ISRA Press Release Alert

Illinois State Rifle Association Advises Members to Avoid Chicago and to Vacation in Wisconsin Instead

PRNewswire-USNewswire The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

CHATSWORTH, Ill., July 12, 2012

For the second year in a row, the ISRA is advising subscribers to its alert service to write Chicago out of their summer vacation plans because the city is just too darn dangerous to visit. This safety advisory comes as Chicago experiences an unprecedented upswing in violent crime.

Although city officials and the Chicago media would like people to believe that the surge in violence is limited to Chicago's gang-infested neighborhoods, ISRA members who are also Chicago police officers report that criminals of all sorts have notched up their efforts in every corner of the city. These members report that crimes ranging from pick pocketing to aggravated assault are becoming very commonplace in areas once considered safe for families and tourists. As one officer put it, "Don't come to Chicago this summer unless you want to get beaten and robbed."

"Putting the bad economy aside, there's a couple of major reasons for Chicago's rising tide of violent crime," commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. "First off, criminals are fully aware that Illinois' prohibition on concealed carry gives them the upper hand. Second, Mayor Emanuel and Police Superintendent McCarthy are in a hopeless state of paralysis over what to do about violent crime. This is a recipe for disaster. Criminals know you can't legally protect yourself, and they know that Chicago law-enforcement officials haven't a clue about what to do to protect good citizens from harm. Criminals are taking advantage of a bad situation – and doing a good job at it."

"In clear conscience I cannot recommend that anyone vacation in Chicago this summer," continued Pearson. "Tourists are like sitting ducks and mobs of violent criminals have shown that they are brazen enough to attack anywhere, any time – even along the Magnificent Mile. I suggest that folks consider Wisconsin as a vacation destination this year. Fresh air, sunshine, friendly people – all waiting just a short drive across the border. And, although Illinois residents cannot take advantage of Wisconsin's newly-attained concealed carry status, the general air of civility fostered by concealed carry is certainly another reason to vacation with our neighbors to the north!"

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. For more than a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

WEB SITE: http://www.isra.org

Gene Batchelar Wheaton, IL