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Oak Park Firearm Regulation Forum - Public Safety Issue


GarandCollector

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Surprise surprise....crime is down 8% in Oak Park. Where is all the "blood in the streets" "wild west" type gunfights we kept hearing about? Whats that? Not a single case since the handgun ban was repealed? Something MUST be wrong...

 

 

http://triblocal.com...ts-39-year-low/

 

On Thursday, Oak Park said 1,757 incidents were reported in 2011. This is down from 1,904 in 2010.

 

The year with the highest number of reported crime incidents in the last 40 years was 4,258 in 1988, according to information provided by police.

 

Let's see, the highest number of crimes was reported in 1988, 4 years AFTER the ban was passed. Now, they have the LOWEST number of incidents in 39 years happens one year AFTER the ban is ended?? Are they totally incapable of rational thought?? Or are they just plain stupid??

 

 

Typical anti gunners mind: Guns=Bad, Pro-Gun People=Terrorists, Big Government=Good Criminals=Misunderstood Taxes=Good

 

I swear I hear people like the guy sited in the article above or Jan Schakowsky speak and its like they live in a totally different dimension than me. I can understand where a lot of people on the other side of the political spectrum from me come from, my in laws included but when you get out on the die hard anti gun fringe they just take off into bizzaro world with their logic.

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Email from Illinois State Rifle Association

 

URGENT ALERT – GUN GRABBERS UP TO SOME NEW TRICKS – YOUR ATTENTION NEEDED

 

Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the 2nd Amendment guarantees your right to keep and bear arms, anti-gun politicians have been working hard to come up with a way to take your guns away without running afoul of the Heller and McDonald decisions.

 

Well, it looks like the gun-grabbers are about to launch a whole new attack on your right to keep and bear arms. The objective of this new attack is to make firearm ownership too expensive and too impractical for most people through the use of taxes, registration schemes, and storage requirements.

 

THE TEST BED FOR THIS NEW ATTACK ON YOUR GUN RIGHTS I OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

 

On Tuesday, 24 January 2012, the Oak Park Village Council will be holding a public information seminar on regulatory proposals designed to discourage private firearm ownership. Many gun-rights advocates believe that the Oak Park regulations are a blueprint for state-wide laws that the gun control movement hopes to pass in 2013.

 

IF GUN OWNERS DO NOT STAND UP NOW, THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS WILL BE REGULATED OUT OF EXISTENCE IN 2013.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS:

 

1) Attend the Oak Park meeting and stand up for your rights. The meeting will be held at the Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM, but you should be there by about 6:30 to make sure you get a seat. Be sure to wear your IGOLD shirts and hats.

 

2) Pass this alert along to all your gun owning friends and family.

 

3) Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you subscribe.

 

PLEASE BE IN OAK PARK ON JANUARY 24TH!!! IF YOU DON'T STOP THE GUN CONTROLLERS, WHO WILL?

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State gun group riles up members for Oak Park forum

 

Rifle association asks supporters to show up to fight 'attack on your gun rights'

 

Friday, January 20th, 2012 4:46 PM

 

By Marty Stempniak

 

Staff Reporter

 

 

The Illinois State Rifle Association appears to be trying to stir up a firestorm ahead of an Oak Park gun forum next week.

 

The gun group emailed, tweeted and posted on its Facebook page an "urgent alert," asking supporters to show up for the Jan. 24 focus group at village hall. In it, the rifle association says the "gun-grabbers" in Oak Park are trying to "launch a whole new attack on your right to keep and bear arms," starting next week.

 

Oak Park's Board of Health, a citizen advisory panel, is gathering input from residents on guns, after the village's decades-long handgun ban was struck down by the Supreme Court in mid-2010, and a gun store recently opened on Roosevelt.

 

Following the June 2010 ruling, Oak Park tweaked its handgun ban, allowing people to carry firearms in their place of business or home, while still prohibiting assault weapons.

 

The health board has other suggestions on how to regulate guns, such as starting a handgun registry, holding safety courses and requiring owners to securely store their handguns. Oak Park may also explore zoning regulations related to gun stores.

 

The rifle association, according to the announcement, is worried that whatever Oak Park comes up with might end up becoming a "blueprint" for "state-wide laws that the gun control movement hopes to pass in 2013."

 

Village Manager Tom Barwin, a former police officer, called claims made in the announcement "inaccurate." He hopes next week's forum can elevate the discussion, and not just turn it into a shouting match between both sides.

