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McHenry County Right To Carry Association

2012
The Association Officers for 2012

President : David Roberts

Vice-President : Lawrence Weaver

Treasurer : Stephanie Wawrzyniak

 Secretary : Jean Adams

 Co-Sergent at Arms : Rick Pere and Allen Scott

Happy New Year to all members of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association

The new year has begun and the holidays are behind us. It is our hope that 2012 will be a great year for our organization in terms growth and achieving our goal of bringing the right to carry to the state of Illinois.  We have a lot of work to do this year and we will be gearing up quickly so here are some quick updates.

Our Organization:
#1
Our next meeting is January 12 at the Woodstock VFW 240 North Throop Street in Woodstock, Illinois and it is an important meeting and I encourage as many members to attend as possible.We will begin the meeting at 7:00pm and end promptly at 8:30pm. The first most important item will be the election of new officers. It is important to keep the organization fresh and vital and with that is the belief that the leadership should stand for election every two years. This gives everyone in the group an opportunity to provide energy and leadership to our cause. So on January 12, 2012 we will seek nominations and cast ballots for the roles of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Any member in good standing may seek nomination and address the group regarding their plans and aspirations should they be elected.

#2
The group will need to decide if we are once again going to sponsor a bus to the Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day in Springfield(IGOLD). We have gone for two straight years and this year will likely be very important to the outcome in Springfield and our right to carry. We will be choosing an IGOLD chairperson to head up the event. This has been a fun event and we have shared the bus with our good friends in the McHenry County Sportsman's Association. IGOLD will take place on Wednesday March 7, 2012. Mark that day on your calendar.  If we are taking a bus we need to begin the process asap!

#3.
It is time to refresh and rebuild our webpage and we need to find a motivated individual that can place some dedicated effort into creating content and working with our webmaster to get our page into a current state. If you like to write and have an interest in this important job please come to the meeting or get in touch with me by email at mcr2ca@gmail.com. The organization has grown too large (a good thing!) for any one individual to keep all of the pieces moving so finding the right person for this role will be key.

#4
Be sure to visit our Facebook page. You can find us by entering MCR2CA in the search box. This is a place to have real time conversation about County and State issues. So log on and join the fun. Of course be sure to remember that what is posted in cyberspace stays in cyberspace so lets be sure to keep our conversations respectful and positive. We have a great reputation in the County and State so lets keep it that way.

#5 Our new project at gaining support of the women in McHenry county and beyond is off to a great start thanks to the core team headed by Sally Wiggins. The progress the team is making in a short time is nothing less than astounding so I encourage you to attend and find out what is going on. Women will be the key in our success. In the last week alone the national press have reported two women who defended not just themselve but the lives of their children from attack. Illinois women deserve that same right. Now is the time for women to demand that right. Get involved with our new initiative. Gentleman the ladies in your life to get involved so they to can have the right to defend themselves.

Current Right to Carry Landscape For Illinois.

#1
As most of you know last year a Right to Carry bill was voted on in the Illinois House of Representatives and the vote fell 6 votes short of the super majority to over-ride a veto by Governor Quinn. The vote itself was a victory as the bill got out of committee and our representatives had to take a stand. The Governor and the City of Chicago drove the effort to stop the bill. We can be proud of our McHenry County Leaders for voting in favor of the right to carry. Clearly our efforts here in the county got results, but on a state wide scale the NRA, ISRA and IllinoisCarry took the lead in making this vote a reality.

#2
In 2011 we also began to see changes in the attitudes of citizens of Chicago and Cook County toward the right to carry. Now that Illinois stands alone as a state in denying the right to carry to its citizens more people are asking "Why not here?" Through the leadership and partnership of the Second Amendment Sisters and Cook County members of the NRA and IllinoisCarry in the African Community the momentum is changing. Just as local organization and mobilization of citizens in McHenry County changed minds on the issue. Residents in Chicago and Cook County must be the ones to change the leaderrship's attitude by demanding their right to carry.

#3
Our good friend and partner Valinda Rowe was awarded the prestigious Grass Roots Activist of the Year by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. We congratulate her and can think of no better individual deserving of this honor.

#4
The path to right to carry may find its way to Illinois through the courts. I encourage all members to visit the Illinois State Rifle Association home page or the IllinoisCarry Forum for complete coverage of the cases now before the courts in Illinois that will impact our right to carry.Shepard vs Madigan and Moore versus Madigan:

A hearing was held on a preliminary injunction in Moore versus Madigan on August 4, 2011. We are still waiting on a ruling from the judge.

In Shepard versus Madigan a motion was filed for a preliminary injunction but no date for a hearing has been set. The presiding judge may set a date or issue a ruling directly without a hearing. We are waiting at this time for the judge to take action.

Gun Safety
It is important to note that this holiday season firearm sales were at an all time high. This means that we have many new gun owners or individuals that are returning to the shooting sport after a long time. Our number one concern is safety. Recently there was a tragic firearms accident reported in the Northwest Herald. An accidental discharge took the life of a young resident. It is a good time to remind ourselves the basic rules of gun safety and to remember that safe gun handling is an essential skill. If we are going to exercise our right to own a firearm than we must take responsibility for becoming a safe and knowledgeable gun owner. If you have just acquired your first firearm or know someone who has, or if it has been a long time since you have participated in the shooting sports please be sure to take a gun safety and basic skills class. Too often we see people who get a FOID card, buy a gun and some ammunition and then put it in a drawer, "just in case". Please take the training you need so that you never hurt yourself or another person accidentally. Also, should that need arise to defend yourself the proper training will prepare you to do so. Note that there are several NRA Certified and Concealed Carry Instructors in our organization and in the McHenry County Right to Carry Association that can work with you or help you find the right instructor to match your training needs whether or not your interests are personal protection, pistol, rifle, shotgun or concealed carry permit training. Please contact us for a list of those instructors or visit the NRA website for other certified instructors in the state.

Let's review those safety rules one more time!

1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. (All of the time...especially when you "know" they are not loaded!)
2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to fire.
3. Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
4. Before you make a decision to fire, be sure of your target, your targets environment and other safety hazards.

*These rules are courtesy of the State of Utah Concealed Carry Training Program.

Let's make 2012 a great year for 2nd Amendment Rights and most importantly a safe year for everyone in the shooting sports. Let me remind all of you to be sure to support the ISRA and IllinoisCarry in their efforts to bring the right to carry to Illinois.

All the best,
Lou Rofrano
President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association

Check out our web page at MCR2CA.com
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“The citizens of Illinois deserve the same right to personal self protection as those currently enjoyed by the citizens of 48 states in the Union.”

 

 

2011
NRA & ISRA File Suit Against Illinois' Ban on Carrying Firearms for Self-Defense
Fairfax, Va. -- The National Rifle Association is funding and supporting a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of Illinois’ complete and total ban on carrying firearms for self-defense outside the home. The case, filed today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, is Shepard v. Madigan. The lead plaintiff is church treasurer Mary Shepard; joining her as co-plaintiff is the Illinois State Rifle Association, the NRA’s state affiliate.

