PSA from the IL State Rifle Assn

[Onward Allusion]

Got this PSA/propaganda/fund-raiser today 'cause I'm still on the mailing list. Interesting that places like Navy Pier are being targeted. Very bad for tourism (not that I ever venture into that crappy city). So, heads-up boys and girls if you decide to do your vacation there...

I think the issue of flash-mobs had been discussed before. I think this could start a new discussion as to what measures one can take to avoid this situation, hence, I am posting here...


ISRA Alert:
WARNING – AVOID CHICAGO AS A VACATION DESTINATION


The ISRA is warning its members to think twice about selecting Chicago as a vacation destination this summer. This warning was issued in response to a recent dramatic upswing in violent crime in the windy city. Most notably is a spate of so-called “flash mob” attacks where as many as two dozen young men ambush and savagely beat their victims before robbing them of their valuables. One recent flash mob victim was a 68 year-old man.

The bulk of the flash mob attacks have taken place on Chicago’s near north side and Gold Coast areas to include North Avenue Beach and the Magnificent Mile. The attack locations are within the general vicinity of tourist attractions including Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Zoo, and Millennium Park.

Thus far, the Chicago Police Department has had little luck controlling these flash mobs with only 4 participants having been apprehended. This ability to confound the police stems from the very nature of flash mobbing. Participants either get a text message on their smart phone or receive a “tweet” on a social networking site telling them where to show up and how to behave – with the specified behavior usually involving larceny or assault. Flash mob participants arrive at the site at a particular time and, after committing the specified crimes, scatter before police can arrive. The sheer number of flash mob participants overpowers the victims – rendering them helpless against the mob.

As most of our readers know, the most effective defense a victim could muster against a flash mob would be for the victim to draw a concealed firearm. As most of our readers also know, Illinois is one of only two states in the nation that deny citizens the right to carry defensive firearms.

The ISRA supported House Bill 148 in the most recent legislative session. Under the provisions of HB148, qualified citizens would be permitted to carry defensive firearms to protect themselves and their families from the type of violent crimes perpetrated by flash mobs. Ironically, it was the Chicago delegation of legislators that arranged for the defeat of HB148 when the bill came up for a vote.

Through their baseless opposition to legislation such as HB148, the Chicago delegation has provided flash mobs and other criminals the upper hand. As we have seen in recent days, Chicago’s criminal element is taking full advantage of having the upper hand. There is no reason to believe that there will be a happy ending to the flash mobs’ reign of terror. Nobody should be surprised that, before the summer is over, a flash mob has engaged in a gang-rape or even a murder of an innocent civilian.

Again, the ISRA is urging readers to reconsider plans to vacation in Chicago this summer. Indications are that vacationing in Chicago will place readers and their families at high risk of being victimized by violent criminals – including flash mobs. This risk is heightened greatly because law-abiding citizens cannot carry firearms to protect themselves from violent criminals.

PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING:

1. Pass this alert along to all your friends and family members.

2. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you belong.

3. Please contact your state representative and state senator and politely inform them that you are a law-abiding citizen who wants a bill such as HB148 to be passed and signed into law so that you may protect yourself. If you do not know who your representative and senator are, follow this link: http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByZip.aspx.

4. Please make a generous donation to the ISRA so that we may continue the fight to pass concealed carry and defeat legislation pushed by the gun control movement that would destroy your right to keep and bear arms. To learn more about making a donation to the ISRA, visit this link: Make a donation.

 

[Deanimator]

WARNING – AVOID CHICAGO AS A [strike]VACATION[/strike] DESTINATION.

There, fixed that for you.

Chicago has everything that a normal, decent human being DOESN'T want:

• mindless violence by children raised by other children to be animals
• corrupt government
• corrupt police
• corrupt population
• all-against-all racial, ethnic and religious hatred

Look at the newspaper and TV comments sections for these stories. They UNIFORMLY look like the neo-Nazi National Alliance and the New Black Panther Party in a meth fueled shouting match. Apparently, depending upon which side with which you line up either, the actual robberies and beatings aren't wrong, it's the "excessive, racist" bail, OR robberies and beatings themselves aren't bad, they ONLY become bad when Black people do it. That reflects the underlying philosophy at work in Chicago.

And what's the "solution" to all of this? Make sure that people can't defend themselves from predators on the streets.

If you don't live in Chicago, your best defense is simply not to go and to encourage others to do likewise.

 

[CVA-66]

WARNING – AVOID CHICAGO AS A VACATION DESTINATION.

