Gun Owners Rally at Illinois Statehouse as Democrats Push Unconstitutional Gun Bills
Hundreds of gun owners marched through Springfield streets to the Illinois Capitol on Wednesday to press their case against new gun regulations being proposed by Democratic lawmakers.
The rally began with Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day at a convention center before demonstrators proceeded to the statehouse. Republican legislators who had been in session left the floor to address the crowd outside.
State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, told the assembled group that free people do not ask permission to stay free.
Government becomes more and more powerful every day when good citizens comply with things that are unconstitutional, and when they defy our constitutional rights, we will not comply, Wilhour said to the crowd.
Other Republicans said the fight for freedom never ends. State Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, said the measures being proposed by Democrats do not go after criminals, they target legal gun owners.
They are coming for your guns, Elik said. It seems like an annual occurrence. The Democrats pass an unconstitutional gun bill. The governor signs it. The taxpayers have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars litigating it. And it goes to the Supreme Court.
Elik said they will fight them every step of the way.
Several bills being proposed at the statehouse include one to ban certain semi-automatic handguns that can be converted to full-auto. Supporters of that measure say it is meant to nudge the gun industry toward making firearms that can not be easily converted.
Another measure would charge a fee to gun sellers and manufacturers. Supporters say they are working to bring down the rate of gun violence and raise revenue for violence prevention efforts.
Legislators are in session until May 31.