Mary Shepard is an Illinois resident and a trained gun owner with no criminal record, who is licensed to carry a concealed handgun in two other states. Because Illinois remains the only state that completely prohibits all law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms for self-defense outside the home, Mary Shepard also became a crime victim. While working as the treasurer of her church, Mrs. Shepard and an 83-year-old co-worker were viciously attacked and beaten by a six-foot-three-inch, 245-pound man with a violent past and a criminal record. Mrs. Shepard and her co-worker were lucky to survive, as each of them suffered major injuries to the head, neck and upper body. Mrs. Shepard’s injuries required extensive surgery and physical therapy.

Mary Shepard isn't just a victim of the violent criminal who attacked her," said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. "She is also a victim of anti self-defense activists in the Illinois legislature who have consistently refused to recognize that good people have the right to protect themselves when they go about their everyday business. We're pleased that the legislature has come closer this year than ever before to changing the law, but close isn't good enough for Mary Shepard and the thousands of other Illinois residents who are prohibited by statute from defending themselves outside the home."

Because Illinois statutes prohibit the right to keep and bear arms and the ability to carry handguns in Illinois, they infringe on the right of the people, including Mrs. Shepard, members of the ISRA and other law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and are thus null and void.

Cox concluded: "In its historic Heller and McDonald decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court made clear that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms. Mary Shepard's story highlights the need for law-abiding citizens to be able to fully exercise their Second Amendment rights. Whether through the legislature or through the courts, we won't rest until that happens."

ISRA needs your continued support. McDonald v Chicago was not the end of the fight but the beginning. The ISRA is the front line in the battles for your firearm rights here in Illinois, such as the new lawsuit announced today, and the once initiated in March to prevent Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan from forcing the Illinois State Police to release your FOID information to the Associated Press.

Inconsistent with the Second Amendment
SAF sues Illinois over ban on carrying guns for self-defense
- Second Amendment Foundation  Friday, May 13, 2011

BELLEVUE, WA - The Second Amendment Foundation has filed suit in federal court in Illinois, challenging the state’s complete prohibition on the carrying of firearms in public for the purpose of self-defense.

The lawsuit alleges that Illinois statutes that completely ban the carrying of handguns for self-defense are “inconsistent with the Second Amendment.” Joining SAF are two private citizens, Michael Moore of Champaign and Charles Hooks of Percy. Named as defendants are Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and State Police Superintendent Patrick Keen. SAF is represented by attorneys David Jensen and David Sigale. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

“Illinois is currently the only state in the country that imposes a complete prohibition on the carrying of firearms for personal protection by its citizens,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “The state legislature recently stopped, by a thin margin, a concealed carry measure. After the 2008 Heller ruling and last year’s McDonald ruling against the City of Chicago that incorporated the Second Amendment to the states, one would think that Illinois lawmakers would act quickly to comply with court decisions and the constitution.”

“Illinois is the only state in the country that completely prohibits its citizens from carrying guns for self-defense,” Jensen added. “It is incredible that this situation has persisted even in light of the Supreme Court’s rulings in Heller and McDonald, and we look forward to vindicating the rights of the people of Illinois.”

The lawsuit insists this case is not an attempt to force Illinois into some regulatory scheme, but only to clarify that the state’s current regulatory ban on firearms carry is impermissible under the Second Amendment.

“Every other state has some kind of regulatory scenario,” Gottlieb noted. “Even in Wisconsin, where there is no concealed carry statute, the state attorney general has recognized that open carry is legal. Only Illinois makes it statutorily impossible for average private citizens to carry firearms for self-defense.

“Whether Illinois lawmakers like it or not,” he added, “the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is the law of the land. A complete prohibition simply does not pass constitutional muster. The state cannot stick it’s head in the sand and pretend this problem does not exist..”

 
05/07/2011

 The historic vote on concealed carry took place this week on Thursday. By now if you are interested in the Right to Carry you know the results. A majority of votes were passed in favor establishing a process for trained, law abiding citizens to obtain a concealed carry permit. The vote however was not enough to reach the super majority needed to move the process forward. The final vote was postponed so there will be time to in this session to complete the vote and achieve our results.

It is easy to get a little depressed over the outcome but I would like everyone to consider what was achieved. When we started this association we said, "at least let it come to the floor for a full vote". We got the full vote. This was achieved by a lot of work by our friends in the NRA, ISRA, Illinois Carry, ICarry and citizens all over the state with our support also.  We know who voted yes and who voted no. We also know who did not vote. Second our mission was get the support of McHenry County leadership for the right to carry here in Illinois. We did our part. Rep. Mike Tryon was a co-sponsor, Senator Pam Althoff co-sponsored a bill in the Senate and most importantly Rep. Jack Franks came around to support right to carry and became a co-sponsor. This was an important change.

We sponsored two of the most effective Town Hall meeting in the state on this issue. The first drew a huge crowd and got headlines and the second put candidates on the stage for a single issue Town Hall. We can take pride in these achievements.
 
In the end the state effort fell short but we accomplished our initial goals as a group. That is what effective organizations and businesses do. They establish goals and achieve them. I have long been a fan of something called SMART Objectives.

 Specific:           Know exactly what you want to do
 Measureable:  Can the outcome be effectively measured.
 Acheiveable:   The goal is realistic and can be done
 Relevant:         The accomplishment of the goal will make a contribution to success.
 Time Bound:    Completed by a certain date.

Were our 2010-11 Goals Smart:  You be the judge.

Run an effective Town Hall :   Achieved
Grow our membership:           Achieved (250 Members starting with 0)
Gain the support of McHenry state leadership:   Achieved
Run a second Town Hall Prior to the election:    Achieved
Assist in the effort to gain the right to carry in Illinois: Assistance acheived but did not gain full success

Our goals were all of these within our area of control that is McHenry County. I think we exceeded our reach into Lake and at National level in the congressional race.

The time has come for us now to reset the clock and at our next meeting set new SMART Objectives for Round 2 of the Battle for HB0148 and the Right to Carry in Illinois. We also need to think about what role we want to play in 2012.

I hope we can pack the house at our next meeting. It will be held at:

The Woodstock VFW Hall
240 N. Throop Street
Woodstock, Illinois
60098

Meeting starts at 7:00 and will end promptly at 8:30.

I hope you will attend. This will be an important meeting.

 We will be heard!  We will be heard!
04/12/2011
Dear Members,

Close But No Cigar!

This is an old expression that you heard when you got close to winning but you just missed.

These are not the words we want to use after the Illinois House of Representatives votes on House Bill 0148 or the State Senate votes on SB 0082. It is true that at no time have we been closer to achieving our goal of passing a concealed carry bill in the State of Illinois and we have never had more positive momentum. That however makes me nervous. We cannot let down our guard now or stop letting our leaders know that we will track their vote for and against these bills and hold them accountable for their vote.

Each of us needs to resolve not to support any politician with work, money or votes that does not vote for the right to carry. Some politicians believe that the American voter has a short memory. We need our leaders understand that if in their current roles they do not support these bills then we will not support them for any future office. Even if that election is six or ten years from now. This is the moment for our leaders to stand up and be counted for safety, freedom and equality with the rest of the states in the union.

Equally we need to support those candidates who come through for us now.

It is time for us to start making the phones ring one more time. I mean we need to not just call our local legislators but we need also to call leaders in other districts and let them know how we feel as citizens and how unfair the current laws are compared the other states in the union. We especially need to to reach out to the leadership in Chicago and Cook County.

