing more letters today - newspapers and legislators. Thanks for all of you who turned out - if you didn't make it yesterday then do some penance today and write a letter or two and call your senator/representative/president of the senate/speaker of the House and let them know where you stand - (in a non-threatening way), and make a solemn oath to make it next year. Those of you who made it celebrate today by writing and calling you legislators and or local paper.

One exception - Don G - take care of your wife and baby first of course - I pray everything will go or went well.

God Bless.

 

[Don Gwinn]

I'm calling and writing letters and letting them know that the only thing that kept me away was the birth of my son. That's not strictly true, but I think professional politicians can be expected to understand the occasional white lie. The bottom line is that I'm watching what they do, and I'm a lot happier with Hannig than I am with Demuzio, but I'm open to be convinced if she does the right thing.

It sounds like a great event!

Sean Michael Gwinn was born at 5:30 p.m. He is 20 inches long and weighs 6 pounds, 12 ounces. I predict great things for him.

 

[Autolycus]

Congratulations Don Gwinn.

 

[M110]

CONGRATZ DON!


Mmmm late night feedings.........dont miss those

 

[Grayrider]

Congratulations! There is nothing better than being a father. My son is my best buddy, and he is already following in my footsteps as a sportsman. Perhaps the only five year old in the nation that can clean a FAL.



John

 

[mack]

Congrats Dad, Mom, and Son.

 

[NukemJim]

Perhaps the only five year old in the nation that can clean a FAL.

Now that's a way to get my gun cleaned that I had not thought of!

Congratulations to all fathers, especially those who teach their offspring ( of all sexes of course) to shoot.

Now to switch to a more serious subject, did anyone get a "reading" from their visits from their reps/senators about the chances of the various bills ?

NukemJim

 

[scout26]

Congrats Don and Mrs. Gwinn !!!!

I spoke with both my Rep (Mike Fortner- R 95th) and Sen (Randall Hultgren - R 48th). Both, of course, are on our side. Mike did not have a feel for the prospects of any bill, basically because he's a freshman. Randy on the other hand did not think that anything bad would pass, but things would be very, very close. I also left a note for Rep. Brandon Phelps D-118th thanking him for his support and being willing to defy his party leaders. I think it's important to let the Downstate Democrats know that we both need and appericate their support.

I came down on the "Bus from Hell" (aka the Aurora bus). Didn't meet any THRer's but next year at the reception, I think I'll put up a sign "THR" to rally/meet all of my fellow THRers. It was good to see all the gold T-shirts and buttons roaming the Capitol and Stratton Buildings, while we had approx 1200 people there (or one tenth of 1% of Illinois Gun owners), next year we need more. I'll be bringing my daughter next year. I would have brought her this year, it's a great Civics lesson, except that she had a project/ presentation at school that day).

Hopefully a message was sent, and received.

 

[Gudis]

I wish I could have been there, I thank all of you that were.