Molly B. Posted March 15, 2011 at 03:41 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 03:41 AM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_2JwRo5K4o Valinda Rowe, well known Second Amendment activist, testified at a recent Illinois House committee hearing for House Bill 148, a bill which creates a legal provision for the carrying of a firearm for personal protection. If passed, it would bring Illinois in line with 49 other states which already have some form of carry law in effect. HB 148 is sponsored by Representative Brandon Phelps, Harrisburg Democrat representing the 118 District. Ms. Rowe testified on behalf of Mary Shepard, a Union County woman who was severely injured when a recently paroled felon attacked her and a co-worker in an Anna, IL church. Ms. Shepard, 71, and her co-worker, an 84 year old woman, were assaulted, beaten, kicked by the man who was a 6 foot 3, 245 lb. man. After beating the two women, he stomped them in the head, neck, and face then left them for dead in the church. Ms. Rowe relayed to the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee Mary’s belief that the incident did not have to happen to the two women. Prior to the attack, Ms. Shepard had successfully completed five different firearm training courses including Personal Protection Outside the Home. She had also qualified for and had been issued two separate licenses to carry a firearm and those licenses are honored in over 31 states. However, carrying a loaded firearm by a citizen is considered a felony in the state of Illinois when not on one’s own property. Ms. Shepard’s urged the committee to pass the Right to Carry bill out of committee and on to floor of the House for a fair debate and vote. Right to carry legislation has been introduced before in the Illinois General Assembly with little movement or hope of having enough votes to pass but this time around the measure is gaining some very surprising support. In recent years the Illinois State Sheriff’s Association, after long standing opposition, has moved to support the issue. The Illinois Chiefs of Police past president, Eric Smith, testified the association of chiefs, after years of opposing right to carry legislation, have now moved to a position of neutral and went on to say their legislative committee will be taking a closer look at the exact language of the bill and he fully expects the association to move to support HB148 at that time. A surprise witness in support of the bill was the representative of the Chicago Police Department Sergeants Union. It has long been held that the City of Chicago opposes any right to carry bill. It is highly irregular for a law enforcement group in Chicago to choose to go against the position held by the city and proponents of the bill say this is indicative of a shift toward moving the legislation forward. Also testifying in support of the bill were Otis McDonald and Colleen Lawson, successful plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case against the Chicago handgun ban; Madison County State's Attorney Thomas D. Gibbons, National Rifle Association lobbyist Todd Vandermyde, Tazewell and Fulton County sheriffs. Among those testifying in opposition to the bill was Mark Walsh, campaign director for the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and Chicago police Deputy Superintendent Steve Peterson. HB148 passed the committee 12-2. Reps. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, and Kelly Burke, D-Evergreen Park, were the only dissenting votes.
pyre400 Posted March 15, 2011 at 03:54 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 03:54 AM If that does not compel someone to support RTC, I dont know what will.
Elderberry Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:10 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:10 AM Powerful message... I hope every legislator understands how easily that could have been their mother, wife, sister, or daughter in that incident...
TTIN Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:11 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:11 AM I would hope that every congressman/woman has seen this video.
bhannah Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:28 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:28 AM This is a very sad, scary and maddening story.This should have never happened to this or any other woman.The NRA should be backing this woman in a court of law suing the State Of Illinois for having her right to defend herself in accordance with the Second Amendment denied.
HDghostrider Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:37 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 04:37 AM Here is another video example,, a older one but still revelent(sp?)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCegKb55AGI
Gary Posted March 15, 2011 at 07:16 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 07:16 AM Will churches be a gun free zone if we get CCW?
3ddiver Posted March 15, 2011 at 11:35 AM Posted March 15, 2011 at 11:35 AM Sadly as the bill stands last time I saw it a Church would still be a gun free zone. I know we have to start somewhere but it seems most states they are still a gun free zone.
rott Posted March 15, 2011 at 01:31 PM Posted March 15, 2011 at 01:31 PM Does anyone know if the bill allows for carry in a church IF one gets the approval of their pastor?
