Chatsworth, IL -(AmmoLand.com)- Today is the official first day of Autumn, which also means the days until the 2016 Presidential Election are dwindling to a precious few.
There are only 47 days left, to be exact. On Monday, September 26th, the first Presidential Debate will take place, for better or worse, and we will know more next Tuesday. The pundits and arm-chair-quarterbacks will have a field day.
The recent attack in the Crossroads Mall shows the value of armed and trained people carrying in public. The mall was posted as a “Gun Free Zone”. Fortunately, Jason Falconer carried anyway. Mr. Falconer is an off duty policeman but was not in his jurisdiction. Mr. Falconer is also a firearms instructor and competitive shooter and never lost his “cool” under attack. His actions saved other people from being injured and possibly murdered. What if an armed citizen like Jason Falconer wasn’t there but you and your family were? It’s not a very happy prospect.
This incident reinforces the fact that the only person who can stop an attack is the intended victim. Of course, if the intended victim isn’t armed and trained, they simply become the victim. If that happens and you are lucky, you can take a number in the Emergency Room. If you are not so lucky, they will give you a toe tag in the morgue. How about your spouse, friend or child? How would you like to see them wearing a toe tag?
If you have been following the news, there have been hundreds of knife attacks throughout the world. It is becoming the terrorist weapon of choice and it never runs out of ammunition. It also means the attacker has to get close to you by reducing your time to react, so you must heighten your awareness. Moreover, knives made out of nonferrous material are harder to detect. A few years ago, in China, there was a knife attack by one person, in a school that killed 23, so don’t poo-poo the idea.
The bomber or bombers in New York and New Jersey and the knife attacker in Minnesota have once again been called “lone wolves”. The “lone wolf” term, I believe, is used to desensitize the American public into thinking these are random acts. I disagree. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of sleeper cells designed to both self-activate or activate on cue, from in or outside the country, a really tough problem.
While we are justifiably worried about terrorists slipping in the country embedded in refugee and immigration populations, we are also seeing second and third generations from previous refugee surges radicalizing. If we allow these people in, whether they are vetted or not, we are asking for trouble. It is only a matter of time.
The Illinois State Rifle Association is now affiliated with the United States Concealed Carry Association. The ISRA is the first statewide organization to be affiliated with the USCCA. The USCCA provides a wide variety of insurance and other coverages for concealed carry license holders. To view the plans and coverages, go to www.isra.org and click on the United States Concealed Carry Association link (under External Links) on the bottom of the page. I am a member of the USCCA and carry their insurance.
Illinois has finally broken the 200,000 mark for ICCL’s, 201,617 to be exact.
Thanks for being a member.
Upcoming events at the ISRA Range:
Check our website for more information on these events!
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September 24, 2016
- AR-15 Rifle – Basic Intro & Techniques
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September 24 & 25, 2016
- MTG Advanced Tactical Pistol
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September 25, 2016
- Handgun Drills I
- Springfield Armory Pistol Match
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October 1, 2016
- Women On Target Shotgun Clinic
Check out ISRA’s website at www.isra.org! Tell us what you think!
Follow the ISRA on Twitter and Facebook. Give the gift of an ISRA membership. Not an ISRA Member? Join Today!
About Illinois State Rifle Association:
The ISRA is the state’s leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.
For more information, visit: www.isra.org.