Remember This, and Remember it Well

In relation to the story below of Cook County prosecutors dropping charges against Hale DeMar for failure to renew his Firearms Owner ID card, let me quote the prosecutor:

Declaring “we choose to prosecute the real criminal,” a Cook County prosecutor declined Friday to press state firearms charges against a Wilmette man who shot an intruder in his home.

Hale DeMar “purchased a gun legally. It was registered. What he failed to do was keep current” his state firearm owner’s identification card, said Assistant State’s Atty. Steve Goebel.

Prosecuting DeMar, 54, of the 0-99 block of Linden Avenue for a “memory lapse” would violate the spirit of the law, he said.

“We choose to prosecute the real criminal here, the person who broke into this house not once but twice,” Goebel said.

The sweet voice of reason, right? While failure to keep an FOID current is a misdemeanor, it carries a possible fine of up to $2,500. (Nice how the report targets where Mr. DeMar lives for any criminal wishing to invade his home now that his handguns have been confiscated by the State. Hopefully the next one will have a close encounter with Mr. DeMar’s 12 gauge.)

As noted below, the town of Wilmette is going ahead with prosecution of DeMar for violation of the handgun ban. This is a civil matter with a maximum fine of $750.

State Representative John Bradley (a Democrat, no less!) as noted below has introduced legislation to protect people like DeMar from prosecutions such as Wilmette is now pursuing. According to this story:

District State Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion), who called DeMar a “law-abiding citizen,” has introduced HB 4075, which would override local handgun bans when the handguns are used in self-defense.

Now, remember, we’re talking about a civil violation that has, at most, a $750 penalty. Here’s what Chris Boyster, spokesman for the gun ban control “safety” organization Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence had to say about that:

“He was not a law-abiding citizen,” Boyster said. “He had a handgun, there was a handgun ban, he broke the law.”

Remember that. Burn it into your brain. As far as the gun ban control “safety” organizations are concerned, if you violate any law, you should be disqualified from gun ownership.

Carry that to its logical conclusion: Get a ticket for speeding? You’re not a “law-abiding citizen.” Do some remodeling on your house without a permit? You’re not a “law-abiding citizen.” Violate any of the almost innumerable, often contradictory Federal, State, county, or municipal laws, ordinances, regulations, or edicts and you’re no longer a law-abiding citizen. And you have, in their eyes, no right to arms.

So the next time you hear a spokesweasel for a gun ban control “safety” organization say that they support the right of “law-abiding” Americans to possess firearms, remember how they define LAW-ABIDING.