Otis McDonald, left, applauds a point made by IGOLD spokesman Valinda Rowe at the pre-march warm-up at the Prairie Capital Convention Center. Otis McDonald was the plaintiff in the landmark civil rights case McDonald v. Chicago. More gun owners were still filing in when this shot was taken at about 12:25. Click for larger image.Otis McDonald, a humble and kind man, speaks a few words. Watching are some of the plaintiffs of various recent civil rights cases that have come down in favor of gun owners’ rights. In the middle, in the yellow T-shirt, is Mary Shepard of Shepard v. Madigan, the case that struck down Illinois’ prohibition on carry outside the home.
Despite a wicked winter storm in northern Illinois, approximately 8100 gun owners still managed to converge on Springfield, Illinois for Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day (IGOLD) on Wednesday, March 6, 2013.
IGOLD began in 2007 as the Illinois State Rifle Association joined forces with other gun clubs, organizations and Internet forums to have a massive turnout at the Statehouse in Springfield to lobby legislators and the state’s elected officials.
In the first year, nearly 1200 people turned out and the crowds have grown consistently.
This year, the weather was very unfavorable for those in northern Illinois as a winter snowstorm blew through Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. At least a half-dozen buses from northern Illinois were cancelled because of road conditions and others were late. Plenty more individuals tried to drive down and turned back because of treacherous road conditions.
Despite these challenges, over eight thousand dedicated gun owners turned out to advocate for the principles our nation was founded upon and to rally against recreating past tyrannies.
Speakers, including politicians and the NRA’s contract lobbyist for Illinois Toddy Vandermyde and representatives from the major sponsoring gun rights organizations warmed up the crowd at the Prairie Capital Convention Center before the six-block walk to the Statehouse. Other speakers included plaintiffs of a several of the recent landmark civil rights cases.
The eight-block march / parade of gun owners is just getting underway. Click for larger image.
Springfield Police blocked traffic and escorted the marchers through eight blocks of downtown Springfield. Contrast this support from local law enforcement with the so-called welcome Chicago gave to protesters last year…
Photographers await the crowd at the railroad overpass over Capitol Avenue.
This is the sight that causes anti-gun politicians in Springfield to piddle down their legs. Click for a larger image.
Gun owner approach the final street before on Statehouse property like a giant tsunami. Click for a larger image.
The tsunami of gun owners surges forward. Click for a larger image.
Gun owners were strung out over at least four city blocks. Click for a larger image.
Pressing the flesh: Guns Save Life leadership and members visit Illinois’ Treasurer Dan Rutherford, seen as a likely Republican candidate for governor in 2014. Click for a larger image.
Senator Chapin Rose talks strategy…
… with a who’s who of gun rights leaders and IGOLD participants.
Strengthening partnerships: Guns Save Life’s John Naese, left, with Days of our Trailers’ Roy Kubicek. Roy’s now officially famous… as national gun banners complained of his work (taking quotes out of context) at a Congressional hearing last week, earning Mr. Kubicek inclusion into the Congressional Record. Click for a larger image.
Chapin with a bunch of us in the hallway outside his office. Click for larger image! (Email templar223 at comcast.net for the really high-res version).
It’s the criminals, stupid! Click for larger image.
8 thoughts on “It was our day to shine: IGOLD 2013 a massive success.”
Despite crappy weather, long drives, and late buses, a GREAT day at IGOLD!!!!!!!!!!! We did get some good media as shown above. Next year will be even bigger.
Damn. Sorry I missed this.
This is “good coverage”? The Fox News “Presstitute” deliberately states the number of attendees as less than half of what actually showed up! Take a look at those pictures of the crowd approaching the capital and those in the convention center, does that look like, “three to four thousand participants”? Seriously? That so called news reporter had the gall to quote that obviously false number when also showing photos and video of a crowd that was blatantly obviously much larger?
Even worse, there was not one peep about this rally on any local news source that I could find in Springfield. It was blacked out completely on the TV news that I saw that night. The local newspaper showed ONE PHOTO of the event the next day with a small blurb at the bottom that intentionally completely failed to inform the public of what transpired, how many attended, etc.
Add that to the fact that on Tuesday the House Speaker Madigan used trickery and deceit to get amendments passed banning ALL semi-suto guns in the state. This fight is far from over and the collectivist, fascist, gun banners simply continue to escalate their use of lies, manipulation, abuse of power and position, etc, to thwart the will of the people. It is there for all to see at this point. These criminals do not care about a court order, they do not care about their oaths of office, they do not care about what the people want, they will do anything and everything to trample on the people’s rights at will.
All Americans need to keep in mind what (former slave) Frederick Douglass said in November 1867:
“A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.”
Vote ’em out!!!!!