 

"We're trying to get it off of this pitched, emotional, Second Amendment, right-to-bear-arms fight. We're beyond that," he said. "We're talking about public safety, reasonable educational information, reasonable restrictions that I think every responsible gun owner is for.

 

"Nobody wants to see somebody's spinal cord severed through accidental gun injury, or see another child taken down because of a stray bullet. We've got to sort of reboot this whole issue here, which is what we're trying to do here in our little laboratory of democracy."

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"We're trying to get it off of this pitched, emotional, Second Amendment, right-to-bear-arms fight. We're beyond that," he said. "We're talking about public safety, reasonable educational information, reasonable restrictions that I think every responsible gun owner is for.

 

"Nobody wants to see somebody's spinal cord severed through accidental gun injury, or see another child taken down because of a stray bullet. We've got to sort of reboot this whole issue here, which is what we're trying to do here in our little laboratory of democracy."

 

They're trying to get off of this emotional fight, he says... followed by an emotional plea about severed spinal cords and child deaths.

 

And according to him, we're "beyond" the whole "Second Amendment, right-to-bear-arms fight"... but he's actively engaged in a ploy to restrict the citizens' right to bear arms, in violation of the 2nd Amendment. That's the opposite of "beyond."

 

I'd say the citizens of Oak Park are right, smack dab, in the middle of a fight to preserve their right to bear arms.

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And according to him, we're "beyond" the whole "Second Amendment, right-to-bear-arms fight"... but he's actively engaged in a ploy to restrict the citizens' right to bear arms, in violation of the 2nd Amendment. That's the opposite of "beyond."

 

 

Yes. He wants to get "beyond" it by ignoring it wholesale. And just stomping on rights, as is evidently his favorite pasttime.

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FWIW: I "know" Margo somewhat. I always felt she had an anti-gun bias; but not a rabid one as this indicates. However, it is my impression that Oak Park has a very top down approach to policy so she may be just following directives from above. Either way, I'm disappointed. That meeting would be a great opportunity to present the Harvard study plus others and to point out the stats you've already mentioned.
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The Chicago Tribune published that information about the ISRA informing members of the meeting.

 

I'd expect there are going to be some media representatives there this evening.

 

Trib link

 

Oak Park is looking at possible new firearm regulations, and that has piqued the interest of the Illinois State Rifle Association.

 

Oak Park's Board of Health on Tuesday night will hold a forum that will focus on the future sale and possession of firearms. The forum will "ultimately lead to a recommendation to the Village Board for possible action," a notice from the village said.

 

The meeting comes more than a year after a Supreme Court decision gutted a local handgun ban and in the wake of the recent opening of a gun shop in the western suburb.

 

The state rifle association is rallying members to show up.

 

"We're making sure Second Amendment rights aren't breached," association Executive Director Richard Pearson said. "We'll be there."

 

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I hope that we see people from the NRA there as well as ISRA. This is probably going to be the opening salvo in the "next big gun fight". If this whole "public health" angle catches on here, it won't be long before other places inside and outside of Illinois try the same thing. Just like with the handgun ban. Regardless of what the people say, I am sure the end reccomendation is going to be for some kind of restrictions of gun sales/ownership.
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Oak Park meeting highlights handgun safety, use and control

 

By Bridget Doyle

 

Tribune Reporter

 

9:23 p.m. CST, January 24, 2012

Oak Parkresidents, officials and members of the Illinois State Rifle Association from around the state met Tuesday night to weigh in on issues related to handgun safety, use and control in the village.

The meeting, conducted by the village’s Board of Health, came more than a year after aU.S. Supreme Courtdecision gutted a local handgun ban and a few weeks after the opening of a gun shop on Roosevelt Road in the western suburb.

 

Members of the Illinois State Rifle Association arrived in gold hats, T-shirts and other identifying clothing and were directed by village staff to sit in the back.

 

Village Manager Tom Barwin gave a brief background on the village’s history with firearm laws, touching on Oak Park’s April 1984 handgun ban and the July 2010 invalidation of the village’s ban following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding Second Amendment rights.

 

“Tonight is a forum to hear from Oak Parkers (and the) ideas, suggestions and thoughts in light of the McDonald case and the invalidation of the Oak Park handgun ban,” Barwin said. “What, if anything, should the board consider in order for Oak Park to stay the safe and nurturing community it has been…It’s quite clear firearms, violence, accidents and crimes are costly to our village in a myriad of ways.”