I know we don't reside there but if we can change one vote by asking why the leaders in Illinois think that citizens that live in this state, especially in the toughest neighborhoods are less responsible than those in Miami, Gary, Hammond and Detroit. These are urban areas with similar problems that plague Chicago except good people in those cities can defend themselves.

No "wild west", no big shootouts in the parks because people "lose control". At a recent press conference a famous politician and opponent of gun control asked "Do you want guns in your park?" My answer would be there are already guns in the park and the bad guys have them. In fact I would feel much safer with some law abiding, trained and armed citizens in the park.

One other thing to consider is that to get a concealed carry permit in Illinois (if this law passes) applicants will be required to take training, learn the gun safety rules and be taught to be a responsible gun owner. These classes will help elevate the skills, knowledge and safety of every participant and they will take those lesson home to their families, friends and neighborhood. That will be a very good thing.

So start today. The easiest way to get the information you need is to go to ISRA.org and click on "Legislation". You will be taken to a page which shows all of the gun related legislation and its status. You can also get a list of Representatives and Senators and access their phone numbers. It takes some effort but will you wish you made the call after the vote on Right to Carry if we hear,
"Close but no cigar! Come back later and try again." Start today!

Monthly Meeting

Following our successful trip to IGOLD we are back to our Monthly Meeting schedule.

We meet this Thursday night from 7:00 to 8:30 PM

The meeting will be held at the:
Woodstock VFW Hall
240 N. Throop Street
Woodstock, Illinois, 60098

We will focus on the upcoming house and senate votes, IGOLD debrief and upcoming gun shows, summer events and community outreach.

I look forward to seeing all of you there.

Sincerely,
Lou Rofrano
President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association
03/01/2011
To All Members of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association,

We stand on the verge of history in Illinois. There are two bills that have been moving through the Illinois House of Representative and the Illinois Senate that would give Illinois resident the right to carry a concealed firearm. We have the best chance we have ever had at seeing these bills passed into law. We believe that we have the momentum to make this a reality.

To make this happen however we need every members help and support. Every single vote from every State Representative and State Senator counts. Rep. Mike Tryon has already committed as he said he would at the last town hall meeting and is a co-sponsor of the house bill HB0148 Family and Personal Protection Act.  

Now we need your help in getting every legislator to vote for these bills.

What is needed from each member right now!

Please contact our State Representative and State Senators in the next 24 hours!

If you are calling your Illinois State Representative ask:

Where does the my Representative stand on House Bill 0148 (HB0148).
Will he/she vote for the bill when it is called to the floor?
Will he or she commit to be present and vote "yes" when the vote is called?
Will he or she immediately co-sponsor this bill?

Please be extremely polite and courteous but be sure to stress that you will be watching their vote and your support for their re-election to their current office or any state or federal office will be based on how they vote on this bill.
Be sure you let them know you are calling as a citizen and as a member of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association and remember each member represents the entire group so again keep your calls polite and to the point!

These same questions should be asked of your State Senator as listed above, except ask about Senate Bill 0082 (SB0082)

If you are calling your State Senator ask:

Where does the my Senator stand on Senate Bill 0082 (SB0082).
Will he/she vote for the bill when it is called to the floor?
Will he or she commit to be present and vote "yes" when the vote is called?
Will he or she immediately co-sponsor this bill?

Let your State Senator know that you will be holding them accountable for their vote on this bill as described above.

Please also consider contacting Representative Mike Tryon's office and thanking him for his support and leadership on this bill. He can be reached at 815-459-6453.

In specific for those of us in McHenry County we would we would encourage you to contact State Representative Jack Franks 63rd District and State Senator Pamela Althoff.32 District.
Here is there contact information.

Representative Jack Franks
District Office
1193 South Eastwood Drive
Woodstock, Illinois 60098
815-334-0063
815-3349147 FAX
02/09/2011
Dear Members,
Here are some key updates before our meeting this week on Thursday evening and we need as many of you to attend as possible.!

We will be signing up riders for our bus to IGOLD in Springfield on March 10. This years IGOLD is extremely important as you will understand when you read the second part of this update. We want the largest turn out to IGOLD yet.
I know that we are all busy, but this event demonstrates in no uncertain terms to our leadership how important law abiding gun owners are to those who seek to lead us. Our town halls last year made history in McHenry County and gained more that a little attention in the press and with our leaders. Now it is time to make our organization felt again in Springfield by taking our banner right to the Capitol steps and then meeting with our leaders.

Here are the reasons that attending is so important.

Right to Carry Bills HB148 and SB82 have been introduced in Springfield for action this session!
The new assembly is convening in Springfield with new legislators on board that bring added support for right to carry in Illinois. They are adding their support to veteran legislators that have tried for so long to pass right to carry in Illinois. On a national level US Supreme Court rulings in 2010, Heller VS DC and McDonald vs Chicago and support from the Illinois Sheriff's association has added to the momentum. Today Illinois stands alone as the only state to completely deny right to carry. Our neighbors in Wisconsin now have open carry and and concealed carry laws are expected to pass soon.  We hope to see action in Illinois this year,

 What should members do right now!
 1. Be sure to contact your local State Representative and State Senator. Respectfully and politely request that they support and or co-sponsor HB148 and SB82.
2. Remind them that Right to Carry works in the rest of the country  and Illinois citizens deserve the same rights as those enjoyed in other states.
3. Remind them that your vote for them in future elections for their current position or any office they aspire to will depend on their support of the right to carry and these bills.
4. Ask where they stand on right to carry for Illinois and how they would vote on these bills.
5. Get at least 3 or more  friends to make the same call to their legislators.
6. Do not limit your calls to your legislators. Let other legislators on committees in Springfield know how you feel. Many have aspirations toward state wide office and they will want your vote someday.
7. Send a follow up email orir letter.

Do these things today. The sooner they hear from us the better. Always keep your communications brief and go out of your way to be polite. When you call a legislators office you become an ambassador for all Illinois gun owners so put your best foot forward.

 Make the commitment to go to IGOLD!
Register today for a seat on the bus via email with your name and contact information at MCR2CA@gmail.com or call at 815-575-4510. Better still come out to the meeting tomorrow night: The meeting will be held at:

The Woodstock VFW
240 N. Throop St.
Woodstock, Il. 60098
Meeting begins at 7:00pm

 200 Members Strong!
Thanks to the hard work of members at the McHenry County Gun Show we hit the membership milestone of 200 members. That is impressive for a county organization just one year old. Let's keep the growth going in February. Bring a friend to the next meeting. The more members we have the more our leaders hear us. When you add these members to our non-member mailing list we are now communicating with over 500 northern Illinois residents on right to carry.


I hope to see all of you tomorrow night and don't forget to stop by our facebook page. Simply type in MCR2CA in the Facebook Search bar and then bookmark our page as a favorite,

All the best,
Lou Rofrano
President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association
02/03/2011
To All Members of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association: Call to Action!

I wanted to alert all of you to a very important date on the calendar. On Thursday March 10, 2011 the Illinois State Rifle Association will be hosting IGOLD or the Illinois Gun Owner Lobby. On this day law abiding gun owners converge on Springfield to let our state leadership know  that gun owners not only care about our rights but are a force to be reckoned with at election time. This day focuses on all gun rights not just concealed carry. We need to remember that there are many that would erode our Second Amendment Rights at any opportunity. Although we focus on right to carry issues we must do all that we can to support our right to keep and bear arms as a whole. This includes opposing any legislation that would reduce hunting rights, ownership and the ability to lawfully purchase firearms. 

