Illinois has enough laws regulating guns

Gov. Quinn is revising an existing piece of legislation so it will effectively result in a ban on “assault” weapons. I strongly urge our state representatives in the House and Senate not to vote in favor of this ghoulish, transparent attempt to capitalize on the tragedies at NIU and Aurora, Colo. Illinois has more than enough laws on its books for regulating firearms ownership.

Gov. Quinn’s proposed legislation would have not prevented, and will not prevent, such events from occurring. It is nothing more than feel-good legislation. If it is passed and becomes law, it will undoubtedly be challenged and go through the various courts only to be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. This, of course, after Illinois spends vast sums of money it does not have defending this ill-advised, ineffective law.

Albert Einstein once declared that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Gov. Quinn and people like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel should learn from this in regard to firearm legislation and try something other than inflicting more and more onerous and restrictive laws on Illinois’ firearms owners. Maybe something like granting Illinoisans the same privilege that every other state has given its residents: concealed carry.

Bill Pohnan

Streamwood