You got that right. Chicago is the only place where I've been shot at. I now live in a shall issue state. I hate the idea of not legally being able to return fire.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Just read that there were two more "flash-mob" incidents over there. Like I'd said over at TFL - this is something very unexpected where most people would be surprised because it's around a bunch of people in broad daylight. Just gotta fight free and do what you have to - be it spray, stab, shoot, or run. The problem with trying to run is that like a pack of animals, they will only give chase.

 

[Deanimator]

I seem to remember people in the past declaring, "Just stay out of 'dangerous areas' and you'll be just fine." People who know Chicago knew that was a lie years ago.

Apparently Oak Street Beach, North Avenue Beach, Northwestern University and CTA buses are now classified as "dangerous areas".

It's all a con game, first by Daley and Weis and now by Emmanuel and the New Jerseyite.

The truth is that there aren't ANY "safe" places in Chicago anymore... if there ever were.

The safest part of Chicago is I-57 headed for Indiana.

 

[MisterMike]

I seem to remember people in the past declaring, "Just stay out of 'dangerous areas' and you'll be just fine." People who know Chicago knew that was a lie years ago.

I see that you live in the 'burbs of Cleveland. You do realize that Cleveland has a higher rate of violent crime than Chicago, don't you?

These "flash mob" crimes have gotten a lot of media attention in the past couple of weeks and the ISRA is hoping to capitalize on that, particularly since the Chicago pols are always behind anti-gun efforts in Illinois. But, there's probably not much happening that's really out of the ordinary for the city . . . or any metro area. This is not an unheard of approach to theft: get together a bunch of creeps, pick out a lone individual or a couple of guys who you outnumber, and thump on them. In some of the situations, it's clear that a lack of awareness on the part of the victims helped the perps identify them as good targets.

I disagree with most of your points, but do agree with one--this sort of thing happens regularly in the city's poorer neighborhoods. The media get interested when it happens in the areas where it's an anomoly (and the unspoken theme of a bunch of black guys beating up on a lone white guy also captures audience), but they ignore the many times when this happens in the parts of Chicago where crime is ubiquitous.

One thing I'm sure we agree on is this: If Chicagoans were permitted to defend themselves by carrying firearms, this sort of crime would dwindle quickly--the creeps who commit these crimes are pretty cowardly, relying on ganging up on their victims. If the odds were evened, they'd think twice.

 

[Deanimator]

I see that you live in the 'burbs of Cleveland. You do realize that Cleveland has a higher rate of violent crime than Chicago, don't you?

You do realize that I was raised in Chicago and must unfortunately go there once or twice a year. I don't for one SECOND believe ANY official pronouncement of Daley OR the Chicago PD.

Even Chicago cops admit that Daley and the Chicago PD have been cooking the books for YEARS to falsely lower crime rates. Or do you REALLY believe that the beach was closed because of the "heat"? Yeah, that's plausible. I mean it's not as though a beach has a large body of cooler than air temperature water next to it, in which people could immerse themselves in order to avoid heat injuries. It couldn't POSSIBLY have had ANYTHING to do with large groups of roving hoodlums, intimidating, robbing and beating the public, COULD it? They should rename "Taste of Chicago" to "Taste of Gang Violence".

There's been a decades long pattern of covering up the REAL magnitude of crime in Chicago. The media's not afraid of Emmanuel the way they were afraid of Daley. The truth is coming out.

As I said, the best protection in Chicago is to be OUTSIDE of Chicago heading to Indiana or Wisconsin. And that's pretty much your ONLY option.

 

[Onward Allusion]

as i said, the best protection in chicago is to be outside of chicago heading to indiana or wisconsin. And that's pretty much your only option.

+1,000,000

 

[Deanimator]

These attacks are just going to continue and to escalate until people start getting killed.

The political "leadership" in Chicago either supports (and is sometimes in league with) the perpetrators, or is afraid of the the former. NONE of them cares about the welfare of ANYBODY who cannot provide them with either money or political favors.

The Chicago Police Department is understaffed, wildly unsupervised, and in utter chaos. It takes its marching orders from City Hall, with considerable input from those who support and often fraternize with the element committing these crimes. If everything else touched by Daley is collapsing in rot, why would anyone think the CPD would be the LONE counter-example? The Chicago PD is simply INCAPABLE of controlling this activity.

One of my favorite movies (and movie soundtracks) is "The Warriors". Chicago is now in the position that New York would have been if the character "Cyrus" had NOT been assassinated and all of the gangs had united to rule the city.