Last year we took a bus to IGOLD and filled it with members. We attended the presentations, marched to the capital and then split up to walk the halls of the capitol to meet with legislators and express our support for gun rights in Illinois. We are hoping to bring two buses this year to demonstrate our growth in the county.

This year is especially important. With the outcome of the November elections being so close we want to make sure that our leadership understand that they do not have a "mandate" to limit our freedom. After the tragedy in Arizona there will be calls for reducing our rights. We must let our leaders know that the good law abiding gun owners in this state have a voice that will be heard and our rights are important to us.

Here are the logistics for the McHenry County Right to Carry Association Bus to Springfield.
Departure Date: 3/10/11

Departing from:
The Woodstock VFW
240 N. Throop St.
Woodstock, Illinois 60098

Departure Time: 6:00 am (promptly)
Return Arrival Time back in Woodstock: 10:00pm
Fee: $25.00 per person: (This includes coffee and doughnuts in the morning and beer, soda and water on the way home!)

Lunch will be at the Cracker Barrel outside of Springfield. Lunch is not included in the ticket price each rider will pay for their own.

Pizza will also be available on the the way home for $5.00 per person.

Last year's trip was a great time and it is a great way to get to know your fellow members. Please make every effort to attend.

 How to get a ticket!
If possible please come to next weeks meeting at the VFW and reserve your seat. We will cover the IGOLD schedule at the meeting. Payment is advance is appreciated. If you can not make the meeting send an email to MCR2CA@gmail.com with your contact information. Someone will get in touch with you and help you reserve your seat. You can also call me at 815-575-4510 if you need more information.

As a reminder our meeting next week will be at Woodstock VFW at 7:00. Be sure to attend to get more IGOLD details and reserve your seat on the bus.

One final thought.The IGOLD meeting and march have always been a model of respect for the law and good citizenship. We expect this to be the case once again this year. We are asking that our members in attendance dress in a manner that relects that approach. We ask that participants do not where hunting or camouflage clothing as this can send the wrong message to the media. This also includes t-shirts or clothing with aggressive or negative slogans. Again, on this day we are all ambassadors for gun owners across the state and we want to project a positive image, especially as we walk the halls of the State capital.

I look forward to seeing all of you next week and on the bus to IGOLD!

All the best,
Lou Rofrano
President McHenry County Right to Carry Association 

Dear Members,
Just a brief reminder that tomorrow is the second Thursday of the Month January 13th.

We have moved our meeting location and we will now meet at the VFW in Woodstock. The meeting time remains the same 7:00-8:30.
We hope to see everyone there.

Woodstock VFW Hall
240 N. Throop Street
Woodstock, Illinois 60098
815-338-5040

All the best,
Lou Rofrano
President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association
Happy New Year to all of our members and friends!

As we begin 2011 we have a new location for our monthly meetings.

Our monthly meetings will now take place at the Woodstock VFW. The change of location begins with this months meeting scheduled for Thursday January 13!

The new meeting location is;

The Woodstock VFW Hall
240 N. Throop St.
Woodstock, IL. 60098
815-338-5040

The meeting time will be 7:00 - 8:30 PM. on January 13, 2011. Going forward we will continue to meet at the Woodstock VFW on the second Thursday of each month,

The management at the Woodstock VFW is welcoming us and we are grateful. Let's show our appreciation by supporting them by purchasing a beverage or two after the meeting. It is a great place and good people. I would be remiss if I did not recognize and express our thanks to the VFW in McHenry for supporting us in our first year as an organization.

IGOLD News!
Our January meeting will be very important as we will be focusing on our plans for participating in this years Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day in Springfield. IGOLD is a huge event that draws literally thousands of gun owners from across the state to demonstrate support for gun rights in the state of Illinois.

Strength comes in numbers and it is more important than ever that we bring a big crowd to Springfield. We need to show support for the legislators that support our Second Amendment Rights and are working toward the passage of a Right to Carry Law in 2011. Governor Quinn won the election by a slim majority. We need the Governor to understand that the gun owners in Illinois will not be ignored and that we will continue to work toward passage of a Right to Carry Law in this state.

Last year we filled a bus with members from the McHenry County Right to Carry Association and the McHenry County Sportsman's Association. We want to do the same again. We will once again offer bus transportation to Springfield. We had a great trip last year and plan to do the same again this year. If your not a bus rider and prefer to drive we will be coordinating our activities in Springfield so drive or ride everyone participates. Lets be sure to talk up this event and bring along friends. You don't have to be a member of the association to ride along with us. Just be a citizen that cares about your right to bear arms.

The date for IGOLD is March 10th. I know that March 10th is a weekday and I know you might have to take a vacation day. I can assure you that those that seek to restrict your right to keep and bear arms are not taking a vacation from trying to restrict your rights. We need each of you to attend the march and participate in this years event. There will be more information in the coming days and weeks. Mark your calendar today for March 10th.

Just in time for the winter weather!
We will have plenty of long sleeve t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and new hats that let the world know you are a member of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association.

These shirts and hats will help pay for our bus to Springfield and let others in your community know where you stand on this important issue. They are great looking and great quality. Help the cause and make a contribution and pick up a new hat, shirt or hooded sweatshirt at our next meeting. It is money well spent.

I look forward to seeing everyone At our next meeting in Woodstock.

All the best,
Lou Rofrano
President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association
Dear Members,
At our last meeting those in attendance discussed the desire to get an update on current and future activities in Springfield. We also discussed the importance of not giving up the fight in the post election environment.

I have great news. Todd Vandermyde NRA lobbyist will attend our meeting this Thursday night and share with us some of the plans and strategies for 2011. This is a great opportunity to get a real understanding of the landscape in Springfield and how we can be most effective in reaching our goals in 2011.

This will be the focus of the meeting. Come prepared to listen and ask questions.

Next we will take some time to celebrate the season and our successes in 2010. As a group we have much to feel proud of and we should take a moment to celebrate. We will have some fun and a few surprises at our meeting.

Our meeting will take place this Thursday at the VFW Hall in McHenry 3002 W. Route 120 McHenry, IL. 60051.
The meeting will begin at 7:00 and end at 8:30.

More Holiday Festivities!
I just got this email from our friends at the McHenry County Sportsman's Association. This is a great organization which many of us belong to. They have also been our partners in the fight for the right to carry from the start. They are hosting a Christmas party on December 15th at the Woodstock VFW. Read the message below and plan on attending. The Woodstock VFW is very supportive and a good turnout would be great.

"McHenry County Sporstmen's Association is planning a holiday party for our next regular meeting on Dec 15th.
We need a minimum of 25 to 30 people by this Friday 12/10, to commit to the Woodstock VFW to cater our party.
This is a great time for everyone to celebrate the Holidays together as a group and bring the wives along for some good food and fun times. Since the VFW of Woodstock has graciously offered to provide us a facility for free to hold all of our meetings for next year, MCSA has asked the VFW Post to cater our party. This is a sit down dinner and includes the waitstaff gratuity.
The menu options are Spaghetti, Beef, or Chicken -- $20.00 per person
Appetizers -- add $5.00 a person.
Early payments can be mailed to our association mailing address.

