Our call last Saturday in the SouthtownStar HERE for women to have the right to protect themselves in the dangerous state of Illinois triggered an onslaught of letters to the SouthtownStar's editor. And good for her, SouthtownStar's commentary editor Karen Sorensen chose to feature several of those responses in the paper's letter section today HERE.
Kudos to Ms. Sorensen for choosing to publicize the south suburban readers' passionate thoughts on Illinois gun laws and compliments to the SouthtownStar's hierarchy for allowing such radical "Always Right" thinking to be expressed (at least every other Saturday) in their Sun Times Group publication. . .
The letters are published here the SouthtownStar's website, but we've also saved them for future reference below on Illinois Review.
Last Saturday, Fran Eaton wrote a column criticizing Illinois for its restrictive gun laws and for being one of only two states in the country to not have a concealed-carry gun law.
Here are some of the responses we've received from our readers:
Illinois deserves same rights as other 48 states
I would like to thank you for writing a great column in the paper. I live in Mokena, right down the street from the Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park. My wife and 14-year-old daughter were out shopping the day of the shootings. I was at home on the Internet when I heard about it. I was really concerned for the safety of my family. After many attempts to call them on their cell phones, I finally got through to them. That moment changed the way my family thinks about safety.
I was in the military and had not owned or shot a gun in 25 years. To make a long story short, my family and I, including my daughter, took National Rifle Association classes and have practiced with our 9 mm gun. (My wife and daughter) are pretty good, I must add.
Our home is well-defended. The only problem is when they go out of the house. There is what I would call an imbalance in Illinois. Only the bad guys can carry guns. The law-abiding citizen cannot. We need the same rights as those other 48 states. My family is not worth less because we live in Illinois, is it?
After 40 years of this type of "gun control," it is clear that it does not and never will work. Law-abiding citizens like myself could help the law enforcement officers and the people of this state if they would let us. As it is, until we get more involved, it seems that no matter what statistics are, the people in charge will not even entertain the fact that they might be wrong.
Dan Majewski
Mokena
Tougher laws needed to prosecute bad guys
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Finally, a voice of sanity and common sense in a sea of misguided rhetoric regarding guns and their use. The bad guys ignore the law, period. Prosecute the bad guys under existing laws or enact a law pushed by the National Rifle Association calling for a mandatory addition of five to 10 years to a prison term sentence for anyone convicted of using a firearm in the commission of a crime.
Tom Karones
Oak Lawn
Women need to go after 'anti-gunners'
I would like to thank Fran Eaton for her thoughtful and insightful editorial in the paper April 19. I also would like to thank the nine female state representatives she mentioned for standing up to the "anti-gunners" in this state.
More women need to realize that we need to protect ourselves from the criminals on the street. This state is so far behind in their views on law-abiding gun owners that it is pathetic, to say the least. All we ever hear about is how we need more gun laws, which is so far away from the issues that it is disturbing to gun owners.
Wake up, women, and go after the anti-gunner groups that want to take our rights away. We need concealed-carry laws in this state. Or do you want to be the next victim?
Marijo O'Neill
Hometown
Concealed-carry laws would protect women
Kudos times 100 to Fran Eaton on her column, "Strict gun control laws do nothing to prevent violent crimes."
How long will it take for Illinois lawmakers to realize we are a dying breed? I was unaware that our state is one of two still holding out against being able to carry concealed weapons. I guess the government cares nothing for the Second Amendment. What a travesty. Are these representatives here to stay? I hope not.
Being a woman, I feel violated every time I hear another story of a violent crime, whether it be rape, robbery, carjacking, etc., against our gender. If criminals thought that potential victims might have a gun in their possession, the criminals might think twice.
Let the law-abiding citizens protect themselves against criminals who don't care about firearm owner identification cards and background checks.
Illinois, wake up before it's too late. My heart goes out to all victims and their families in these senseless crimes.
Pat Witczak
Orland Park
Politicians using wrong measures to stop violence
I would like to thank Fran Eaton for writing the strict gun control laws column. We need enforcement of laws and the return of capital punishment. I'm afraid that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and the other politicians are looking in the wrong place when it comes to protecting the citizens of Illinois.
Stephen C. Lingle
Tinley Park
Refreshing to hear a woman's point of view
It was a pleasant surprise to read a column by a woman who is making sense about gun control laws and against tampering with the Second Amendment. While not all states have passed concealed-carry laws, those states that have are seeing reductions in crime rates.
I know that every human being cries out when a youngster is gunned down. The solution is not new and more gun laws but in finding out where these guns are coming from and who is circulating them.
Those illegal gun buyers and sellers are the real killers. They're in the same category as drug dealers: simply killers. The laws need to be made tougher on these people and not on the respectable, law-abiding gun owners.
Yes, I am a member of the National Rifle Association. I served my country more than 50 years ago, and I serve my community in volunteer work today. It's good to hear a woman's point of view on this delicate issue.
Raymond Jachim
Bridgeview
Too many restrictions against gun owners
Fran Eaton should be congratulated for her great column in the SouthtownStar that dealt with the issue of gun control. I agree with everything she said, and I suspect there are a lot of other people who do, too.
The mayor of Chicago, who is thumbing his nose at the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and state Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) are determined to impose yet more restrictions on law-abiding gun owners. Aren't there enough restrictions already? If they would enforce the restrictions that already are on the books, it would be a different story.
Doesn't it seem rather strange that a law-abiding citizen in Chicago can't own a gun, but the thugs and gang-bangers, for all practical purposes, are allowed to carry guns? Where is the enforcement of the laws when it comes to them?
Forty-eight states, as Eaton pointed out, allow their citizens to carry concealed weapons. That Illinois isn't among them is a shame.
There is an old saying, "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns." It would be wise to remember that!
Philip Peffley
Oak Lawn
Column presented a trueanalysis of state gun control
Thanks to Fran Eaton for finally presenting a valid, sensible and true analysis of the state of gun control in Illinois. The Illinois Legislature should be ashamed of itself for mandating the citizens of its state to become disarmed sheep.
Jim Woolard
Midlothian
Column excerpt
Here is an excerpt from Fran Eaton's column. To read the column in its entirety, go to www.southtownstar.com and click on "Fran Eaton" under the columnists section.
It's scary to go dress shopping in Illinois these days. After all, it has been 11 weeks, and still no arrest has been made in the tragic Tinley Park Lane Bryant store massacre. All we know is that the perpetrator was attempting to rob the Brookside Marketplace clothing store on a cold Saturday morning. He forced six women into the store's back room, tied them up and made them lay on the floor. Lying there, the heroic store manager secretly dialed 911 for help. Audio tapes of the 911 call indicate the robber heard the operator's voice, panicked and began shooting each defenseless victim in the back of the head.
After shooting all six, the killer escaped through the store's back door, just as the 911 operator alerted a Tinley Park police officer in an adjoining parking lot. Before the officer could respond, the devastation had taken place. Just yards away from him, five women were killed, and one, shot in the neck instead of the head, lay critically wounded.
To this day, a dangerous man with nothing to lose from killing again remains on the loose.
And south suburban women remain defenseless.
Illinois women are some of the few in America banned by law from protecting themselves. Forty-eight other states allow their citizens to carry concealed firearms.
Read Fran Eaton's column in its entirety at www.southtownstar.com
