A representative for the Second Amendment Foundation explains why this particular battle is a big one for private gun owners.
With both a federal district court and an appeals court refusing to budge on the request, gun groups are now turning to the Supreme Court in an effort to get state and local bans on assault weapons in Illinois overturned.
The gun rights advocates turned in an emergency application to Justice Amy Coney Barrett earlier this week, and a response is expected by noon on May 8th.
The state passed the law last year in the wake of a shooting that took place in Highland Park on Independence Day. However, many have argued that the law violates the Second Amendment rights given to citizens by the U.S. Constitution. A federal judge was about to issue a temporary order blocking the enforcement of the law back in April, but it appears that the state has found a way around that.
While there is some concern as to what the Supreme Court’s actions might be, they have been supportive of the rights of gun advocates and private gun owners in the past. Last year, the court struck down a New York law that had prevented citizens from the right to Conceal-Carry. It also made note in the ruling that laws restricting gun possession needed to be based around historical examples, and not more recent events.
As we wait for word from the Supreme Court, we have a Second Amendment Foundation representative joining us to discuss this further. Their expertise in the rights of private gun owners should make them an ideal representative to talk more about this subject.
Q&A:
- How vital is it for the Supreme Court to look at Illinois’ controversial assault weapons ban? Do you believe the rights of U.S. citizens are truly being violated with the ban?
- Why would Illinois put it in place when the Second Amendment clearly notes that citizens have the right to bear arms?
- In the past, Judge Virginia Kendall of the U.S. District Court found the ban “constitutionally sound” and that assault weapons were a “particularly dangerous weapon.” Does this sound like an overreaction to you?
- If someone noted that the ban was doing good in Illinois, what would be your counterargument?
- What do you believe will happen if the Supreme Court finds in favor of Illinois regarding the ban?
- Where can we learn more about the Second Amendment Foundation and its members?
Those interested can visit http://www.saf.org/.
Second Amendment Foundation spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community, a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is the editor at Bearing Arms-dot-com and hosts the popular podcast Cam & Company that focuses on Second Amendment news and information. Cam is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has worked in radio, television, and online media for over two decades. He currently lives on a small farm with his family near Farmville, Virginia, and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001 or geraldmcg@outlook.com.
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