MCSA
60B Terra Cotta Ave
Box 123
Crystal Lake, IL 60014-3506

Should we have to cancel the party any early payments will be returned and we will have our regular meeting.  We will need to have the money before or on the day of the party. If you make the commitment to come, you will be expected to pay your share whether you make it or not."

One last thing. Today is December 7th, a date which is and should remain burned into our collective memories. Please take a moment to remember those who died on this day at Pearl Harbor and if you have the honor of knowing a Pearl Harbor veteran remember them too. Sadly, each year their number dwindles so remember and honor them today.

To all our veterans on this day made sacred by sacrifice I say, "Thank you for my freedom."

Hope to see you this Thursday!

All the best,
Lou Rofrano
President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association

The November election has come and gone with many changes at the federal level that bode well for the Second Amendment from a national perspective.

 

In Illinois and specifically in McHenry County our results were very positive. First Joe Walsh a strong supporter of right to carry and Second Amendment issues defeated incumbent Melissa Bean. Throughout the campaign Joe made multiple public appearances at pro-second amendment events including IGOLD. We can expect strong support for right to carry in Illinois from Representative-Elect Walsh in the future. We saw another second amendment supporter State Representative Mike Tryon re-elected along with Ken Koehler and Nick Provenzano at the county level. All three of these officials have been strong supporters of the Second Amendment. Representative Jack Franks was re-elected and our dialouge with Representative Franks during the election was productive.

 

In the governor's race Governor Pat Quinn was re-elected. He has previously expressed a negative stand on right to carry in the State of Illinois. As a result of his election to a full term of his own many of our members are asking, "What do we do now?"

 

The answer is we must continue to pursue every legal and ethical avenue to advance the right to carry in Illinois even if the fight continues to be uphill. No goal was ever achieved when we give up in the face of adversity.

 

First we must work even more closely with our partners in the fight for our rights including our friends in the NRA, IllinoisCarry.com, ICarry, the Illinois State Rifle Association and the State Line Rifle Association. Many hands make light work and we need to be aligned with every team that is working for the legal and legislative changes that will lead to success.

 

Next we must work closely with our pro-right to carry leaders in Springfield to increase  support for their legislative efforts. This includes continuing the dialogue and participating in key events like IGOLD.

 

Finally, we must work to create enthusiasm not just the right to carry but for the shooting sports and firearm safety as a whole. Most importantly each of us must become an ambassador and advocate for our cause. We will be scheduling events in 2011 to do just that.

 

Our next few meetings will be very key to setting our direction and activities moving forward.  Please plan on attending our next monthly meeting whether you are a member or a guest we would love to see you there. Our next meeting will be held on December 9th at 7:00 at the McHenry VFW 3002 W. Route 120 McHenry, Illinois 60051

 

Here is a further listing of our upcoming meeting dates.

 

December 9 2010  Merry Christmas!

January 13, 2011 Happy New Year!

February 10, 2011

March 10, 2011

 

In closing I am reminded of a famous quote by General George Patton. He said,"Successful generals do not create circumstances to fit plans but create plans to fit circumstances."

 

We will follow the General's advice and work on our plans for the future.
10/13/2010

Our meeting was a great succes, all of the candidates spoke positively about their commitment to the 2nd Amendment and right to carry legislation in Illinois. Attendance was strong with large percentage of the audience be made up of women. This is a critical change since our last meeting. It means that the women in Lake and Mchenry Counties are starting to understand that their rights are being denied versus the women in other states. Also worth noting was that the crowd was also a good blend of attendees from both Lake and McHenry County.

Our last update omitted that Gus Philpott Green Party candidate for Sheriff would be speaking. Gus did address the crowd, as did Mike Mahon and Sheriff Keith Nygren. Check out the Northwest Herald article on the front page from October first to read more about the meeting results.

Don't forget we meet this Thursday night October 14, 2010 at 7:00 PM at the McHenry VFW.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered at the meeting and to all those who attended.

Be sure to check out our new logo and t-shirt. Stop by the meeting and pick one up, or order via the mail through our Post Office Box. You look great in one and you will help keep up the fight.
To all,
Attached is a link to a story about our meeting this Thursday night. This story appears in the much larger Daily Herald covering heavily populated Lake County. This is the first time that they have done a story on a Right to Carry Townhall/Forum before the event. In the past they have only reported after the fact.

Granted we can argue with the closing comments and some of the on-line readers have already posted comments regarding the statistics, but the publicity for our event is a good thing. this follows on the heals of a story in the Northwest Herald, a paper that has been very supportive of our efforts. Late Friday I received word that State Senator Pam Althoff, who cannot attend will be sending a statement to be read on her behalf. This is a solid sign that we are making a difference as a team.

This would not have happened without the hard work of the people that are getting this email either through your direct activity or sideline support of our cause.

Thanks to all. Now let's have a great meeting and send a message to Springfield.

We Will Be Heard!

Thanks,
Lou

This Daily Herald story was sent to you by Lou Rofrano ( lrofrano@mchsi.com )


Right to carry group hosting candidate forum in Lakemoor


By Mick Zawislak
Daily Herald Staff
Political candidates from various races in Lake and McHenry counties have been invited to give their views on the right to carry a firearm issue as part of a forum this week.


Read the story at http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=410969
The new MCR2CA shirts are here!  Get yours NOW!
Front Back
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McHenry & Lake County
Second Amendment &
Right To Carry Forum

Where: The Lakemoor Banquet Hall
28874 W. State Route 120
Lakemoor, IL. 60051
When: September 30, 2010
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM

I am pleased to report that we have had a great response from local candidates and incumbent politicians in repsonse to our invitation to speak at this meeting. These candidates and leaders will be letting we the citizens of McHenry and Lake County know their stand on the issue of right to carry and how we can make progress in the state of Illinois. The following candidates have commited appear to date:

  • Representative Mike Tryon: R- Crystal Lake

  • Joe Walsh: 8th District Congressional Candidate

  • Nick Provenzano: County Board Candidates

  • John O'Neill: Candidate for the 63rd District general Assembly

  • Mike Mahon: Candidate for McHenry County Sheriff

  • Senator Michael Bond: Candidate for State Senate District #31 Lake County

  • Senator Bill Brady will be sending Tim Sickmeyer Co-Chairman of Sportsmen for Brady to speak on his behalf.

  • Robert Kaempfe: Candidate for Illinois Representative District #64 will be sending a statement to be read on his behalf along with Mark Curran Lake County Sheriff.


    • Also note that several other candidates that can not attend will be sending statements to be read on their behalf.

    Today citizens in 48 states exercise their constitution right to not just keep and bear arms but properly trained, licensed citizens have the right to carry a concealed firearm to protect themselves and members of their family from crime and violence. In states which allow trained citizens the right to carry, violent crime has been reduced because criminals think twice about attacking others when they know any person may be armed and prepared to defend themselves.

    It is time for the good citizens of Illinois to band together and let our political leadership and candidates know we are unwilling to be held hostage by restrictions on our right of self protection. With the recent ruling by the Supreme Court confirming the individual right to self protection under the Second Amendment it is time for the citizens of Illinois not to ask, but demand the same right of safety as citizens in 48 other states! It is time to put an end to the tyrannical hold the machine politicians use to keep this right of self protection from the law abiding citizens of Illinois.

