Rant: acquring a handgun in Chicago

[JamesNewJeep]

Ok first off, I am a progressive, more liberal than most, more than Obama. But I have my own stance on a lot of hot issues that may or may not align with liberals/dems. This is NOT a political rant.

Also, I am a logical, good-hearted person, and I don't dance around conflicts of interests. I believe in fairness....My stance on gun control has flip-flopped in the past few years because of several reasons.

-If criminals can acquire guns and use them to commit a crime, I should be able to have one for target shooting and home defense

-I now have a family and my obligation to protect them is heightened now with a child in the home

-Living in Chicago, a city with for a very long time the tightest restrictions on guns, I can tell you from personal experience and statistical data that outlawing guns has not lowered the crime rate substantially, even the murder rate.

-arguing that guns increase the chance of murders/suicides/accidental shootings is an obvious conclusion. Driving a car also greatly increases your chances of getting into an automobile accident WTF!
----People that want to kill others or themselves, will not be deterred by a law that says they may not own a gun. They will kill regardless...As far as accidental shootings? it will happen, but a gun owner should always be responsible and respect the danger associated with having one out


Now for the rant

I am interested in owning a handgun. Used to be around here(Chicago) you could not legally possess one. I could own a shotgun, or rifle, but not a handgun.

This is stupid and unreasonable to me. If you want to say "guns kill people", then saying they may own one type and not another is counter-productive.

Now the law was challenged and the Mayor decided to step in and pass an emergency resolution which would allow ownership of a handgun, but force you to jump through hoops of fire to get one.

I have to apply for a firearm permit in Chicago.
Fine.
I must first take safety training course given by a state approved instructor.
Reasonable and a good idea for newbies.
I must take an affidavit from the instructor, two passport photos, a driver's license, my FOID card, and be fingerprinted.
Geez! Ok, I better write this down!
Also, you cannot go to your local police station to apply...you must drive 10 miles into a ****ty neighborhood where 40% of the population illegally own guns and the police cannot keep up with them and get the guns off the street.
Oh, and don't forget to bring $100 with you....


$100? What does that pay for? My FOID card was $10 plus a stamp. This is being used as a deterrent to keep people from owning a gun. I am already looking at over $100 for a safety class-which I think is absolutely reasonable to be a requirement-then I have to amass several documents and drive into the hood AND give you $100? Then $15 to register the firearm once I buy it?

$25 seems reasonable. It requires some administrative services and filing and whatnot. But I live in a city that has the highest sales tax, highest fuel cost, schools that churn out moron after moron, corrupt city government and police force.

When all is said and done, class, permit, gun, FFL, and registration fee. I will be paying almost $900 for a $600 gun, that some douche-bag gang-banger picks up for $150 after it's stolen.

I know there some challenges to this law, but the city needs to take it down a notch. Lots of bad guys have guns, not a lot of good guys can afford 'em.

I'm not rich, but I am not poor either, I know that if I am willing to spend $600 on a gun, what's $300 more? Its not the money part that pisses me off. It the fact that I keep paying into a city government that fails on so many levels.

[Vultite]

I feel for you, unfortunately the way out of your problem is to likely move b/c change there is like NYC allowing permits (possible, but improbable) I won't travel anywhere in the U.S. where I can bring my gun with me....I figure, the risk isn't worth it, pictures these days are good enough besides, those areas the criminals know they have the upper hand....good luck, I'd jump through whatever hoops you need to, to get it done if your stuck there...

[MrMischief]

Well I see two options for you. Put up with it, or move away from Chicago. I vote you leave Chicago. The other option is to try to convince those in political power that they're head is up their ass, but that's far more trouble then just relocating to a better part of the country.

[shotinthenads]

Personally I would do whatever it took to own my guns. If it became illegal in my town tomorrow I still would keep them. I just would not let anyone see them and if I carried one it would be concealed. If you live close to an area that you can own a handgun, maybe you can join a local shooting club and just don't tell anyone in Chicago that you own one.

[GenXer]

I'd like to know how it's legal to make handguns illegal.

[MrMischief]

Originally Posted by GenXer

I'd like to know how it's legal to make handguns illegal.

It's not, that's why the mayor stepped in and passed an emergency resolution because he knew they'd lose their ass in court. This is just a delay tactic.

[GenXer]

Didn't San Fran try to get ammo sales banned from their city? Wonder how that turned out.

[JamesNewJeep]

Originally Posted by MrMischief

It's not, that's why the mayor stepped in and passed an emergency resolution because he knew they'd lose their ass in court. This is just a delay tactic.

If I remember correctly, it was in the same week that the supreme court ruled that Chicago cannot enforce a handgun ban.

[JamesNewJeep]

I do plan on moving in a few years but to California, which is restrictive state also. But as a person that can see both viewpoint clearly, I think there is a middle ground that allows the good guys to own and carry, and helps keep the bad guys from getting their hands on firearms.