In Chicago, the police will not or cannot protect you, and you simply are not PERMITTED to protect yourself in any effective way.

There are NO safe places in Chicago anymore (aside from the space immediately surrounding Daley, Emmanuel and Alderman Ed Burke).

• Avoid Chicago completely.
• If you cannot avoid Chicago, avoid large public gatherings with large crowds from which gangs can coalesce and back into which they can disperse.
• Avoid public transportation.
• Avoid displaying property of more than trivial value in public.
• Do not expect the police to "protect" you.

If you belong to an organization which books out of town conferences, make sure that you let them know that you don't want to subject yourself to this level of danger and that there are MANY other venues to choose from.

 

[Birdmang]

Thanks for the scaremongering. I was fine last night. I was fine this morning. I am fine now.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Birdmang
Thanks for the scaremongering. I was fine last night. I was fine this morning. I am fine now.

It isn't scaremongering if it is the truth. Count yourself lucky if you live in Chicago and still have not been touched by evil or petty crime. I'm not going to bash the City's people so I will move back to STT.

Avoiding large crowds is a very good suggestion not only because crowds allow the gang to perform fast hit-and-runs. In any situation, large crowds provide distraction which kills situational awareness. How many set of eyes do you have?

I personally think that it is safer in a quieter setting with fewer people around even if it is in a less attractive part of town. At least you can see 'em coming and take actions before you're unable to act effectively.

 

[Deanimator]

Avoiding large crowds is a very good suggestion not only because crowds allow the gang to perform fast hit-and-runs. In any situation, large crowds provide distraction which kills situational awareness. How many set of eyes do you have?

MOST of the recent attacks have involved crowded areas, such as beaches and crowded streets with unlimited freedom of movement. Of course some of the previous attacks have involved crowds in limited access areas, such as the "Taste of Chicago" event and Navy Pier.

Likewise, avoid places with VERY limited freedom of movement, such as buses and trains. If 4-5 people jump you on a bus in Chicago, NOBODY is going to come to your aid, including the driver. Like one of the recent victims, you can be hemmed in and a bottle broken over your head.

I personally think that it is safer in a quieter setting with fewer people around even if it is in a less attractive part of town. At least you can see 'em coming and take actions before you're unable to act effectively.

I try not to go ANYWHERE in Chicago anymore, other than restaurants and bookstores, and I try to avoid the restaurants due to the insane parking fees.

My cousin tries to get me to wander all over the near North Side of Chicago on foot when I'm there for my annual Christmas visit, but I think that's pretty much done. She's EXTREMELY religious, in a "touchy-feely" sort of way and cannot be counted on to do what's necessary in a dangerous situation. If I can't drive some place without paying for parking, I'm just not interested in going. I won't be doing a lot of walking around, especially after dark. I'm not giving anything up to anybody, so that means I'll go down swinging a heavy belt buckle and trying to take as many of them as possible with me.

Better to avoid the problem entirely. I'll spend most of my time in suburban chain bookstores and my mother's condo.

 

[Birdmang]

Its always safe in your mother's arms.

All this city bashing from people who aren't there, and just read/hear/see it on the news?

This happens every year. It gets warm, people go outside, crime goes up. It doesn't stop me and 90% of the people from having a good time and feeling safe.

I don't like Daley, Rahm or the new police guy. The CPD has their hands tied with staffing at an alarmingly low rate, not their fault.

Its a great city with millions of things to do, awesome spots to relax at and restaurants. Brilliant history and architecture. I just touched the tip of it.

I've been roaming the streets on a bmx bike since I was 14 years old, I'm talking back of the yards to rogers park. I stay out of Humbolt park and near west side. I'm alive, never been mugged/jumped/punched/murdered. I don't carry a gun.

THE SKY IS FALLING WATCH OUT.

Thats all this is.

 

[Deanimator]

Its always safe in your mother's arms.

Have you asked Cailey Anthony about that?

I grew up in Chicago. The truth is that Chicago has always been a dangerous place and is getting more dangerous. Through a combination of its own deficits and the utter corruption and incompetence of city government, the Chicago PD is completely unequipped to deal with the problem.

You have EVERY right to depend upon luck to keep you safe. You have NO "right" for it to actually DO so.

That's not a game I plan to play. There's nothing in Chicago worth risking my Android phone for, never mind my life.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Situational awareness is always a good thing.

Snark, however, leads to dead threads.

Exercise big boy rules, please. Thanks for the warning, OP, sorry about the outcome.

lpl