Despite having some of the strictest gun carrying laws in the United States, Illinois has experienced three mass shootings near Chicago in the last two weeks.

The first shooting, which occurred Feb. 2 in a Chicago mall, resulted in the deaths of five people. The second shooting, which occurred Thursday in a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University, resulted in five students' deaths and the killer's suicide.

Illinois does not allow its citizens to obtain a concealed carry weapon permit and does not accept other states' permits, one of only two states in the United States to impose both of those restrictions. Illinois also requires every gun owner in the state to carry a firearm owner's identification card.

Illinois could be labeled as an "unarmed victims zone," and the citizens of Illinois are deprived of their rights to protect themselves.

If I can't carry a gun in this state then Gov. Blagojevich and Mayor Daley cannot have armed bodyguards.

The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. I been to Indiana, I have a CCW permit. When I am out in public I know there are other people who might have a gun on them. I have seen several people pull keys, brushes, wallets, and cell phones out of a pockets. I have never felt like I needed to draw my gun. I am amazed at how the so called professional expert anti-gun-people come up with solutions to gun crimes by banning guns from the law abiding.

Springfield are made into law, criminals and gang bangers will not obey these new laws. ANY new law will hurt only law abiding gun owners. The tradegy at NIU was done by a person with mental problems that had a valid FOID card. If the State police had been notified of his past mental problems, he may or may not have gotten the FOID card depending on mental evaluation that would need to be passed before obtaining the FOID card.

Can any legislator guarantee the citizens of Illinois that the proposed new laws will stop criminals from obtaining firearms? If they cannot, then why pass the laws?

Gee - another piece of legislation that will do nothing but encumber the law abiding citizen while leaving criminals free to roam the streets. And sponsored by one of Mayor Daley's cronies.

Perhaps your readers are unaware, but as a former police officer, Mr. Acevedo has the ability to carry a concealed weapon in Illinois under HR 218. Similarly, Mayor Daley and the Chicago Aldermen can carry as "Conservators of the Peace".
Yet these same politicians continue to deny their constituents the same right to self defense?

The fears of a "wild west" have NEVER manifested in any of the other 48 states that allow their eligible citizens to carry concealed firearms. If such concerns were valid, wouldn't gunfire erupt at contentious City Council meetings?

For years, only cops, politicians and criminals could carry guns in Illinois. It just gets harder to tell the difference with each passing year.

If my family visits a public place
(restaurant, school or church), and a deranged person wants to kill someone,
our only chance is if I or another person nearby has a CCW permit and a concealed weapon
to defend ourselves.

The police will only arrive in time to investigate the shooting NOT stop it.

Concealed Weapons Permit

The only one with a gun at the Lane Br yant store in Tinley park was some JERK with a gun and all the people in the store that are dead had no gun to protect themselves. Oh yah they had a lipstick in their purse, oh yah a gun beats a lipstick everytime ! If we were able to carry guns like the 2 nd amendment to the constitution says those woman might all be alive and one JERK would be DEAD. Stop blaming guns for all the violence, it is the people pulling those guns and shooting people. The constitution says I have a right to bear arms and not in one state and not another and not in one city and not another ! ....I am tired of all the complaining and people yelling racism etc. I have guns and my father had guns and his father had guns and we have no problems. I think I might go out and buy another gun tomorrow just to make someone complaining madder ! I want to be able to carry a gun in a holster and protect my family wherever I go . I don't want to go into the 7 - 11 to buy a gallon of milk only to lose my life because my legal gun is home locked up and put away where some sap wants it to be because they don't like guns ! GET A CLUE. Remember the walgreens in oak forest/ Midlothian where the guy killed 5 people by stabbing them wito death with a KNIFE ?? Yah, NO GUN ...and not one person in the store had a gun to protect themselves or anyone else in the store ...oh yah we should wait for the police to come 25 minutes after all are dead. SHUT UP ALREADY. Stop asking the government for more free stuff and butting into our lives more that they are already are ! Where is Daleys mind at ??? We DON'T HAVE THESE PROBLEMS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN , figure it out . You bet I am angry, I am tired of listening to you all complain and beg on the news. watch the jail shows these guys can make a weapon out of anything, STOP trying to take away guns from law abiding citizens. Why don't you pass a law to lock them up FOREVER and stop letting them out early from jail ???

THE YOUNG LADY ON THE SHOW TODAY, CAME ON THE SHOW AS IF SHE WAS IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THINGS. YET WHEN ASKED SHE SAID THAT IF SHE SAW SOMEONE CARRYING A GUN, SHE WOULD NOT REPORT IT. THEREFORE SHE IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. THEN THE NEXT SPEAKER WENT RIGHT INTO WHY GUNS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL HAS THAT KEPT ANY OFF THE STREET. IF YOU MAKE GUNS ILLEGAL THEN IT WILL MAKE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY JUST LIKE WE ARE HERE IN CHICAGO. WE ARE ALL A BUNCH OF TARGETS IN CHICAGO, A CRIMINAL KNOWS THAT A NORMAL CITIZEN WILL NOT HAVE A FIREARM TO DEFEND THEMSELF BECAUSE IT IS A FELONY. BUT IT SURE DOES NOT STOP THEM. THEY ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FORTH OR FIFTH FELONY.

Maybe we should stop blaming inanimate objects for the actions of people, we need to be blaming the people for their actions and holding them accountable. Instead of creating more gun control laws, enforce the laws that are already in place! Violent criminals get released early and never serve their full sentence. I am not promoting violence but we need to hold people accountable for their actions, not inanimate objects.

I keep telling a lot of people all the time, it is the parents job to teach your children the difference between right and wrong. It's the parents job to discipline your children at an early age, and also parents need to teach your children about morals at an early age.

It also angers me that you have some parents that don't teach their children that they are more things than what is out there in their neighborhood.

I also suggest that if you want to see a change in your community, you need to be an activist. Have a community meeting to find out what can we do to make our community better. We complain so much, but we don't do anything about it.

the city of chicago all talk about the guns that infected our community. but every time a movie comes out the advertisement that allocated gun violences are plastered all over the city. ie;. busses; billboards.....Is the money more important than our youth ? we can not have it both ways and as parent why come these same violent movie are filled with children of all ages that is under the recommended age set by the studios. When we as a community will stand up; No guns. As parent we purchase every type of gun for our sons to play with as toddlers.Water guns b.b guns When are we going to be responsible for our own action.

What are your thoughts about the 2nd ammendment? Do you feel it is out dated? And do you feel that Chicago politicians do enough to help provide safety for your peers and yourself?