    Women of Illinois should be outraged that they are encouraged to carry car keys, a comb or force themselves to vomit on a potential attacker as a method of self defense by the State of Illinois! Responsible women all over this country have the right to defend themselves before the attacker has the chance to touch them. Why do some politicians believe Illinois women are not deserving or responsible enough to exercise this right?

    Residents of McHenry and Lake Counties will make a huge contribution in this fight by leading the charge in Northern Illinois this November!

    Do not miss this meeting! Clearly we want to send a message to our leaders in Springfield that this issue is important and the citizens of Illinois deserve the right to protect themselves.

    Be an informed voter in the November elections!
    Be a voice for the equality of women in Illinois in the right to defend themselves!
    Vote based on Right to Carry this November.

    Admission is free!!!!!!!!
    Drawings for valuable sporting prizes and firearms education classes!
    08/10/2010

    Summer is rapidly coming to a close and our thoughts turn to back to school, the fall hunting season and most importantly the November elections. July and the first few days of August have turned out to be exciting and productive for the McHenry County Right to Carry Association. We have been busy and are making real progress with our work.

     

    Big Right TO Carry Forum September 30th 2010!

     

    First and most importantly we have solidified the date for our Right To Carry Forum Meeting. This meeting we be focused on putting as many candidates and current political leaders in front of citizens as possible. The goal will be to give McHenry and Lake County residents the opportunity to hear first hand what their county, state and federal candidates think about right to carry, national reciprocity and what they are committed to do to support this cause.

     

    This is our opportunity to let the politicians know that we as citizens of Illinois are serious about them enabling our right to carry and gaining equality with the citizens in the other states in the union. Please make plans to attend and bring at least two other people with you of voting age to this meeting. This year's election is too important to the citizen's of McHenry County, Illinois and our country for anyone not to take an active role in the process.

     

    The meeting will be held on September 30, 2010. The meeting will be held from 7:00-9:00pm.

     

    The Lakemoor Banquet Hall

    28874 W. State Route 120

    Lakemoor, Illinois 60051

     

    We have gained the attention of candidates, politicians and the media because our last meeting had approximately 500 people in attendance. Those kinds of attendance numbers translate to significant vote totals. If you care about gun rights here in Illinois please be sure to attend.

     

    Organization Success and Activity

     

    Second we are making progress with our local candidates and legislators because they understand how many members we have and number of voters we are influencing. We are getting requests for information, statistics around the right to carry nationally from our current leaders. This means that because of you and the work of the team we are getting them to think about this issue.

     

    MCR2CA officers spent 5 days and evenings hosting an informational booth at the McHenry County Fair this weekend. We were educating residents, gaining new members and promoting a new shooters orientation program being hosted by the McHenry County Sportsmen's Association. Our relationship with group continues to be very strong as they continue to drive education and expansion of the shooting sports in Illinois. Be sure to check out the website at www.mcsa.org and the attend one of their meetings and find out the latest in shooting sports and activities in our area. We grew our membership by 10% and signed up twenty people up for the New Shooter Orientation Program. A succesful 5 days advancing interst in the shooting sports and the right to carry.

     

     

    August Monthly Meeting

     

    Speaking of meeting be sure to attend out next monthly meeting this Thursday August 12 at the VFW Hall in McHenry on Route 120. We will be planning the Right To Carry Forum in September. We start at 7:00 and end promptly at 9:00 all members and interested citizens are urged to participate. We will need everyone's help making this the most effective meeting ever.
    07/22/2010

    Important News! Working again in conjunction with the McHenry County Sportsman Association we will be hosting another Right to Carry Meeting on September 30th 2010 at the Lakemoor Banquet Hall. Since our first meeting in January the movement for right to carry in Illinois has been growing every week. I have had the honor of speaking to good citizens like yourselves in almost every county in Northern Illinois. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of freedom in the McDonald versus Chicago lawsuit.

    Now is the time to keep up the pressure on our politicians and candidates by letting them know the we are serious about getting our right to carry in Illinois.

    This meeting will also focus not just on McHenry County but working with other sporting associations we will be including candidates from Lake County in this meeting. Please plan on attending. We need help from volunteers from the membership to help with publicity and on the night of the meeting. We will also be focusing on getting more of our state leaders to the stage.

    Next week I will be sending out more information but please send me an email right away and let me know if you can help. Our meeting in January was the largest, most successful town hall in Northern Illinois. Let's work together to make this one an even greater success.   Thanks, Lou
    07/20/2010

    The month of July is moving quickly and we are at the mid-point in the summer season. Along with the usual celebration of this country's independence was a celebration of the Supreme Court case " McDonald vs the City of Chicago." This decision struck down the Chicago gun ban law.

    On July 9th at the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago a large crowd of participants and onlookers took part in a two celebration of this victory for the people of Chicago and Illinois. I was fortunate enough to be on of the speakers at the event. Although the day was hot and there was little in the way of shade the crowd stayed through the full program and remained enthusiastic despite the heat. The highlight of the event however was the remarks that were made by all four plaintiffs in the historic case. Otis McDonald one of the plaintiffs was greeted by the crowd with a standing ovation and his comments spoke to the heart of the matter. That is too say the people of all walks of live deserve the right to freedom and self-defense. Cisco Cotto from WLS and noted Second Amendment supporter as Master of Ceremony.The ISRA and IllinoisCarry.com did a great job coordinating the event and helping to make the ruling a reality.

    Of Course the celebration was tempered with the knowledge that the City of Chicago had created yet another law that would make it difficult for good honest people to acquire the right to defend themselves. The law would include limits on purchases, limit owners to one function handgun in the home meaning if you own more than one handgun only one can be loaded and in operating condition. All in all following the City of Chicago's law will mean it will take four to five months for a citizen of that city to legally posses a firearm in their home.

    To date their are already two law suits challenging the Chicago law. There will be more details around those lawsuits in the coming months.

    Now that the historic ruling from the Supreme Court has been reached it is time to again turn our attention to the State of Illinois and our lack of the right to carry. The fall election will likely be a referendum on gun rights as well as fiscal responsibility by our state leadership.

    It is important that the results of this election support our right to carry as we will surely see new right to carry bill introduced in the Illinois legislature. First is the race for Governor. To date candidate Brady has indicated he will support and sign right to carry legislation for Illinois. Current Governor Pat Quinn has historically opposed that right. It is each of our responsibility to call our local and state leaders and candidates for office and politely as the following questions. Since when you call the office of a candidate or leader you will likely get an administrative assistant the questions might sound like:

    "Can you tell me how Candidate Jones stands on right to carry in Illinois?"

    "What will Candidate Jones do to pass the right to carry in Illinois?"

    "Would you let Candidate Jones know that I am trying to decide who to vote for this fall and his/her stand on right to carry will determine if he/she gets my vote."

    Currently there are multiple organizations working to create political momentum fro the right to carry including the Illinois State Rifle Association, ICarry, IllinoisCarry.com along with the MCR2CA however it is up to the individual to make it happen. Take individual responsibility to make these call to the candidates. That will make all the difference in the fight for our rights.

