IGOLD coming Wednesday, April 15th!

IGOLD: Still breathing after 20+ years, but it’s struggling — but you should show up anyway.

Back in the day, Gene Martin (a GSL director) had a crazy idea: get every gun group in Illinois together for one massive, in-your-face rally at the Capitol. It worked. For years, IGOLD grew to become the biggest, loudest pro-2A event in the state.

Gene’s gone now, and let’s be honest — IGOLD isn’t what it used to be. It’s a shadow of its former self.  Much smaller crowds, a lot less energy, and definitely fewer headlines.

So why the hell should you still go?

Because if enough of us stay home thinking “it doesn’t matter,” then it really won’t matter anymore. And the politicians who want to treat law-abiding gun owners like criminals will win by default.

But here’s the real reason you need to drag your butt to Springfield this year:

Dave McDermott.

This guy is a nationally-known criminal defense attorney who specializes in defending good guy gun owners after they’ve had to use deadly force in self-defense. He doesn’t just “take” these cases — he wins them.

How good is he? He hasn’t lost one yet.

Does that sound like someone you might want to defend you?  It should.

And this year he’s the featured speaker at the Prairie Capital Convention Center (I still refuse to call it the BoS Center — my momma raised me better). He’s scheduled to go on around 11:15–11:30, right before the march.

Listen up: McDermott is funny as hell, sharp as a tack, and he drops the kind of real-world, street-smart legal knowledge that can literally keep you out of prison if you ever have to fight for your life.

This is the stuff they don’t teach in most concealed carry classes.

He’ll teach you how to “court-proof” yourself in the chaotic hours and days after a self-defense shooting — what to say, what not to say, how to handle the police, the media, and the prosecutors who will treat you like the criminal instead of the victim.

And here’s the kicker: this man bills around $700 an hour.

You’re getting a masterclass from one of the best in the country… for free.

That alone is worth the trip.

But there are more reasons to show up:

• You get to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other armed, pissed-off Illinois gun owners who are sick of being treated like second-class citizens in their own state.
• You send a message to the anti-gun politicians in Springfield that we’re still here, we’re still watching, and we’re not going quietly into that good night.
• You’ll hear other strong speakers and get the latest intel on what gun-grabbers are trying to ram through this session.
• It’s one of the few times all year where Illinois gun owners actually show up in numbers and make some noise.
• And yeah… sometimes just being in the fight with your people feels damn good and recharges the batteries.

IGOLD may not be the monster rally it once was, but quitting on it completely is how it dies for good.

So this year, do three things:

1. Show up.
2. Bring at least one friend who’s on the fence.
3. Go for Dave McDermott — because free legal wisdom from a guy who’s never lost a self-defense case is the smartest money you’ll never spend.

See you in Springfield.

Join the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) for the 2026 Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day (IGOLD), on Wednesday, April 15th, in Springfield! This powerful annual event brings together gun owners and Second Amendment supporters from across Illinois to rally at the Capitol and speak directly to their elected officials. This year, NRA-ILA will host an information booth at the event, and FrontLines Activist Leader (FAL) Fritz Fritzgerald will be on hand to answer questions about how to get involved in grassroots efforts to defend the Second Amendment. As challenges to our firearm freedoms continue, we must show strength and unity. Make sure lawmakers see that Illinois gun owners stand firm in defending their rights! Please click the button below to RSVP and confirm your attendance: When: Wednesday, April 15th Doors Open at 10:00 A.M. Event Starts at 11:00 A.M. Where: Bank of Springfield Center 1 Convention Center Plaza Springfield, IL 62701 Please forward this to your friends and family. This event is free and open to supporters of our Second Amendment rights. NOW is the time to stand together for our rights in Illinois! ___________________________________________________________________ If you can’t attend this event but want to join the NRA-ILA team on other opportunities to defend the Second Amendment, please contact me at fritz.fritzgerald@yahoo.com. ___________________________________________________________________ In Freedom, David Conte Senior Grassroots Field Coordinator NRA-ILA Grassroots Programs & Campaign Field Operations https://www.nrailafrontlines.com/