Free Republic

OAK PARK, IL, April 17, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Dr. Cheryl Chastine hoped to remain anonymous after purchasing George Tiller's former abortion facility in Wichita, Kansas. This morning Eric Scheidler, Jill Stanek, and dozens of pro-life activists assured her quiet Chicago suburb learned about her latest work. “Dr. Chastine's patients have a right to know she has taken on such a significant role in the abortion industry,” say signs erected by the Pro-Life Action League outside her practice, Total Wellness Inc. in Oak Park, Illinois. “I had been hoping not to be mentioned by name,” Chastine told a member of Operation...

Gov. Pat Quinn said Wednesday that he wants the Illinois attorney general to appeal a federal court ruling that the state's last-in-the-nation concealed carry ban is unconstitutional, a move that would take it before the U.S. Supreme Court. But Attorney General Lisa Madigan said she prefers to wait and see whether lawmakers craft a new law this spring that would allow the concealed carry of weapons, as the federal appeals court ordered them to do.

Illinois gun owners have gotten the shaft for far too long. The Land of Lincoln has long been known as the last state where concealed carry is not allowed, and although that may soon change, it wouldn’t be surprising to see state legislators shuffling their feet. Even though the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals deemed the concealed carry ban unconstitutional, the Illinois House of Representatives continues to push anti-gun legislation. In fact, one bill proposing a ban on semi-automatic firearms was approved by the House just this week. On Wednesday, gun owners from across the state gathered in Springfield,...

Steel plant explosion with injuries

(Newser) – Looks like Jesse Jackson Jr. didn't exactly work out a sweetheart plea deal for himself. Prosecutors intend to recommend 46 to 57 months of prison time for the former congressman, along with a fine of between $10,000 and $100,000, Politico reports. As part of the deal, Jackson admits to having conspired with his wife to illegally spend $750,000 in campaign money on such vagaries as fur coats, airplane tickets, a $43,000 Rolex watch, celebrity memorabilia, booze, cigars, and even groceries. Jackson was formally charged today with felonies including conspiracy, reports the Chicago Tribune. His wife, former Chicago...

HIGHLAND • Debi Keeney says she was only trying to save her sister's life when she shot a man who had forced his way into her apartment. She says her sister, Donna Carlyle, 47, was gasping as the man demanded money and put Carlyle in a choke hold after breaking in early this morning. "All I could see was Donna's face going blue, like her life was being choked out of her," Keeney, 55, said in an interview this afternoon. The alleged intruder, 33, is being treated at a local hospital for multiple gunshot wounds and is listed in critical...

We’re pleased to say that we are on Chicago Police SuperNintendo Garry McCarthy’s radar. In fact, we’re under his skin too. He whined at a news conference yesterday for media to quit “adopting the rhetoric of the gun advocates” in writing that Chicago has strict gun laws. His Orwellian comment was about as laughable as his tenure as Chicago’s Police Chief. The Washington Times picked up the story. Police superintendent: ‘Chicago does not have strict gun laws’ Chicago (Washington Times) - Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy implored the press Monday to stop characterizing the city as being strict on guns....

HIGHLAND, IL (KPLR)-Scary moments in Highland, IL Sunday morning after an alleged home invasion led to a shooting. It happened in the 2600 block of Eagle Way around 3:30am. Highland Police say a 33 year-old man was transported to a St. Louis hospital with multiple gunshot wounds after he allegedly forced his way into the apartment of two sisters, assaulting both of them. The sisters are identified as Donna Carlyle, 47, and Debbie Keeney, 55. Keeney had gone out for an overnight cigarette when the suspect forced his way in. She was struck. When the suspect began to choke Carlyle,...

Newark Mayor Cory Booker made a statement on HBO's Real Time Friday that should please gun rights advocates across the fruited plain. Despite being for stronger gun laws, Booker said, "Legal gun buyers are not causing murders in Newark and Chicago and other places" … CORY BOOKER, NEWARK MAYOR (D-N.J.): To me, the data should drive our decision making. So I know, I’m not afraid of people having guns who are law abiding citizens. In the analysis of gun murders and shootings in my city, I could only find one in the entire time I’ve been mayor...The guns that are...

In a candid and honest response to a question at a town hall on February 2nd, 2013, Representative Hunter says that because the Black community has more crime than White communities, they have been historically kept from having guns. Representative Hunter must be given credit for not being sure that the approach has worked. Here is a transcript of that portion of the video. Chicago Town Hall, 3rd Legislative District: At 1:38:35 to 1:39:40, State Representative Ken Duncan, when asked why do 49 states have concealed carry legislation and we don't, says: " The City of Chicago, Historically their opposition...

