In early August, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state’s prohibition on what is commonly referred to as “assault weapons.” This prohibition is enforced under the Protect Illinois Communities Act, which not only forbids the possession and sale of these firearms but also mandates their registration by owners. (If necessary, click the above title to continue.)
The Illinois State Police (ISP) has announced that registration forms will be available by October, allowing individuals to register firearms classified as "assault weapons" by the state that they possessed before the law’s enactment. However, this development is causing dissent among legitimate gun owners.
According to the ISP, individuals who legally owned an "assault weapon" before January 10, 2023, may retain ownership as long as they submit an affidavit of ownership to the ISP. To be signed under oath, these affidavits must be submitted before January 1, 2024. The ISP has set October 1 as the date when these forms will become available.
This law does little to improve public safety and serves primarily to criminalize law-abiding gun owners who refuse to register their weapons. Most of those who resist believe this law is an unconstitutional infringement of their federal Second Amendment rights. Some will refuse to register, believing that registration is little more than a precursor to gun seizure by government authorities, as has often been the case historically.
The Bill of Rights protects all Americans from government excesses, but progressives are slowly eroding these rights in the name of social justice and safety using the approach of "soft totalitarianism." Democrats continually seek to chip away at our right to personal protection that the Second Amendment offers.
Republicans believe that American citizens must be able to protect themselves from oppressive governments, foreign and domestic. Republicans further believe that the Second Amendment was written to protect citizens from tyranny, not merely to ensure hunting rights.
Keep in mind that the euphemistically named Protect Illinois Communities Act was brought to you by the Democrats of Illinois - the same party that supports abortion on demand and is now responsible for the deaths of over 50,000 children in the womb each year in the Land of Lincoln. The number of deaths by “assault weapons” pales in comparison.
Our great country is slowly being driven into totalitarianism by the progressive Left. Patriots must constantly be alert for threats against our constitutionally guaranteed rights to preserve our freedoms and defend ourselves from oppressive government. Keep this in mind the next time you vote.