There was a IGOLD news story on WEEK TV station (NBC)in Peoria. The video can be viewed on their website at the following link:
Also, today’s (March 7, 2013) Peoria Journal Star had a captioned picture (no article) in the middle of the Local Section (section 2) showing the “hundreds” of gun owners marching in Springfield, IL.
This was my first year attending IGOLD as I had only heard about it for the first time at February’s Pontiac GSL meeting.
Only a few short months ago, back in October 2012, I was able to purchase my first firearms. Shortly thereafter I attended my first GSL meeting in November when a friend invited me. I was a little apprehensive and nervous, as I had never been a part of anything like this before. I always knew what I believed, I just didn’t know there was so many others out there that felt and believed the same as me. I’ll admit that listening to talk radio and the news, I get really frustrated and despaired sometimes.
BUT, after attending IGOLD yesterday… I feel so inspired, charged up, amazed and hopeful, and just so grateful that I was able to attend IGOLD. I can’t wait for what’s coming next.
Yes WEEK 25 and WHOI 19 had coverage as well as 17. Bloomington/Peoria got no coverage I saw from WCIA 3, WYZZ 43 or WMBD 31. I just checked ch 3 once so they may of had some coverage later but I don’t think so.
Best IGOLD coverage I heard was from 92.9 The Morning Rush W/Robert Rees: http://www.cities929.com He did a great job of promoting too. Robert is a great patriot.
Ch.3 in Champaign had no coverage of IGOLD. So the next morning I sent them an E-mail, Got no responce from them. I called in, on Radio Station WDWS “Penny for you Thoughts” Thursday morning and had a very good conversation on the radio with “Jim”. He knew about IGOLD and talked it up on the radio. Great day for gun owners!
Despite crappy weather, long drives, and late buses, a GREAT day at IGOLD!!!!!!!!!!! We did get some good media as shown above. Next year will be even bigger.
Damn. Sorry I missed this.
This is “good coverage”? The Fox News “Presstitute” deliberately states the number of attendees as less than half of what actually showed up! Take a look at those pictures of the crowd approaching the capital and those in the convention center, does that look like, “three to four thousand participants”? Seriously? That so called news reporter had the gall to quote that obviously false number when also showing photos and video of a crowd that was blatantly obviously much larger?
Even worse, there was not one peep about this rally on any local news source that I could find in Springfield. It was blacked out completely on the TV news that I saw that night. The local newspaper showed ONE PHOTO of the event the next day with a small blurb at the bottom that intentionally completely failed to inform the public of what transpired, how many attended, etc.
Add that to the fact that on Tuesday the House Speaker Madigan used trickery and deceit to get amendments passed banning ALL semi-suto guns in the state. This fight is far from over and the collectivist, fascist, gun banners simply continue to escalate their use of lies, manipulation, abuse of power and position, etc, to thwart the will of the people. It is there for all to see at this point. These criminals do not care about a court order, they do not care about their oaths of office, they do not care about what the people want, they will do anything and everything to trample on the people’s rights at will.
All Americans need to keep in mind what (former slave) Frederick Douglass said in November 1867:
“A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.”
Vote ’em out!!!!!
There was a IGOLD news story on WEEK TV station (NBC)in Peoria. The video can be viewed on their website at the following link:
http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Concealed-carry-support-at-State-Capitol-195787581.html
Also, today’s (March 7, 2013) Peoria Journal Star had a captioned picture (no article) in the middle of the Local Section (section 2) showing the “hundreds” of gun owners marching in Springfield, IL.
This was my first year attending IGOLD as I had only heard about it for the first time at February’s Pontiac GSL meeting.
Only a few short months ago, back in October 2012, I was able to purchase my first firearms. Shortly thereafter I attended my first GSL meeting in November when a friend invited me. I was a little apprehensive and nervous, as I had never been a part of anything like this before. I always knew what I believed, I just didn’t know there was so many others out there that felt and believed the same as me. I’ll admit that listening to talk radio and the news, I get really frustrated and despaired sometimes.
BUT, after attending IGOLD yesterday… I feel so inspired, charged up, amazed and hopeful, and just so grateful that I was able to attend IGOLD. I can’t wait for what’s coming next.
Yes WEEK 25 and WHOI 19 had coverage as well as 17. Bloomington/Peoria got no coverage I saw from WCIA 3, WYZZ 43 or WMBD 31. I just checked ch 3 once so they may of had some coverage later but I don’t think so.
Best IGOLD coverage I heard was from 92.9 The Morning Rush W/Robert Rees: http://www.cities929.com He did a great job of promoting too. Robert is a great patriot.
Ch.3 in Champaign had no coverage of IGOLD. So the next morning I sent them an E-mail, Got no responce from them. I called in, on Radio Station WDWS “Penny for you Thoughts” Thursday morning and had a very good conversation on the radio with “Jim”. He knew about IGOLD and talked it up on the radio. Great day for gun owners!