Second Amendment Rights My gun – My right. Plain and simple, I support the Second Amendment. I am also a strong advocate for Concealed Carry legis-lation. Illinois is the last state in the Union which does not allow its law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm for personal protection. However, in Illinois, be-cause of the strong influence of City of Chicago lawmak-ers, passing Concealed Car-ry has been difficult at best. It’s also why we supporters of the Second Amendment also must fight to prevent an erosion of that right. The fight to protect the Second Amendment never ends because year after year, one proposal after another from Chicago seeks to undermine our Second Amendment rights.

Whether it’s a high tax on ammunition, FOID card re-newal or an outright gun registration plan, we must re-main vigilant. Since 2009, I have been honored to be invited to speak at the Illinois Gun Owners Legislative Day (I-GOLD) rally

on the steps of the State Capi-tol. More recently, I met with a group of supporters and gun owners in front of one of my billboards in Centralia, which clearly expresses the message: My gun – My right.

As I have said to rally supporters and gun owners who I’ve met throughout the district and at my Capitol office, perseverance, determination and courage must be our watchwords. I will continue to stand up for our “unalien-

able rights,” our God-given rights as stat-ed in our Declaration of Independence and outlined in our Constitution. I’m reminded of the perseverance, de-termination and courage of Otis Mc-Donald, a 77 year old Chicago man who fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend his right to self-defense, to defend his Second Amendment rights.

He knew, as we all know, gun laws only impact law-abid-ing citizens. After years of watching his neighborhood turn into a war zone, Otis McDonald knew he had to do more. He fought and won, and I was proud to sign on to his lawsuit. The time for Concealed Carry for law-abiding citi-zens has come. Our oppo-nents have had their chance at cleaning up the streets and neighborhoods. Their 20,000-plus gun laws are simply ignored by the crim-inals, and our law enforce-ment heroes simply can’t be everywhere at all times. By virtue of their own arguments, those who ad-vocate for more laws to fight crime admit that GUN CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. Concealed Carry’s time has come to Illinois. Our right to self-defense is in-terwoven into the very fab-ric of our nation so it’s not to be taken away or regulat-ed away by government. It’s a God-given right we call the Second Amendment.

Endorsed by National

Rifle Association and Illinois

State Rifle Association.

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