The Pearson Report ISRA

May 4, 2010

Let me start by thanking all of you for the uplifting feedback about our kick-off edition distributed last week. I sincerely hope that this and future editions continue to meet your high standards.

Although a lot has happened in the past week, two very disturbing occurrences in Chicago caught my attention. The first of these events involved Mayor Daley uttering probably the most idiotic suggestion I've ever heard him utter - and that takes a lot. While addressing an international group of mayors, Daley demanded that the World Court hear his complaint that U.S. firearm manufacturers and retailers are responsible not only for crime in the United States, but responsible also for international cases of terrorism and genocide. Daley has called upon the World Court to levy sanctions against U.S. firearm manufacturers, retailers, and anyone who supports them.

What's behind this latest dose of Daley demagoguery? To answer that question, let's turn back to 1998 when Daley filed a $433 million lawsuit against U.S. firearm manufacturers and suburban Chicago firearm retailers. Daley's claim at that time was that the manufacturers and retailers were willfully "flooding" Chicago streets with illegal guns thus encouraging violent crime which, in turn, caused Chicago and Cook County to incur expenses related to fighting these alleged crimes.

In support of his complaint, Daley cited results of secret sting operations conducted by Chicago cops at suburban gun shops. In the months leading up to the lawsuit, undercover Chicago cops went "shopping" at these gun retailers while sporting tattoos, urban fashion clothing, piercings and shaved heads. The undercover cops approached store clerks and expressed an interest in buying one or more firearms. In each case, the undercover cops presented valid FOID cards and successfully passed FTIP background checks. Consequently, the retailers sold the undercover cops guns in full accordance with state and federal law. Nevertheless, Daley filed his lawsuit asserting that the retailers never should have sold guns to the undercover cops because the cops "looked" like gang members as they were wearing urban style clothing and uttering "street lingo." How nutty is that?

Fast forwarding to November of 2004, we see Daley getting his feelings hurt by the Illinois Supreme Court as it overturns a lower-court ruling that had gone in Daley's favor. Ever since that time, Daley has been vigorously pursuing clampdowns on gun rights in the Illinois General Assembly. Fortunately for law-abiding citizens, Daley has had little success in convincing legislators that law-abiding citizens living in the suburbs are the cause of violent crime in his city. Shunned by both the courts and legislature here at home, Daley has desperately turned to freedom-hating foreign institutions like the World Court for help in his crusade against private firearm ownership.

What does all this mean? Well, in short, by seeking intercession of the World Court, Daley is rejecting the authority placed in our courts by our Constitution. Instead, Daley is asserting that the World Court has supreme authority over domestic matters here in the United States. Although it took Daley 3 tries to pass the bar, he should at least have a working understanding of the hows and whys of the American legal system. To suggest that the United States cede the authority of its courts to the World Court borders on subversion and leaves me wondering whether Daley remains fit to serve as Mayor of our third largest city. An ISRA Press Release responding to Daley's troubling statements was issued late last week.

Now on to the second issue I wanted to discuss with you. I'm sure that each of you were as saddened and as shocked as I was to read about the two young women who were brutally attacked by a baseball bat-wielding thug on Chicago's north side. The two women were blind sided from behind - both struck in the backs of their heads by full swings of the baseball bat. Both suffered severe head injuries - with one woman in a drug-induced coma to allow her damaged brain to heal.

As is often the case, the suspected perpetrator of this crime is a multiple loser with over 30 arrests for a variety of property crimes and crimes of violence. His girlfriend/accomplice is also well known to law enforcement officials by virtue of her lengthy rap-sheet. Their victims? A couple of grad students out for a night on the town. The more seriously injured of the two is an Irish exchange student here less than 3 months - welcome to Ritchie Daley's Chicago! Based on the ethnicity of the victims and the ethnicity of the perps and given the proximity of the assault to the passage of the Arizona immigration bill, I have to wonder if there isn't a hate-crime dimension to this incident.

One thing I do know is that Illinois remains one of only two states that continue to deny law-abiding citizens the opportunity to defend themselves against thugs such as those who lurked under a viaduct waiting for these two young ladies. Another thing I know is that Mayor Daley and the Chicago legislative delegation have persistently used their political and parliamentary powers to block any legislative attempts to move Illinois into the mainstream on this issue. From my vantage point in Springfield, I have also witnessed blatant attempts on the part of Daley and his pals to push the option of self defense farther and farther out of the reach of the good people of Illinois.

For all intents and purposes, Daley is an accomplice to the crimes committed against those two young women. Daley and every member of his Chicago legislative delegation had a figurative grip on the handle of that ball bat as it pulverized the skulls of two innocent people. So long as Daley and his pals oppose concealed carry legislation, they will serve as accessories to every robbery, rape and murder perpetrated against law abiding Illinois citizens.

This is supposed to be the last week of the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly. If all goes well, next week's newsletter will consist of a wrap-up report on the highs and lows of the spring session. If, by chance the governor orders the legislature to remain in session, I will update you on what the legislature is up to. Until then, take care, and remember to protect and defend your rights at every opportunity.