Posted 17 January 2012 - 09:26 AM
We all need to convince our family and friends to join our event this year. With CCW so close to becoming law in Illinois this year is perhaps the most important IGOLD rally ever. Politicians understand numbers. We must overwhelm the anti-CCW legislators by marching 10,000+ to the capital building in Springfield this year. All firearm owners must step up whether you are a rifle, shotgun, or pistol person. This is a battle for our 2nd Amendment rights in Illinois. If you think the anti-gun people want to stop their efforts at just handguns and not go after ALL GUNS you are ignorant of the legislation that has and will be brought up for consideration in both the Illinois and federal levels. They will go after your hunting grounds, magazine capacity, ammunition taxes and many other items that can limit your rights. My suggestion to those of us that truly care and are involved in this fight, is to spread the word to those friends of yours (and I have them too) that love their target pistol or rifle, their 12 guage shotgun they take out pheasant hunting, their $1,000 skeet gun, that just won't get off their hind ends and help support our cause. I'm disappointed at the people who will not even to a simple thing like call their Representative and Senator to inform them to vote yes when HB148 next comes up for a vote. I understand some people just can't get off work for IGOLD, I also know that thousands are expecting the rest of us to fight the battle for them, and I will do that. In talking to people at gun shows in Wheaton and Kane County, I would guess 50% don't even know what IGOLD is. Lack of advertising is our fault. We have to find more and better ways to get the word out. I wear my IGOLD hat and IGOLD sticker as many times as I can when I'm out. I place posters at businesses and make announcements at meetings I attent for the ISRA. I hope we all put in an extra effort this year to increase our attendance. I've expanded my responsibilities for our gun rights this year. Along with being the Chairman of the Friends of NRA chapter in Joliet, and bus captain for the Joliet IGOLD bus, I've also been elected as a Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association. This year's IGOLD will be the best, but I want it to be known as the IGOLD that swayed the legislators to vote yes for HB148. Let's show the politicians that we are strong in numbers, we are determined, and we are going to stop untill we get what we want. I enjoy a good fight......but I love a victory!
Lee Groharing
NRA Instructor Pistol
NRA Instructor PPOTH
NRA Instructor PPITH
NRA Range Safety Officer
IL Licensed Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor
IL Certified CCW Instructor
UT Certificed CCW Instructor