I wanted to inform you of a possible safety issue for Illinois citizens. This issue was on the news last night. A friend of mine, Kurt Johnson, also provided me with the link to this issue from the Chicago Tribune:
SUMMARY
The Associated Press recently requested the public disclosure of all Illinois citizens registered with a Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card. The Illinois State Police (ISP) denied the request stating that it would break privacy. The Associated Press then brought the matter to Attorney General (AG) Lisa Madigan's office. The AG issued a ruling Monday night that declared the names of gun permit (FOID) holders to be public information that must be disclosed. The ISP has not yet released the information and is ramping up a court case to challenge the AG.
CONCLUSION
The National Rifle Association (NRA) brought up a good point on this issue and I had the same idea the minute I heard this on the news. The most obvious danger in a release of this nature is not to those on the list, but instead to those who are not on the list. Under this disclosure criminals all over the state would have public access to a list of everyone registered with a FOID card. In essence, this would let criminals know who is armed and on the inverse who is not armed. Until now criminals have had to play a guessing game when breaking into homes. They take the chance each and every time of facing an armed citizen who is willing and able to defend themselves and their family. But under this public disclosure, criminals would now have critical information at their fingertips in determining which unarmed homes to invade and which armed homes to avoid.
I would recommend anyone not having a FOID card to get one soon. It is an easy and inexpensive process. You can register at the following link: http://www.isp.state.il.us/
Be blessed and may God keep you and your family safe in the days ahead.
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