 

Barwin said the bottom line is to get all sides on the issue together in one room to come up with strategies and ideas.

 

“This is so we can do all we can collectively to make sure children aren’t taken down by stray bullets,” Barwin said Monday. “That could mean solutions like education efforts or training efforts. We’re not trying to do any interpretation of the Second Amendment. We’re just coming together to minimize the proliferation of firearms ending up in the wrong hands.”

 

Oak Park residents were invited to sit in the front rows and speak first during public comment. Residents spoke on both sides of the issue, all greeted with nods and murmurs from the audience.

 

Oak Park resident Dan Dittmer said he, his wife and children regularly face crime and violence in their neighborhood, and often work with police during and after crimes in their area. Dittmer said he owns a firearm, but has never found the need to use it.

 

“In each case -- escalation into violence -- I had in my possession options to protect my family when every second counted and my friends, the police, were minutes away,” Dittmer said. “Public safety is responsible, capable adult citizens in an encouraged cooperative.”

 

Michael Podolak, an Oak Park resident, said he has a long family history of gun use and ownership, but has seen first-hand how powerful they are when in the wrong hands.

 

“I feel strongly about people being educated,” Podolak said. “Not everyone is responsible. People become complacent. People become frustrated. That weapon, whatever it is --- handgun, rifle, shotgun --- was designed for one purpose long ago. Please think about that.”

 

Jim Kelly, an Oak Park resident who said he lives near a new gun shop on Roosevelt, said he’s aware the village can’t prohibit the sales of guns, but would like to see stricter zoning ordinances on where gun shops can be located.

 

“We should create a zoning code to position firearm sales away from parks, schools, playgrounds and daycare centers,” Kelly said. “That’s a safety measure that must be in place.”

 

Oak Park resident Edward Ferraro said he would like to see the public health department focus more on controlling gangs than controlling guns.

 

The Illinois State Rifle Association had sent a message to members via Facebook urging them to attend the meeting.

 

“There’s been no crime wave since taken over since the handgun ban was lifted. There’s actually been a decrease in crime,” Illinois State Rifle Association Vice President Mike Weisman said.

 

Berwyn resident Justin Delafuente recently applied for a business license to open Windy City Firearms on Roosevelt Road.

 

Village Clerk Teresa Powell said the gun shop opened last month and primarily conducts Internet-based sales.

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Asked Fire marshal; attendee headcount was 125 with a room capacity of 204. Also Otis McDonald showed up a bit late. He sat and watched, He made no comments. Suntimes reporter recognized him afterwords and asked him a few questions so we might see something in the times tomorrow.

Mike Weisman from ISRA was 1 of 2 non residents that were allowed to give comment before the meeting was adjourned.

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I was proud of all of us, but most especially of the Oak Park gun owners who had the brass to stand up and be counted.

 

Otis was proud too.

Mike you hit the nail on the head! If guns are the problem and more gun laws are needed - then why has crime in Oak Park DECREASED since their law was struck down??? They can't explain THAT - CAN THEY?? No. Because their GUN LAWS are the problem! Not the guns themselves.

 

Thank you, Mike - and all those that attended.

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This is like "wheres waldo" Look carefully very carefully. This is in the lobby of Oak parks city hall. :whistle:

 

post-1699-132746667716.jpg

 

Oak Park resident and one of the original gun owners that objected to the first ban. My memory fails on his name, but He did very nicely with his 3 minutes of comment

 

post-1699-132746671205.jpg

 

Mike W and his normal charming self.

post-1699-132746673615.jpg

 

Suntimes reporter interviewing Otis.

post-1699-132746679219.jpg

 

A meeting of the minds after the event.

post-1699-132746689382.jpg

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Members of the Illinois State Rifle Association arrived in gold hats, T-shirts and other identifying clothing and were directed by village staff to sit in the back.

Did anyone here who was in attendance actually hear that?

 

When I got there with my son they had the front couple of rows reserved for the residents that were going to give their opinion that pretty much left the back 2 rows for everyone to sit in. So it looked like everyone not giving an opinion was sitting in the back not just ISRA. But I am not saying that didn't happen. I have to say I was surprised at the pro gun turnout at the meeting

 

Larry

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One of the news articles stated of those speaking, the balance ran 15-7 as pro-gun. In OAK PARK! Folks,I do believe, we are witnessing plummeting temperatures in Hades!!

