Finally, there is a very real chance that the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Act will be declared unconstitutional and struck down by the state Supreme Court.
This antiquated law is no longer required. There are enough background check procedures for firearm purchases. The FOID law is a violation of our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. That amendment does not stipulate that Illinois residents must complete and submit an application to own a firearm or ammunition and pay a fee for the “privilege.”
Question: Do Chicago gang members apply for FOID cards to legally own their weapons? Of course not. Do they buy ammunition at licensed gun shops? Of course not. They would have to show a FOID card.
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But not having a FOID card doesn’t seem to prevent gang members from possessing weapons and ammunition. FOID is just a money grab by the State.
It’s time to be rid of the FOID requirement in Illinois, putting our state in line with other states that don’t require such a card. If the Illinois State Supreme Court does not strike down the FOID requirement, I hope the U.S. Supreme Court will.
Chris Berney, Schaumburg
Who says Chicago wants to dump the Drive?
At Wednesday’s Chicago City Council meeting, the most bogus argument made for renaming Lake Shore Drive for Jean Baptiste Point DuSable is that this is “the will of the people.” I seriously doubt that if Chicagoans were to actually vote on this issue, even 25% of them would favor the name change.
Among the arguments against changing the road’s name are the high costs and inconveniences involved in doing so. Addresses for homes and businesses along the Drive would have to be changed. Maps would have to be revised. Streets signs would have to be replaced. The costs would be in the millions.
Why should the Chicago City Council, with a history of corruption second only to that of New York’s old Tammany Hall, be allowed to make a change that a clear majority of Chicagoans probably don’t want to make?
How about setting a serious precedent here? Let the people decide.
Tom Sharp, Balmoral
Fix Chicago’s real problems
Chicago, the city that shirks? With all Chicago’s problems, why is the City Council considering spending $2.5 million to change the name of Lake Shore Drive? Dozens of people are shot each weekend, and this is what we do? Really? That $2.5 million could feed a lot of people. It could be used to buy back a lot of guns. It could do real good.
Fix Chicago’s real problems, please.
Bradford L. Meinecke, Logan Square
