HB 0148 - 40 co-sponsors; come on, Jack

HB 0148, this session's concealed-carry bill, now has 40 co-sponsors. McHenry County residents are invited to contact Rep. Jack Franks and urge him to join in. Why is he holding back?

Call Jack's office this week at 815-334-0063. Ask to speak directly with Jack. If he is in Springfield, ask what days he will be in his office there and then call 217-782-1717. Then call him there and ask to speak directly to him.

If you must speak with a staffer, ask them to take your specific message and comment, along with your name and phone number, and request an intelligent response. Don't accept a "pat" answer or form letter.

Jack likes to be on the winning side. Will he hold off until he can see that the winning side has the bullet-proof number of 71 sure votes for a super-majority?

I've heard that Jack is concerned about the liability of a business owner who declares his business a gun-free zone. Suppose a customer leaves his lawful weapon in his car, enters the business, and then is hurt when a gun-wielding criminal enters and shoots. Let's say, for example, that a man is sitting in Jack's law office and discussing a divorce. Assume Jack has declared his law office to be a gun-free zone. The man's angry about-to-be-ex-wife enters and shoots the dirty dog who is about to divorce his wife, run off with his Barbie doll, and leave the kids and her penniless. Jack doesn't want to be liable.

Jack has several choices. He can try to protect his own hide and continue to leave the entire State of Illinois as unarmed victims to gun-toting criminals. Or he can buy more liability insurance (he probably already has plenty). He can decide not to make his office a gun-free zone (the best choice). He can favor concealed-carry and throw a bone to business with an exemption from liability for a gun-caused injury in a gun-free zone. He can risk the loss of legal business from law-abiding, gun-toting, prospective clients.

Call Jack and reason with him. Explain that you believe law-abiding, gun-carrying citizens will not turn Illinois into the Wild, Wild West, just as they have not in 48 other states. Ask him to read More Guns, Less Crime, by Prof. John Lott. Ask him to read From Luby's to the Legislature, by Suzanna Gratia Hupp.