    Next Up For the MCR2CA

    Working closely with the McHenry County Sportsman's Association we are planning a fall Right to Carry Rally. We are hoping to hold the event in the last week of September and we are currently researching possible locations. We will need the help of every member to make this event a success.  Plan on attending our next meeting and help us launch this meeting. We are planning to have candidates and elected officials on stage to talk about our right to carry and their to our freedom.

    Be sure to attend our next meeting which will take place on Thursday August 12 at 7:00 PM at the McHenry VFW Hall in McHenry Illinois. Remember you do not need to be a member of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association to attend our meeting.

    Fall Meeting Schedule

    August 12
    September 9
    October 14
    06/28/2010

    The Supreme Court has overturned the Chicago Gun Ban. This is a tremendous victory for gun owners around the country. Keep in mind that the ruling will allow for "reasonable" measure of control but this is a huge step forward. I encourage all MCR2CA members to review the ruling and listen to local media outlets to better understand what it will all mean for Chicago. You can download the ruling at SCOTUSblog.com.

    It is also time to reconnect with your legislatures and ask them what they will do to support concealed carry in Illinois. Stay tuned for more information on rallies and efforts as the years moves forward.

    Sincerely in support of liberty,
    Lou
    06/09/2010

    Don’t Rely on the Supreme Court!
    In the past few months in between our monthly meetings I have had the pleasure of speaking at Right to Carry Meetings in multiple counties in Northern Illinois. In each case the crowds have ranged in size from 200 to 400 people. The meetings have been similar in that all attendees were “pro” right to carry. In the course of many conversations with attendees I heard a common thread or theme from multiple individuals. This theme seemed to reflect the feeling that once the Supreme Court decides McDonald versus the City of Chicago the city would have to reverse the gun ownership ban and the state would be forced to grant us the right to carry based on our constitutional right. This complacency makes me nervous. First it assumes that the Supreme Court will find in our favor and next it assumes that the anti-gun crowd in Cook County will roll over and give up an almost a 30 year belief that these laws make a positive difference. In the past few days the Chicago Tribune has given us a glimpse of reality and a peek at what may happen post a pro-gun ruling by the Supreme Court.

     Reality
    On the front page of the Chicago Tribune dated June 6th, 2010 the tribune acknowledged that a handgun may be in as many as 100,000 homes. Many of these guns would appear to be owned by other wise law abiding citizens who believe they need a gun to protect themselves in neighborhoods rife with violence and crime.

    In the same article two different professors from two separate universities argued one for the gun ban and one against. One professor said, “It’s hard. If you live in     Dodge City and everybody has a gun, you want one as well. In areas where there are more and people armed there are more guns. It’s an arms race.”

    In an ideal world everyone might believe this logic. Unfortunately we do not live in an ideal world. Despite laws and prisons criminals continue to arm themselves. Otherwise law abiding citizens, if they choose to arm themselves, are turned into criminals.

    The major flaw in the logic and the law is that should an otherwise law abiding     Chicago resident choose to keep a gun for self defense and have to use it, they are subject to arrest.  Recently an 80 year old Korean War Veteran defended his wife and great-grandchild from an intruder with a firearm. His possession of that firearm was a violation of the City’s gun ban, however thus far the City has chosen not to prosecute him. Can you imagine the outcry if the media showed this honorable and brave man in shackles being shipped off to prison for defending his family? The Chicago media will not tell us that in other major U.S. cities stories of citizens warding off attacks by legal use of a firearm are reported with far more frequency.

    At what point will some thug who has been arrested for illegal possession of a firearm sue the city because of this practice of the selective enforcement of these gun laws?


    A Peek at the Future
    In an editorial dated June 8, 2010 the Chicago Tribune pointed out that the Chicago Gun ban is not uniformly enforced and if the law is worth having it must be applied to even sympathetic violators. It also said that, “If Chicago is not willing to enforce the law it won’t make a substantial difference if the Supreme Court says Chicago can no longer have it.”

    It also points out that the court in overturning the gun ban in     Washington D.C. indicated that the second amendment does not preclude less stringent firearms regulation. It quoted the court which said, “Like other rights, the right secured by the second amendment is not unlimited.”

    This means that municipalities would continue to have the right to limit gun ownership of unusually destructive weapons or ownership of firearms by felons were acceptable. The editorial closed by recommending that the city begin to figure out how to “respect the Constitution as it is interpreted by the Supreme Court…” and      …how to protect its citizens against the abuse and misuse of guns.”

    A common sense approach would be to allow law abiding citizens to own firearms, allow the right to carry for those citizens that are properly trained and screened as do the majority of states in the union and punish those who commit a crime while in possession of a firearm in a consistent and harsh manner.


     What We Can Do Now… I Have Said It Before!
    As citizens of McHenry County we must reach out to our local, county and state leaders and respectfully demand our right to carry. We must also point out that the election is a mere 147 days away. Ask your leaders if they stand with you or if they support the machine politicians that use parliamentary procedure to keep intelligent right to carry legislation from coming to a fair up or down vote in Springfield. Support politicians that support your right to carry and care more about your safety than the political wind that blows from Chicago through the halls of Springfield. I will not tell you who to vote for but I will not vote for anyone that cares more about politics than my right to defend myself.

    In my next update I will review my contact with our state and local leaders and our plans for another right to carry event here in     McHenry County. Please attend our meeting this Thursday night at the McHenry VFW in McHenry at 7:00 pm. Our next meetings will take place on: June 11th, July 9th and August 13th. Hope to see you there.  -Lou Rofrano
    05/03/2010 - Dear mcr2ca members,

    I have copied some information below from an email sent out by the Illinois Rifle Association for your information. At our meetings we have been talking a lot about communication with your politicians. I would like to suggest that you write, email or call your representative today and let them know that you oppose these bills. Additionally consider signing with your name and then "Member of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association". If you call and talk to the office be sure to let the person on the phone know that you are a member. The more they start to hear from us the more credibility we have.

    Remember when you call or write be polite and professional. Each of us speaks for the organization so every impression counts.

    We will be heard!
    Lou

    "Representative Osterman filed an amendment to HB5849. This amendment adds the "gang" language to the underlying bill. HB-5849 now deals with an overhaul of the transportation law for firearms as well as adding the “gang” language. NRA & ISRA are still opposed to HB-5849.

    Representative Osterman and the City of Chicago unable to gain enough votes for the underlying bill are now trying to play politics with the bill and change the subject with some legislative slight of hand.

    Representative Osterman has also filed an amendment to HB5480 the bill to stop private handgun transfers. The amendment now requires the State Police to create an internet based system for background checks on private handgun sales. It is unclear how this would interface with the underlying bill as it does not phase out the requirement that all private handgun sales be done at a federal firearm dealer.

    We also hear that an amendment to the semi-auto ban, HB5751 is in the works. We will keep you apprised of any changes and urge you to vote NO on all of these bills.

    We do not know when these bills or other like one gun per month, HB-5495 will be called.

    Again, thank you for your support and please urge your state representative to vote NO on all of these bills.

    If you do not know how to contact your representative, then follow this new, updated link:
    Illinois State Board of Elections website. "
    Welcome to all members and those interested in the McHenry County Right to Carry Association. We have been very busy since our last meeting and since we last updated the web site. We will be working to get the site updated on a more regular basis now that we are getting a little better organized and structured.