[croat]

Solution - move an hour north to Wisconsin

Right now Illinois and Wisconsin are the only two states in the USA that do not allow open/concealed carry and Chicago was one of the only banning handguns. Our impressive (note the sarcasm) republican majority house/senate passed a concealed carry bill today and its going to our republican governor to be signed in about a week - so that will leave our lonesome neighbors IL the last state to not have a gun law.

Once again - move

[Vultite]

Originally Posted by JamesNewJeep

I do plan on moving in a few years but to California, which is restrictive state also. But as a person that can see both viewpoint clearly, I think there is a middle ground that allows the good guys to own and carry, and helps keep the bad guys from getting their hands on firearms.

Oh noes!! Commifornia!

[pjonesmoody]

Chicago has a way of bleeding you dry (no pun intended) of every last penny you have. Between the taxes, fuel prices, city stickers to park in Chi proper, CTA fare increases, et cetera et cetera, it's amazing anyone can afford to live in the city. I'm not a firearm owner, but I respect the right to do so, and I respect the implementation of a few guidelines when it comes to obtaining one. And I also know how hairy the south and west sides can be, especially at those city offices at weird hours of the day. But all these hoops sound like they are in typical Chicago style: ten steps, costing hundreds of dollars, requiring you to visit a weird place at a weird time, with the seven forms filled out and signed by the right people, and a stiff penalty if you forget to renew it on time next year.

That being said...

Good luck!

[Schoat333]

It's weird to see how different some states are going with these gun laws. Our Governor just passed a law to allow concealed carry in bars...

[jepstr67]

Originally Posted by JamesNewJeep

Ok first off, I am a progressive, more liberal than most, more than Obama. But I have my own stance on a lot of hot issues that may or may not align with liberals/dems. This is NOT a political rant.

Also, I am a logical, good-hearted person, and I don't dance around conflicts of interests. I believe in fairness....My stance on gun control has flip-flopped in the past few years because of several reasons.

-If criminals can acquire guns and use them to commit a crime, I should be able to have one for target shooting and home defense

-I now have a family and my obligation to protect them is heightened now with a child in the home

-Living in Chicago, a city with for a very long time the tightest restrictions on guns, I can tell you from personal experience and statistical data that outlawing guns has not lowered the crime rate substantially, even the murder rate.

-arguing that guns increase the chance of murders/suicides/accidental shootings is an obvious conclusion. Driving a car also greatly increases your chances of getting into an automobile accident WTF!
----People that want to kill others or themselves, will not be deterred by a law that says they may not own a gun. They will kill regardless...As far as accidental shootings? it will happen, but a gun owner should always be responsible and respect the danger associated with having one out


Now for the rant

I am interested in owning a handgun. Used to be around here(Chicago) you could not legally possess one. I could own a shotgun, or rifle, but not a handgun.

This is stupid and unreasonable to me. If you want to say "guns kill people", then saying they may own one type and not another is counter-productive.

Now the law was challenged and the Mayor decided to step in and pass an emergency resolution which would allow ownership of a handgun, but force you to jump through hoops of fire to get one.

I have to apply for a firearm permit in Chicago.
Fine.
I must first take safety training course given by a state approved instructor.
Reasonable and a good idea for newbies.
I must take an affidavit from the instructor, two passport photos, a driver's license, my FOID card, and be fingerprinted.
Geez! Ok, I better write this down!
Also, you cannot go to your local police station to apply...you must drive 10 miles into a ****ty neighborhood where 40% of the population illegally own guns and the police cannot keep up with them and get the guns off the street.
Oh, and don't forget to bring $100 with you....


$100? What does that pay for? My FOID card was $10 plus a stamp. This is being used as a deterrent to keep people from owning a gun. I am already looking at over $100 for a safety class-which I think is absolutely reasonable to be a requirement-then I have to amass several documents and drive into the hood AND give you $100? Then $15 to register the firearm once I buy it?

$25 seems reasonable. It requires some administrative services and filing and whatnot. But I live in a city that has the highest sales tax, highest fuel cost, schools that churn out moron after moron, corrupt city government and police force.

When all is said and done, class, permit, gun, FFL, and registration fee. I will be paying almost $900 for a $600 gun, that some douche-bag gang-banger picks up for $150 after it's stolen.

I know there some challenges to this law, but the city needs to take it down a notch. Lots of bad guys have guns, not a lot of good guys can afford 'em.

I'm not rich, but I am not poor either, I know that if I am willing to spend $600 on a gun, what's $300 more? Its not the money part that pisses me off. It the fact that I keep paying into a city government that fails on so many levels.

Just get the rifle and stand farther away.

Seriously though that is a lot of bother. You KNOW the criminals are not going through all that red tape.

[pjonesmoody]

Originally Posted by jepstr67

Just get the rifle and stand farther away.

Seriously though that is a lot of bother. You KNOW the criminals are not going through all that red tape.

Ha. Yep.