Post by Woody Williams on Dec 22, 2007 9:40:18 GMT -5
Cook County (Illinois)Board Poised to Shut Down Cabela's Superstore
CHICAGO, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released
today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):
Just weeks after its gala grand opening, the Cabela's superstore in
Hoffman Estates, IL is facing closure by the Cook County (IL) Board. This
impending action stems from a pair of proposed county ordinances
prohibiting the retail sale of firearms at a location 15 miles or less from
any other federally licensed firearm dealer. The proposals further prohibit
retail sale of firearms within one mile of any school, church, place of
worship, nursing home, homeless shelter, public housing, or military
installation. With respect to these restrictions, Cabela's Hoffman Estates
store loses on all counts - as does every other federally-licensed gun
dealer in Cook County.
"This proposal is an election year stunt instigated by Cook County
Commissioner, Larry Suffredin," said ISRA Executive Director, Richard
Pearson. "Although this is something that we'd expect to see from a
gun-control extremist like Suffredin, I'm surprised to see astute
politicians like Commissioners Claypool, Quigley, and Murphy signing on as
co-sponsors to this farce."
"Cabela's Hoffman Estates store employs hundreds of Cook County
residents and brings in millions of sales tax dollars for the County,"
continued Pearson. "If Cabela's cannot sell firearms, then there is no
Cabela's. If there is no Cabela's, then those retail dollars flee to
DuPage, Kane or Will counties. The cash-strapped Cook County treasury
really can't afford such a huge hit just because Larry Suffredin doesn't
like people who own guns."
"From a practical standpoint, Suffredin's proposal is a non-starter,"
commented Pearson. "It bears repeating that the Chicago Police Department
has determined that 88% of murderers have previous criminal records as do
76% of murder victims. Federally-licensed firearm dealers are not the
problem - career criminals are."
"Furthermore", continued Pearson. "When was the last known case where
someone walks out the door of a gun shop, in the door of a nursing home,
and then proceeds to shoot the place up? The same Chicago Police Department
report lists alleyways as being popular places to get murdered. Why then,
did Suffredin not specify that no gun shop could be within one mile of an
alley? The reason is simple - shock value. Suffredin prefers to play on the
plight of our most vulnerable citizens in order to advance his quixotic
campaign to disarm hunters and sportsmen. Commonsense is not part of the
Suffredin lexicon."
"One insidious side-effect of the Suffredin proposal is that it deeply
erodes the home-rule authority of many of the larger communities in Cook
County," noted Pearson.
"The Suffredin proposal is expensive, ineffective, divisive and
impractical," said Pearson. "I hope that Board President Stroger has the
wisdom to immediately reject Suffredin's showboating."
The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and
responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the
interests of over 1.5 Million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.
SOURCE Illinois State Rifle Association
CHICAGO, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released
today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):
Just weeks after its gala grand opening, the Cabela's superstore in
Hoffman Estates, IL is facing closure by the Cook County (IL) Board. This
impending action stems from a pair of proposed county ordinances
prohibiting the retail sale of firearms at a location 15 miles or less from
any other federally licensed firearm dealer. The proposals further prohibit
retail sale of firearms within one mile of any school, church, place of
worship, nursing home, homeless shelter, public housing, or military
installation. With respect to these restrictions, Cabela's Hoffman Estates
store loses on all counts - as does every other federally-licensed gun
dealer in Cook County.
"This proposal is an election year stunt instigated by Cook County
Commissioner, Larry Suffredin," said ISRA Executive Director, Richard
Pearson. "Although this is something that we'd expect to see from a
gun-control extremist like Suffredin, I'm surprised to see astute
politicians like Commissioners Claypool, Quigley, and Murphy signing on as
co-sponsors to this farce."
"Cabela's Hoffman Estates store employs hundreds of Cook County
residents and brings in millions of sales tax dollars for the County,"
continued Pearson. "If Cabela's cannot sell firearms, then there is no
Cabela's. If there is no Cabela's, then those retail dollars flee to
DuPage, Kane or Will counties. The cash-strapped Cook County treasury
really can't afford such a huge hit just because Larry Suffredin doesn't
like people who own guns."
"From a practical standpoint, Suffredin's proposal is a non-starter,"
commented Pearson. "It bears repeating that the Chicago Police Department
has determined that 88% of murderers have previous criminal records as do
76% of murder victims. Federally-licensed firearm dealers are not the
problem - career criminals are."
"Furthermore", continued Pearson. "When was the last known case where
someone walks out the door of a gun shop, in the door of a nursing home,
and then proceeds to shoot the place up? The same Chicago Police Department
report lists alleyways as being popular places to get murdered. Why then,
did Suffredin not specify that no gun shop could be within one mile of an
alley? The reason is simple - shock value. Suffredin prefers to play on the
plight of our most vulnerable citizens in order to advance his quixotic
campaign to disarm hunters and sportsmen. Commonsense is not part of the
Suffredin lexicon."
"One insidious side-effect of the Suffredin proposal is that it deeply
erodes the home-rule authority of many of the larger communities in Cook
County," noted Pearson.
"The Suffredin proposal is expensive, ineffective, divisive and
impractical," said Pearson. "I hope that Board President Stroger has the
wisdom to immediately reject Suffredin's showboating."
The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and
responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the
interests of over 1.5 Million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.
SOURCE Illinois State Rifle Association
I'm with everyone in saying that they should open an additional store in Indiana instead and take all the money Illinois would have received.