    First and most importantly we have our monthly meeting this Thursday night at the McHenry VFW Hall in McHenry located on State Route 120. We begin at 7:00 and end promptly at 9:00. The meeting agenda will focus on progress and plans for working with McHenry County politicians, discussing and planning the next McHenry County Right to Carry event, breaking the legislative log jam and other elements which are becoming standard to our meeting agenda.

    Please keep in mind that the meeting is open to members and non-members seeking to learn more about concealed carry and our rights in Illinois.
    Future meeting dates are May 13th and June 10th so be sure to mark these on your calendar.

    I am pleased to announce that we have passed the 100 member mark. This is outstanding growth in a short period of time but we need to aggressively grow our ranks if we are going to drive political outcomes. Please keep recruiting new members and bring them to the meeting to sign them up.

    We are making good progress with our local senators and representatives. Our political liaison Chairman Jim Militello successfully met with Illinois Representative Mike Tryon who is giving us support and advice on our goals. If Mike is your representative why not drop him a note thanking him for his support and letting him know that because he supports right to carry you will support him.

    We are actively working on meeting with Representative Jack Franks and Senator Pam Althoff. Stay tuned for more updates on these leaders.

    We have been actively spreading the word across Northern Illinois. I have had the honor of speaking to members of the State Line Rifle Association and at Right to Carry Town Hall Meeting is DuPage and Kane Counties. After the Kane County meeting the Northwest Herald published a story about the meeting. Factual and unbiased it was a good and balanced account. In conjunction with Illinoiscarry.com we hope to capitalize on this momentum.

    Finally remember we are working closely with Illinois Carry, The Illinois State Rifle Association and the McHenry County Sportsmen’s Association. I urge you to check out their websites. Be sure to check out the Illinoiscarry.com website for updates and tracking of all the current legislation that is pending in Illinois so you may communicate with our leadership.

    Hopefully I will see at this weeks meeting.

    We Will Be Heard!
    Welcome to all MCR2CA members and visitors to our website. Our first official meeting following the McHenry County Right to Carry Town Hall was a success. Thanks to all the members that attended. We elected our officers and most importantly got our committees organized.

    We formed three committees the first committee was the Political Liaison Committee. This committee will be responsible for reaching out to our candidates and leadership and build support for right to carry legislation. The committee is chaired by Jim Militello. Lee Lexow volunteered to head up our Community Outreach Committee which will focus on identifying opportunities to educate citizens in the county on the right to carry. Finally Cheryl Rofrano is heading up our Event and Fundraising committee. This committee will manage future rallies and events to fund our operations. Thanks to all who joined each of the committees.

     March Meeting Date Has Changed!
    Please note we are changing the date of our March Meeting. We were scheduled to meet on March 4th but that meeting is being postponed until March 25th at the McHenry VFW hall 7:00-9:00 pm.

     We are postponing our meeting because of the DuPage Right to Carry Town Hall which will take place at the Diplomat West Banquet Facility on March 4th at 7:00-9:00 pm. The Diplomat West is located at 601 West North Avenue in Elmhurst, IL 60126.
    This town hall is being sponsored by our friends at IllinoisCarry.com. I am honored to be one of the speakers.

    The right to carry town hall movement in the northern collar counties of     Illinois and we can expect events in Lake and Will counties very soon. If you can make it out to Elmhurst on Thursday to show solidarity with the citizens in DuPage County that would be great.

    Finally don’t forget to make plans for IGOLD. We still have a few seats on the bus. The bus pulls out at     5:30 am on March 10th. We have a breakfast stop planned and on to the capital. This is a great opportunity to show our strength and demonstrate that the gun owners of Illinois are among the most responsible, law abiding citizens in the state.
    We have a great new banner for the march and I would love to have a lot of members walking with the association.
    Please take the time to talk to your friends about the right to carry. Write to your candidates and politicians and tell them that you want them to support the right to carry. No support, no vote, no contributions and no campaign support for candidates that do not support our right in 2010!

    We Will Be Heard!

    Welcome to the first update on the new McHenry County Right to Carry Association Home page. To all of our members and all those that attended our Right To Carry Town Hall Meeting on January 21, 2010 thanks for taking the time and investing in your right to protect yourself  and your family in a manner that is consistent with most of the citizens across this great country.

    I can tell you that the turnout of almost 500 attendees got the attention of lawmakers, the media, and our brothers and sisters that have been working hard to restore our right to carry in Illinois for a very long time.

    Our association known as the McHenry County Right to Carry Association is off to a great start, we are officially a not for profit corporation and with a confirmed membership of over 60 members in less than one month. We also have a non-member mailing list bordering on almost 200. Do the number these numbers sound small? Think again. Do you think that either candidate for governor in our republican primary would like to have our votes today? Count on it! That is the power of the American citizen. Our right to vote is how we will achieve our goal of right to carry in Illinois.

    We held our first meeting since the Right to Carry Town Hall on February 11, 2010. We elected our officers and created three important committees.

    1. Political Liaison Committee: This group will manage communication with our legislators and political candidates and will be charged with the mission of documenting a no nonsense statement of support for your right to carry or a statement that they will continue to deny your rights under current law. Illinois leadership will no longer be able to soft sell or dodge this issue. You will either stand on the side of our right to self defense or stand in opposition.
       

    2. Community Outreach and Education: This committee will work to education Illinois citizens in their right to carry and how that right is currently denied. It will also help to sponsor safety and good citizenship events.
       

    3. Fund Raising and Event Management: The group will work to create funding and sponsorship to drive future Town Hall Events and other processes by which we will help change the legal landscape in Illinois.

    We are also planning on attending IGOLD on March 10, 2010. We will be marching as a group and hope you will be there. This is an extremely important event and worthy of your support. Take the day off and go to Springfield and send a message to our leaders in a very visible way.

    Next on our activity agenda is formalizing the action plans and objectives with each committee. We are also supporting town hall activity that is in the works in DuPage and Will counties. We are working very closely with ISRA and IllinoisCarry both in terms of their lobbying efforts and their historic efforts at defending our liberties. Northern Illinois citizens understand this is not a “downstate issue” and the politicians of Northern Illinois can no longer give their loyalty to a political machine and ignore our rights. The role of a leader in this state is to protect the rights of its citizens not take them away! Candidates and leaders in Northern Illinois cannot continue to tell the people of Illinois that they are too stupid or irresponsible to handle the right to carry. It works everywhere else in the United States everyday!

    Our next meeting will be Thursday March 4, 2010 at the McHenry VFW hall at 7:00. I hope you will plan on attending we need your help. We are going to begin planning our next Right to Carry Rally. Our goal for that event will be to gather at least 1000 voters and supporters of our right to carry in one place and generate even more support among the citizens of Illinois.

    For now explore our website, it is a work in progress, attend the next meeting and remember, do take no for answer to your freedom. Do not comprise.

    Keep asking every candidate and every current official if they support right to carry in Illinois. Support only those candidates who support our rights. I know many of you think machine politics will stop us, but with your help and support that won’t happen. Join the McHenry County Right to Carry Association today. Down load the application and send it in along with the membership fee. It will be an investment in your family’s safety and your freedom.

    Don’t fear the machine!     We Will Be Heard!

    “The citizens of Illinois deserve the same right to personal self protection as those currently enjoyed by the citizens of 48 states in the Union.”

     

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    This page last updated on: 03/04/2012