Gun confiscation - can it happen?

A while back the NRA suggested asking city police chiefs and county sheriffs to sign pledges that they would not confiscate lawfully-owned guns.

I laughed when I thought about asking the Woodstock Police Chief or the McHenry County Sheriff to sign such a pledge.

First of all, Chief Lowen would never sign it without the permission of the Woodstock Mayor and City Council. And they would never give that permission. Look at the composition of the city council. Mayor Sager would not stand up for gun owners' rights and the rest of the city council would not go against him. So, forget it in Woodstock.

And to go to Sheriff Nygren? First of all, you'd have to find it. He was never in favor of concealed carry, and fortunately the new law puts a "shall issue" power to issue a concealed-carry license in the hands of the Illinois State Police, rather than a "may issue" power in the hands of county sheriffs.

But what's really wrong with such a pledge is that the government can (easily?) change the law. Look what is happening in New York City. There is a five-round magazine capacity law there, and New York (the City) is notifying owners of some registered guns that they must turn in their guns.

What would happen if Illinois tried this stunt? Or Chicago? Or Woodstock?

What did Charleton Heston say? "You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands" (or something to that effect). Some people laughed. But here we are, folks. Government confiscation of firearms.

Are we going to let government turn us otherwise law-abiding citizens into criminals? Wake up, folks. Stay awake!

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." (John Philpot Curran 1750-1817, Irish politician and judge (as I've said before, no relation)).