Bob McCarty Writes

Barack Obama is the reason why “good citizens are flocking to firearms dealers in record numbers,” according to Richard Pearson, interim chair of the Illinois State Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund.

In a statement released this morning in response to comments made by Obama during a weekend press conference, Pearson took issue with Obama’s reiteration of “his well-traveled campaign rhetoric about how he supports the Second Amendment and how lawful firearm owners have nothing to fear from him.”

“With all due respect to the president-elect, his stump speeches on gun rights really did not resonate with the nations law-abiding firearm owners,” Pearson explained.  “That is why good citizens are flocking to firearms dealers in record numbers. That is why Illinois firearm owners — the people who know Mr. Obama best — purchased at least 38 percent more firearms in November 2008 than they did in November 2007.

“Mr. Obama’s campaign promises notwithstanding, citizens look to his past record on gun rights, and they look to his recent cabinet selections, and are now understandably convinced that he’s about to pull a fast one on them.

“What the nation’s law-abiding firearm owners really want to hear from the president-elect is that, should the Congress send him a bill even remotely resembling the 1994 ‘Assault Weapons Ban,’ he’ll veto it immediately.

“What gun owners really want to hear from him is that he will veto any attempt to institute a nation-wide ban on concealed carry.

“What gun owners really want to hear from him is that he will direct his Treasury Secretary to refrain from imposing burdensome new regulations on firearm dealers.

“What gun owners really want to hear from him is that he will not try to muscle state legislatures into passing gun control laws under the threat of federal funds withholding.

“What gun owners really want to hear from him is that he will veto any punitive taxes levied on firearms, ammunition, and shooting supplies.

“Those are the sorts of things that gun owners want, and expect to hear from President-elect Obama. Hearing that he respects the Second Amendment offers lawful gun owners no comfort. It does not make Obama unique. Everyone is supposed to respect our Constitution, right?”