Can Jehan Gordon be convinced to support gun rights?
One of Peoria’s state legislators is a cousin of a man who was killed by a gun, and it’s apparently going to influence her support of concealed carry legislation in Peoria.
Because of this connection, Rep. Jehan Gordon, D-Peoria, said she has a different perspective on gun laws than other state lawmakers may have, including those in central Illinois who could push next year for Peoria to become a test city for a statewide concealed carry law.
“I’m thinking (about concealed carry) not only from a (legislator’s) perspective but also from a perspective of someone who had a family member slain six weeks ago,” Gordon said. “Who lost their life due to gun violence.”
First, my condolences to Rep. Gordon and her family for the loss of Joshua F. Hunter.
Second, said she is approaching the issue with an “open mind” but wants to see what the rest of her district has to say about it.
I’m going to take her at her word that she is going to keep an “open mind.”
Here is something for her to consider: Absolutely none of the many, many existing gun laws prevented someone from killing Joshua F. Hunter, her cousin.
Her cousin wasn’t killed BY a gun. He was killed by another human being, who used a gun. This person didn’t have the slightest interest in obeying any law. Other human beings want to be able to exercise their Constitutional rights to protect themselves against people like the one who killed your cousin.
Illinois is one of only two states that uses the force of law to prevent otherwise lawful citizens from using their right to bear arms. A decent concealed carry law will put guns into the hands of the already law abiding. Those who are NOT law abiding have them anyway if they want them.
Please, don’t vote with Chicago on this. Consider what your own constituents want and need.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Rod Mckiminson writes
Will illinois be fair with their people, citizens of illinois and say no to ameren rate increase.
Ameren just had a rate increase and ameren cut their dividend in half, ameren does not neet more money
Ameren been given enough rate increases recently, time to stop them
Selling Cilco was a bad idea, worst now
Rod: I do not disagree. But I see no relationship to this post.
I agree with your post Billy (sans the Ameren thing) but I don’t think more guns is going to be the answer. Thugs already have guns, true, but these same thugs don’t have a problem shooting at police either, and they are armed. The only outcome I can see to citizens carrying guns is innocent people being shot, and lawyers foaming at the mouth because Jim the Golfer wasted Jack the Thug who was only holding a water pistol. We are supposed to be a civilized society in the 21st century not reverting back to Wyatt Earp.
Armed men out-duel unarmed men with monotonous regularity.
I know which I’d rather be.
civilized men don’t duel
Em: With all due respect…how many armed men in Peoria are actually civilized…or at least the ones that constantly make the news?
Let’s not pretend civility has anything to do with having to brandish a weapon. If people were truly civil it would never get to that point. But the problem is that some choose to be uncivil and victimize others; when that’s the case you can either have a fair fight or get taken advantage of.
Em, do civilized men allow themselves to become victims? Do they do less than is sufficient to protect their family?
The civilized men argument would make sense, if the opponent in this case was also civilized. Unfortunately, that isn’t the world we live in. So the choices for the civilized men are to continue to live in fear or to defend themselves and their families. Seems like a pretty easy decision for me.
Whether its a psychotic and narcissistic dictator or a gang-banger with nothing to lose, you can’t negotiate or reason with someone who has no respect for life. Which is why we still have weapons and why from time to time we must use them.
Many states have carry conceal laws in place. Does anyone have any stats on how many innocent people were shot by those who were legally carrying in those states that allow concealed arms? I haven’t heard or read of any such incidents so I’m thinking it is a fairly rare occurance.
I hope Gordon votes for carry conceal. Why should she, the governor and Illinois legislative branch have this right to carry in Illinois only?
While my condolenses go out to Jehan Gordon, I also know the path Joshua Hunter took. He picked his path…and was known to carry a gun himself. And use it on many occassions. Police whenever they had contact with him would treat him as having a gun due to his reputation. Joshua Hunter was not a good guy. But he had a choice and picked his path. Jehan Gordan has a rare opportunity to appeal to police and conservatives here. Lets hope she doesn’t play into racial sterotypes and liberal appeals.
Most police in Peoria favor conceal carry for law abiding citizens. Kevin Lyon’s does not because it reduces his power and influence.
I’ll never get this concealed carry thing. By the time you’ve unconcealed your weapon it’s too late. We need real deterrence — open carry for all. Swagger down the street with your two six guns on your hips for all to see. That scares off criminals, not some little .25 caliber pop gun you may or may not have hidden on your person.
I want a gun so that I don’t get attacked not so I can whip it out of its concealed spot and shoot someone. Besides there can be no question at that point they have deadly intent, they are attacking an obviously armed person!
That said, I don’t want a gun at all, but if you do, good on you. [url=http://opencarry.org/il.html]Wear it on your hip.[/url] Better yet strap your AK, which should totally be legal (what better gun for a well maintained militia), to your back every time you go out. That seems to work well in places where they do that.
File under “Ha ha only serious”, but I don’t like guns. I do like the Constitution though so gun control should be speed limits on tanks and things of that nature.
The AK isn’t a very accurate weapon, of course it doesn’t jam like the M16/M4 does either.
Illinois lawmakers put more effort into keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens than they do keeping them out of the hands of career criminals. Was the thug that killed Joshua Hunter licensed to carry a gun? Would be interesting to know. Let me take a guess…
Anonymous Cop says: Wow you said that right. I to am sorry about Josh’s death but I was surprised he lasted this long in life given the choices he made.
I wish people who keep harping about “concealed carry” would actually research how many times it would make really no difference whether law abiding people had a firearm or not.
(And don’t pull out Lott’s research, because much of hit has been debunked due to poor methodology.)
What I’m getting at is, there are many, many laws that allow citizens to all ready have firearms close at hand. For example, the recent gentleman killed in his gas station/store. By law, unless prohibited, he was able to have a firearm in his business. Evidently, he chose not to.
Then there are the street urchins that kill each other. Talk to any cop out there and he or she will tell you, more often than not, those who are victimized in gun crimes are those people who are all ready in that arena.
And Billy, quit mixing up your hyperbole – just because someone is trying to regulate when and where a person can or can’t carry a firearm is not automatically a removal of one’s right to have firearms.
Do people really want to see it where college students are allowed to take firearm into dormitories? Or Luciano wannabes in taverns?
I hope Jehan Gordon is as level headed on the Concealed Carry issue as she is on most other common sense issues. Anti-Gun supporters put more effort into keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens than they do keeping them out of the hands of career criminals. The thug that killed Joshua Hunter was NOT licensed to carry a gun! Nor was Josh? It is a sad thing for people to kill over such senseless crap. That should not stop law abiding citizens from the right to protect themselves and deter criminal attacks by having the legal right to bear arms!