TTIN Posted March 15, 2011 at 01:36 PM Posted March 15, 2011 at 01:36 PM Does anyone know if the bill allows for carry in a church IF one gets the approval of their pastor? I would think churches would be private property.AND,what about separation of church and state?
junglebob Posted March 15, 2011 at 01:58 PM Posted March 15, 2011 at 01:58 PM Sadly as the bill stands last time I saw it a Church would still be a gun free zone. I know we have to start somewhere but it seems most states they are still a gun free zone. You are wrong when referring to the states that surround Illinois. As I mentioned in the topic Illinois Shall Issue Right-to-Carry Legislation a Possibility in 2011, if we follow the wisdom of the majority of the states surrounding Illinois it should be allowed. It is in Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota. In Missouri and Michigan with consent. You can open carry in Wisconsin in church, not on the list of open carry prohibited places, if they have a school no. Arkansas does prohibit church carry. So we will be the odd state, along with Arkansas if there is prohibition. This bill may change too by the time its voted on, if Ms. Shepard testifies before the legislature do you think there might not be a provision added for church carry?
Sigma Posted March 15, 2011 at 02:43 PM Posted March 15, 2011 at 02:43 PM I wish we could put the money together to run this as an ad on tv in chicago
USArmyRet Posted March 15, 2011 at 02:49 PM Posted March 15, 2011 at 02:49 PM IMO....Illinois is more responsibile for this crime than the punk who did it and should have been held accountable.
3ddiver Posted March 16, 2011 at 01:41 AM Posted March 16, 2011 at 01:41 AM Sadly as the bill stands last time I saw it a Church would still be a gun free zone. I know we have to start somewhere but it seems most states they are still a gun free zone. You are wrong when referring to the states that surround Illinois. As I mentioned in the topic Illinois Shall Issue Righ-to-Carry Legislation a Possibility in 2011, if we follow the wisdom of the majority of the states surrounding Illinois it should be allowed. It is in Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota. In Missouri and Michigan with conscent. You can open carry in Wisconsin in church, not on the list of open carry prohibited places, if they have a school no. Arkansas does prohibit church carry. So we will be the odd state, along with Arkansas if there is prohibition. This bill may change too by the time its voted on, if Ms. Shepard testifies before the legislature do you think there might not be a provision added for church carry? I did not realize that all of these states it was allowed in. I guess I havent kept up
junglebob Posted March 16, 2011 at 01:51 PM Posted March 16, 2011 at 01:51 PM Sadly as the bill stands last time I saw it a Church would still be a gun free zone. I know we have to start somewhere but it seems most states they are still a gun free zone. You are wrong when referring to the states that surround Illinois. As I mentioned in the topic Illinois Shall Issue Righ-to-Carry Legislation a Possibility in 2011, if we follow the wisdom of the majority of the states surrounding Illinois it should be allowed. It is in Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota. In Missouri and Michigan with consent. You can open carry in Wisconsin in church, not on the list of open carry prohibited places, if they have a school no. Arkansas does prohibit church carry. So we will be the odd state, along with Arkansas if there is prohibition. This bill may change too by the time its voted on, if Ms. Shepard testifies before the legislature do you think there might not be a provision added for church carry? I did not realize that all of these states it was allowed in. I guess I havent kept up Another state where church carry is allowed with permission is Ohio. Some other states I know of that allow it are Arizona,Pa, North Carolina, Florida and Vermont. There are probably others I haven't checked out every states off limits places. Gun laws aren't always what you'd expect. Example, Texas in the "Wild West" doesn't allow church carry or open carry. Wisconsin apparently does allow open carry and church carry if open carried. Also in Indiana you could open carry in church with a LTC. Some of the states mentioned may allow churches to put up "no carry allowed signs" , as other property owners,making them off limits.
Molly B. Posted March 17, 2011 at 02:18 AM Author Posted March 17, 2011 at 02:18 AM Anna woman speaks out on beating, concealed weapons Mary's video is getting some attention from the media.She was interviewed today by KFVS12 in Cape Girardeau. She's a gutsy woman. I am proud to know her.
Drylok Posted March 17, 2011 at 02:26 AM Posted March 17, 2011 at 02:26 AM I wish Richard Daley or Harry Osterman had the courage to look her in the eye and tell her she doesn't deserve the right to carry. I'm glad she's going to be ok and she looks great! Bless your heart Mary we're sorry we didn't have right to carry in time for you!
illinisnare Posted March 18, 2011 at 01:42 AM Posted March 18, 2011 at 01:42 AM Molly, That is an incredibly powerful video. Would it be possible to obtain the photo of her injuries from you? It may be useful when communicating to a certain legislator who hasn't been friendly to carry.