 

But we will need to stay on top of this when the committee delivers its "findings" to the whole council.

 

GREAT job everyone!

 

Those are very good numbers but I am pretty sure that some kind of new repressive gun laws are a forgone conclusion. I will say this, the strong pro gun showing will at best IMO temper just how far Oak Park thinks it can go while standing up to a lawsuit. It really goes to show you even in the capitol of the anti-gun territories of Illinois the majority is against "new" gun control measures.

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Big crowd for Oak Park gun forum

 

Comments skewed toward gun-rights side at Tuesday night meeting

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 2:58 PM

 

By Marty Stempniak

 

Staff Reporter

 

 

A large crowd loaded into Oak Park Village Hall Tuesday night to talk gun regulations. And while there were a few grumbles from the packed council chambers, attendees mostly kept their emotions holstered.

 

The Oak Park Board of Health, a citizen advisory panel to the village board, held the forum last night to gather input on how the community should regulate guns in the future. The forum followed in the wake of a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that struck down Oak Park's decades-long handgun ban and the recent opening of a gun store on Roosevelt Road.

 

Village Manager Tom Barwin, himself a former police officer, kicked off the discussion, urging speakers not to turn the forum into a shouting match over the right to bear arms. Rather, he wanted ideas on how Oak Park should react to the 2010 ruling.

 

"It's quite clear that firearm violence, accidents and crimes are very costly to our society in myriad ways," Barwin said. "Medical responses, rehabilitation from debilitating injury, loss of life, police and court costs, incarceration all add up to monumental costs. From the board's perspective, firearm safety is clearly an important public health issue."

 

Twenty-two people spoke at Tuesday night's forum, more than half of whom seemed to lean toward the gun rights, anti-regulation side. Mike Weisman, the vice president of the Illinois State Rifle Association, called it "contrived" to treat guns as a public health matter.

 

He pointed to the fact that Oak Park crime was the lowest it's been in 39 years in 2011, the first full year without the handgun ban since the 1980s. He said criminals are the problem, not legal gun owners.

 

"This issue is contrived and it's theater," Weisman said. "It's a need to do something because they lost the handgun ban. ... There's crime and there's bloodshed and there's heartache, and it doesn't come from honest, law-abiding people that want a chance to defend themselves."

 

Doug Hills, himself a gun owner, said he agrees that Oak Park should try to keep its streets safe, but gun regulations would be "very difficult to swallow." He and other gun owners said classes on gun use would be a more apt way to keep people safe, though it wouldn't benefit a knowledgeable firearm owner like himself, he added.

 

"It's about how do we protect our freedom as Americans to protect ourselves in our own homes, and what you guys come up with, I don't think, is really going to make us any more safe," Hills said.

 

On the other side, Alice Norris said Oak Park needs to come up with some type of guidelines to regulate guns. Her 14-year-old daughter was struck by a bullet in a drive-by shooting and tallied tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills before eventually dying.

 

"The blood is crying out from the ground for us to do something about it," Norris said. "Not you, not me, but all of us, and you have a responsibility. Remember that you work for society. You're supposed to take care of us. You're supposed to be here for us and we're supposed to be safe. Didn't my daughter have a right to live?"

 

Reshma Desai thinks Oak Park should require owners to store guns separately from ammunition and to keep them locked up. Local police could do "spot checks" at homes and issue fines to make sure people are complying, she said, which elicited grumbles from the pro-gun crowd.

 

She also emphasized the need for educating children about the dangers of gun use, similar to the way Oak Park treats drugs and alcohol. Having a gun in the home increases the chance of someone committing suicide, Desai said, and the village needs to pay special attention to people with mental health problems.

 

"If we're going to have guns in Oak Park, which it sounds like we already do, then we need to have some very simple ways of educating children what to do when they see a gun," Desai said.

 

The health board is expected to compile the input from the forum to present to the village board in the coming months, according to Margaret Provost-Fyfe, head of the health department.

 

Back in 2010, the health board came up with a list of possible ways that Oak Park could respond in the event that the ban was overturned. Ideas included starting a handgun registry, holding safety courses and requiring owners to securely store their handguns.

 

Oak Park may explore zoning regulations related to gun stores, too, an idea suggested by a couple of attendees who are upset that a gun store just opened a few blocks from Irving Elementary School.

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