"I want to see my kids! Bang! Bang!" the man shouted as he stormed into the front office of a South Carolina elementary school and pointed a handgun at a secretary and custodian. Both went limp at the verbal gunshots, and the "shooter," a police officer taking part in a school safety drill, continued his rampage. ... All fell to the floor with bloody, fake wounds.

CHICAGO (CBS) – In Springfield Tuesday afternoon, the first step was taken toward allowing gun owners to carry concealed weapons on the streets of Illinois. State Rep. Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) has introduced proposed concealed carry legislation – written with the help of the National Rifle Association – in the Illinois House. The proposal would require background checks gun owners already have to pass to get a Firearm Owner’s Identification card, as well as still-to-be-determined safety course provided by licensed instructors before a person could carry a concealed firearm. Don Mastrianni, the owner of Illinois Gun Works in Elmwood Park, took...

CHICAGO, Illinois, January 25, 2013 - A new Cold War is brewing here in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood and it has nothing to do with the frigid temperature. The apartment building at 832 E. 57th Street was once the Chicago home of a boy who would become a President. No, it’s not Barack Obama of Hawaii. It was at the apartment’s first floor window that a young Ronald Reagan looked out upon the world. But some powerful Chicagoans are planning to demolish Reagan’s historic home. Is it politically motivated? Is Mayor Rahm Emanuel behind the move? Reagan as a child....

CHICAGO (CBS) – A teenage girl–an honor student who had just performed at President Obama’s inaugural–was gunned down Tuesday afternoon in the Kenwood neighborhood, just blocks from the high school she attended.

A white ex-congresswoman with an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association is the front-runner to replace former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in a majority-black Chicagoland district with inner-city neighborhoods wracked by gun violence. At first glance, Debbie Halvorson should have no business winning the Feb. 26 special election. The former Democratic congresswoman was crushed by Jackson in a primary last year. She’s a white Democrat seeking to represent a district in which 54 percent of voters are African-American And she’s an unapologetic Second Amendment backer — with endorsements from the NRA in two of her previous congressional campaigns —...

Authorities say a father acted in self-defense Monday night when he fired one shot, striking his 26-year-old son in the stomach. The incident occurred in the 2800 block of South Pasfield Street shortly before 6 p.m. Sergeant Jim Tapscott of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office said the son showed up at his father’s home intoxicated. He went to the back door of the home and reportedly began yelling obscenities and trying to force his way in. Tapscott said the father repeatedly told him to leave, but he refused. At that point, the father grabbed a small-caliber handgun, Tapscott said. The...

It was a bad Sunday for sponsors of an meeting to create a grassroots chapter of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence at the Glenview, IL Police Station Auditorium failed miserably as supporters of the Constitution and civil rights took part in the event. In the end, unsubstantiated assertions by the gun control advocates were challenged by a boisterous audience. The local newspaper had this to say: Gun Ownership Advocates Intentionally Pack Panel (Glenview Patch) – Gun ownership advocates intentionally packed Sunday’s gun control panel by the New Trier Democrats, as pro-gun advocates — who were encouraged to come from...

Gun Appreciation Day was a big success nationwide. There have been lots of stories on the event, including this one: Rallies across U.S. assail Obama’s proposed gun curbs (Reuters) - Pro-gun activists held “high noon” rallies across the United States on Saturday to defend the right to own firearms that they say is being threatened by President Barack Obama’s gun-control proposals. The U.S. debate over gun control erupted in mid-December after a man armed with an assault rifle killed 20 first-graders and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut – the deadliest of a string of U.S. shooting...

The Catholic Conference of Illinois has welcomed the legislative passage of a measure permitting immigrants who are not present in the United States legally to apply for temporary driver’s licenses. “This legislation will give our immigrant brothers and sisters the training to safely get to church, work and school,” said Robert Gilligan, the conference’s executive director. “All families are safer when every driver is trained, tested, licensed and insured.”

SPRINGFIELD --- The Illinois House today approved a measure to allow illegal immigrants to get temporary driver's licenses, sending it to a supportive Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. The 65-46 vote came after a lengthy debate in which backers and foes laid out their cases. Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, cited numerous concerns about public safety. Opponents questioned why fingerprinting isn't part of the legislation. Republican Rep. Randy Ramey of DuPage County said too many issues are left unanswered.