Gun buff wins round; cop fears 'Old West'

Chicago Tribune ^ | 7/20/07 | Jeff Long

[kiriath_jearim]

With Mother's Day approaching, Shaun Kranish needed a gift, so he strapped on his unloaded semiautomatic 9 mm pistol and left his Rockford home to do some shopping.

During his May 2006 trip to CherryVale Mall in Cherry Valley, Kranish put the 15-round magazine into a separate pouch on the holster, where he could easily reach it if necessary.

Kranish, 21, picked up some tea for his mother, ate pizza at the food court, then noticed two security guards warily following him. Taken into custody, he was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a felony.

[goldstategop]

I'd love it if the IL Supreme Court struck down the state's anti-gun laws as unconstitutional and in violation of the fundamental right of self-defense. Fat chance.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[BuffaloJack]

“Hopefully the appellate court can make some law on this.”

Since when does a judge have the authority to MAKE a law?
A judge can only interpret the law.

[no-to-illegals]

I prefer conceal carry, and understand this person’s desire for safety. Not many will approach someone carrying if the weapon is displayed. As long as the weapon is not loaded and remains holstered, I have trouble understanding officials not wishing more people to be seen as having a stake in any attack against fellow Americans, and prepared to defend themselves or their fellow citizens. Apparently Kranish had his own protection in mind. In this day and moment in history, I have no problem with Americans protecting themselves if the need arises. Sometimes law enforcement officers have an over jealous attitude, and sometimes an officer of the law is not available to protect, and defend. Again, as long as the weapon is holstered and not loaded, what harm is there in being prepared? Apparently, in the eyes of many, only the few have the right of self-protection. The judge was correct, but once again another case is in the courts, and in the courts, thing can be made better, remain the same, or made worse. The liberals will go bananas everytime if a person says enough is enough, as appears in this case. After the next election, if those desiring Americans' weapons come into greater power, yes American’s will be less safe. Conceal Carry, I prefer, but I also believe Americans have a God given right of self-protection, and protection of citizens not having giving thought to said protection. When guns are outlawed, only the criminals will have guns, is a statement of fact.

[MileHi]

Does the IL Constitution have any RKBA language?

[goldstategop]

That however negates the reason to carry a gun in the first place. An unloaded gun is no match for someone who does have a loaded one - namely, the criminal, who doesn't give a damn its a felony.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Gritty]

We could use a bit more of the "Old West"...

Treat Them to a Good Dose of Lead (Why the 'Wild West' was not what Liberals claim-my title)

[MarkL]

Wow! Talk about awful writing!

Illinois and Wisconsin are the only states where it is illegal for a private citizen to carry concealed weapons. Many states issue permits for concealed weapons if the owner takes a class and passes a background check.

Alaska and Vermont don't require a permit for carrying a concealed weapon.

The writer uses rather tortuous wording to make issuing a concealed carry permit an unusual thing... By my count from this article, "many" == 46 out of 50.

Mark

[goldstategop]

You can carry concealed in RTC Minnesota and Indiana. God help you if you're caught by the cops carrying loaded in transit across IL. Then again, its not the criminals they view as threat to society. Its law-abiding gun owners who don't know the RTC is verboten in the Land Of Lincoln. A few weeks ago in the news, a woman in Chicago was charged with a felony for a RTC gun in her purse, I think. That's how bad it it is there with respect to Second Amendment rights.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ConservaTexan]

All in favor of gun control raise your hands.

[goldstategop]

In Wisconsin, they could change that once anti-gun Doyle is gone. I doubt things will ever change in IL, unless the U.S Supreme Court strikes down prohibiting concealed carry in Parker.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ImaGraftedBranch]

Amazing, isn’t it? So many sheeple actually think that courts can make laws from thin air. Unfortunately, instead of telling them to go pound sand, the Executive and Legislative branches in State governments cower in fear.

[Lurker]

That however negates the reason to carry a gun in the first place

Largely, yes. But it is, in my view anyway, much better than nothing.

Just my two cents, your mileage may vary.

L

[no-to-illegals]

The criminal element is always present. Law enforcement should worry about the criminal element in my opinion and not worry with a law abiding citizen, but watch, wait, and remain vigilant, there is no doubt there are Americans out there and criminals who want Americans unarmed. It is easier to subjugate the population. An unarmed population has no recourse if shots are fired, but to lay down and surrender, or run for their lives. Armed but not loaded and the liberals and assorted leaders cry, “Foul”. One can bet the liberals and assorted leaders have protection, why not allow the 2nd Amendment to be the law of the land, instead the ones to be arrested are those whose concern is their own protection and possibly the protection of other citizens? Again, I heard a resounding cry of “Foul”. Law abiding citizens are told NO and our leaders through the courts take another SHOT at the 2nd. Wonders never cease!

[knarf]

“We believe we have sufficient grounds for appeal,” he said. “Hopefully the appellate court can make some law on this.”

Hopefully, @$$hole, no friggin' court will make any attempt to legislate from the bench that would infringe !!!

[Nephi]

Thanks for the go-around.

[calex59]

“This is not the Old West,” he said. “I’m not advocating banning handguns. But I’m not aware of any police officer who would advocate more handguns on the street. When they start taking their weapons out of their home and walking around with them strapped to their hip, bad things can happen.”

This guy is simply lying. I know several police officers who advocate more HONEST citizens be armed. It would make their job easier. Unfortunately all to many LEOs think they should have exclusive rights to being armed. Apparently some of them have never read the second amendment.

Bad things can happen? Worse things happen when free people are not armed and only criminals and government are armed.

[calex59]

“We believe we have sufficient grounds for appeal,” he said. “Hopefully the appellate court can make some law on this.”

I guess this guy hasn't heard that courts can't make laws(or they are not supposed to)it is unconsitutional. They merely interpret laws. Another liberal showing his ignorance of the constitution.

[LeGrande]

The “old west” was mostly myth.

More people were killed with shovels than guns, but two farmers squabbling over water isn't very exciting.

[Nathan Zachary]

"When they start taking their weapons out of their home and walking around with them strapped to their hip, bad things can happen.”"

Who is he calling "they"? The sheeple? the dumb public? The criminal? The law abiding citizen? What makes him so "above everyone"?

Bad things won't happen if law abiding citizens carry around protection. Bad things might happen to criminals however, things that wouldn't happen to them if people depended on police protection.

[July 4th]

Wisconsin has missed out on concealed carry by just one vote. (A failed veto override attempt.) Although there are some who maintain that the state allows open carry - which, I believe, it technically does - you can still be arrested for disturbing the peace. We do have a RKBA amendment to the state constitution, but it's fairly new and hasn't been tested all that much yet.

With regards to the IL law, looks like there's a fairly large loophole available for those who want to walk a fine line with the law.