Howard Roark Posted March 18, 2011 at 02:00 AM Posted March 18, 2011 at 02:00 AM Powerful video. And I am reminded of prominent anti-gunners who acknowledge that some women will be brutally attacked as a result of banning carrying of guns, but who are ok with sacrificing a few women to allegedly protect the many. Well wishes to Mary in her continued recovery. Here's Anita:
vstar Posted March 18, 2011 at 02:49 AM Posted March 18, 2011 at 02:49 AM Powerful video. And I am reminded of prominent anti-gunners who acknowledge that some women will be brutally attacked as a result of banning carrying of guns, but who are ok with sacrificing a few women to allegedly protect the many. Well wishes to Mary in her continued recovery. Here's Anita: I've never seen that video before of Anita Alvarez. That is absolutely unbelievable!
Federal Farmer Posted March 21, 2011 at 05:10 PM Posted March 21, 2011 at 05:10 PM Here's my take on it. The opening sentence reads funny to me: Mary Shepard had the training to carry, and if necessary use, a firearm in self-defense, having already successfully completed five firearms training courses, including the NRA's Personal Protection Outside the Home course.
45superman Posted March 21, 2011 at 06:01 PM Posted March 21, 2011 at 06:01 PM The opening sentence reads funny to me: Mary Shepard had the training to carry, and if necessary use, a firearm in self-defense, having already successfully completed five firearms training courses, including the NRA's Personal Protection Outside the Home course. Well, my rugged handsomeness isn't the only reason people don't mistake me for the second coming of Ernest Hemingway--he did partially make up for that by being a bit better with the written word. That sentence was also not one of my best.
Molly B. Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:08 PM Author Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:08 PM The opening sentence reads funny to me: Mary Shepard had the training to carry, and if necessary use, a firearm in self-defense, having already successfully completed five firearms training courses, including the NRA's Personal Protection Outside the Home course. Well, my rugged handsomeness isn't the only reason people don't mistake me for the second coming of Ernest Hemingway--he did partially make up for that by being a bit better with the written word. That sentence was also not one of my best.You guys crack me up! It's all in there - how's this? Mary Shepard, having already successfully completed five firearms training courses including the NRA's Personal Protection Outside the Home course, had the training to carry and, if necessary, use a firearm in self-defense. But it's not the attention grabber that 45 started with . . .
45superman Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:13 PM Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:13 PM Yours is good Molly, but I've already changed it to something that's at least a bit better than what I started with: Mary Shepard had the training to carry a firearm for her personal security, having already successfully completed five firearms training courses, including the NRA's Personal Protection Outside the Home course.
Molly B. Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:16 PM Author Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:16 PM Yours is good Molly, but I've already changed it to something that's at least a bit better than what I started with: Mary Shepard had the training to carry a firearm for her personal security, having already successfully completed five firearms training courses, including the NRA's Personal Protection Outside the Home course.Yours is BEST!
Federal Farmer Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:28 PM Posted March 21, 2011 at 07:28 PM Check out Colleen's latest facebook note...a mother asking her legislators how she can protect her kids after yet another one faced an armed robber at the local 7-11 last night. I can't link it from work. Colleen's FB Post Linked by Abolt. David, let me know if that's not OK. Great post.
Federal Farmer Posted March 21, 2011 at 10:51 PM Posted March 21, 2011 at 10:51 PM Check out Colleen's latest facebook note...a mother asking her legislators how she can protect her kids after yet another one faced an armed robber at the local 7-11 last night. I can't link it from work. Colleen's FB Post Linked by Abolt. David, let me know if that's not OK. Great post. Great, thanks. I'm going to post in another thread for those (neanderthals) without Facebook.
pyre400 Posted March 22, 2011 at 02:10 AM Posted March 22, 2011 at 02:10 AM Check out Colleen's latest facebook note...a mother asking her legislators how she can protect her kids after yet another one faced an armed robber at the local 7-11 last night. I can't link it from work. Colleen's FB Post Linked by Abolt. David, let me know if that's not OK. Great post. Great, thanks. I'm going to post in another thread for those (neanderthals) without Facebook. Hey, Not cool! http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6855/facebookoa.jpg
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