by John Boch
GSL Executive Director
Folks, the circus never sleeps in the Land of Pritzker. Our to-do list is exploding, and the hits just keep coming.
Legislative shenanigans
The General Assembly is back in session, turning the Capitol into a happy hour for day-drinking lobbyists and career politicians.
Word on the street? The infamous RIFL Act (that’s “Responsibility in Firearm Legislation” for the uninitiated) might crawl out of its grave this spring. Last year, it got buried alive in the Rules Committee— where bills go to die.
My money says if it resurfaces, it’ll likely be tucked into some shell bill with a fresh coat of lipstick, it’ll try to slap an (part of an $866 million?) annual “licensing fee” upon firearm manufacturers just to sell guns here. No license? No sales—new or used.
That’s right: a backdoor ban dressed up as “public health accountability.” Our saving grace ain’t gonna be found in lobbyists. Anti-gun Dems, thanks to their supermajority, can pass whatever they want relating to guns no matter if we had a thousand lobbyists in Springfield. No, even the Springfield barflies know this RIFL thing is radioactive.
Pass this flying pig with or without lipstick and President Trump’s DOJ would parachute in, drop the hammer, and turn Illinois politicians into national laughingstocks. Game over with a generous helping of humiliation. JB and crew don’t want that. Go figure.
[Caveat Emptor: Watch out for gun orgs (The Illinois Firearms Association clowns and more recently another state-level gun rights org) fundraising to “Help us STOP the RIFL gun ban!” You can send them all the money in the world, but they aren’t going to be able to stop the RIFL bill.]
Litigation limbo
We’re still holding our breath for the Seventh Circuit’s ruling in our blockbuster challenge to PICA—the “assault weapon” and magazine ban that’s been strangling law-abiding gun owners. If it doesn’t drop by month’s end, brace for a slog into summer 2027. Yeah, it sucks. But we’re in this fight for the long haul, and the Constitution doesn’t have an expiration date.
Chicago Chaos— Finally getting a reality check
Big news: Homicides are down roughly 30% in Murder City USA thanks to rounding up violent criminal illegals and a prosecutor who actually prosecutes now and then instead of playing patty-cake with perps.
ICE is shipping out the worst offenders with extreme prejudice, and surprise—the streets are safer. Of course, does the mainstream media credit deportations? Crickets.
Meanwhile, the Trump admin is gearing up to yank funding from “sanctuary” holdouts who refuse to cooperate. Illinois politicians love their “sanctuary” virtue signals—get ready for massive budget holes and “making do with less.”
And don’t get me started on Illinois refusing to hold its own monsters. Remember the thug who beat a 40-year-old female cardiologist half to death in a Northwestern Medical School campus garage elevator? Security and local cops dealt with him daily for 18 months before this attack. Feel safer yet? No wonder “No Guns” signs get ignored—people aren’t stupid.
Then there’s the downtown slasher who carved up three victims and walked with misdemeanors. Echoes of the CTA throat-stabber under Kim Foxx: where the female perp got a misdemeanor, then moved to Florida. She tried the stabby thing again. Florida gave her 20 years hard time. Florida doesn’t play. That’s why they don’t have Chicago-style violent crime!
Carry at home—Because why not?
I carry at home not because I’m paranoid about Rob Reiner’s kid showing up to go full slasher. I carry because stripping off a comfy rig is too much effort after a long day. Plus, that New Year’s Eve story from North Carolina? Pure gold.
An 18-year-old Burger King genius named Christian (yes, really) converts to Islam, pledges to ISIS, and plots a mass murder spree with… a hammer. No gun? No problem—he’ll bludgeon door-answerers to death for Allah. FBI swoops in, thwarts this genius’ fantasy before it starts.
Tip for the day: It’s a lot more fun to play “Cowboys and Jihadists” when you’ve got a gun.
Play stupid games…
We skipped the Minneapolis “Karen” saga, but it’s peak 2026 absurdity – so far. This mom refuses lawful ICE commands, guns her Honda and strikes a federal agent. Mr. Fed doesn’t offer to call her therapist — he shoots her in the face.
Protesters nearby lose their minds: “Murderer!” Turns out federal agents carry real bullets, not participation trophies.
Play stupid games with law enforcement, win stupid prizes. Shocking.
It’s a wild ride, Illinois—a full-on circus of bad ideas, slow courts, and finally some common-sense pushback. But hang tight. Good things are brewing. The tide’s turning, and we’re just getting warmed up.
Stay vigilant. Stay armed. Stay loud. And live life to its fullest.
Good things are brewing? That’s what we were told three years ago after Illannoy passed all the anti-gun crap. Here we are, still waiting while things are “brewing.”