josh@topaz.ARPA (J Storrs Hall) (03/13/85)
> > ... the law that both Hall and Stewart > refer to (which put a "freeze" on the ability to register firearms > in the city) was passed in *1982*. It seems unlikely this could > have had much effect on a study done in *1975*. > > Distortion and a lack of knowledge about the facts is a problem > common to Mr. Hall. > > Jeffrey Shallit I didn't think that Jeffrey knew what I was thinking, and so I went back and looked it up. I'm pleased and relieved to report that he is not telepathic after all. Here's something that I'd read several years ago, and I think you'll agree that "Chicago's fascist gun law" carries the burden of it in a single phrase about as well as it can. From "Gun Control" by Robert Kukla: "Chicago mayor Richard J Daley [called] for a special session of the Chicago City Council on January 5, 1968, to ask that they adopt a city ordinance which would require the registration of all guns by residents of the city. [The Chicago Sun-Times reported:] Details of the proposal were not disclosed. But Daley is known to have been deeply disappointed at the refusal of the Illinois General Assembly last year to pass a law requiring the registration of all firearms in the state. On the same day, Chicago's American quoted one of the Chicago aldermen, A. A. Rayner, Jr, as responding to the Mayor's proposal with this suggestion: Rayner said he would like to see all guns taken out of the hands of Citizens. "If people want to hunt,' Rayner said, "they could rent guns from the state and if they just want target practice, they could use realistic toy ranges." Daley called for registration of all firearms owned by Chicago residents, including rifles and shotguns, with the City Collector beginning 60 days after the passage of the ordinance. The Chicago's American also helpfully reported a remark allegedly made by the Mayor, which was rreminiscent of Gestapo tactics under Adolf Hitler: Daley called for all citizens to cooperate with his proposed ordinance by reporting all owners who fail to register guns. In the event one is not familiar with the manner in which the City of Chicago was run during that era, then it should be understood there was never any question whether or not the Mayor's gun registration ordinance would be adopted. The moment Daley called for a gun registration ordinance for Chicago, that moment its passage was assured. In the opinion of knowledgeable observers, everything which followed thereafter was strictly for the purpose of maintaining the illusory appearance of democratic government, while the ultimate conclusion of the whole procedure had already been preordained." (end of quote) The chapter goes on to describe (in the same over-wordy fashion) how the Daley machine manufactured 1.2 million signatures on petitions for the ordinance (in less than a week!); how just before the ordinance was adopted, the US Supreme Court ruled that registration requirements for people not supposed to have guns by law are tantamount to self- incrimination under the fifth amendment, and thus unconstitutional; so that Chicago's registration law *specifically excludes* minors, insane persons, convicted felons, and so forth, from its requirements. ONLY legitimate, law-abiding gun owners are affected. --JoSH