The First Amendment is widely considered to be the most important part of the Bill of Rights. It protects the fundamental rights of conscience — the freedom to believe and express different ideas — in various ways. The right to own guns has been fought time and time again. Ironically, this has been the very reason we have trouble with the second ambivalent in the first place. “The security of a free state.”
What is Happening in Illinois
Illinois has one of the strongest firearm safety laws in the country and low levels of gun ownership when it comes to gun regulations. In response to the horrifying mass shooting that occurred at Highland Park on July 4, 2022. legislators passed essential gun safety regulations, which forbade the possession of assault rifles and magazines with a large capacity.
Despite being a national leader in enacting gun violence prevention laws, Illinois continues to experience unacceptable rates of firearms violence. If this is the case why is there still so much firearm violence in Illinois?
Illinois is surrounded by states with much weaker laws creating a ripple effect. An outsized share of likely trafficked guns recovered in Illinois are originally purchased out-of-state—especially in Indiana, just across the border from Chicago. For example, Indiana has one of the highest rates of artilleries used in homicides in the country. A rate that increased over the past decade. Higher than the nationwide increase of guns used in homicides.
While Indiana was a pioneer with its Extreme Risk law, which was one of the first in the nation. It lacks all other foundational laws and recently repealed its concealed carry permitting requirement. Illinois has all but seven possible firearm restrictions compared to Indiana which only has ten gun restriction laws.
It leaves forty possible firearm restriction laws that they simply just don’t use. This loose use of the rules put Indiana at number three in the country for gun law strength compared to Illinois being number three in the center for gun law strength. The gun deaths per 100,000 residents are at the national average while Illinois is at 1,622 per year. However, it has the 35th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. Additionally, Illinois has a rate of 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people, every year on average. So, what does this mean for Illinois?
The Effect on Illinois
Gun ownership in Indiana does not require a permit. Rather, a “license to carry” is granted. Furthermore, considering Indiana does not recognize concealed weapon permits. Any law-abiding firearm owner may be carrying a firearm covertly without ever realizing it. Considering that Illinois and Indiana are neighbor states there is no checkpoint beside the toll pole. Chicago reflects one of the most conspicuous examples of gun smuggling and that ripple effect.
Due to some of the strictest local gun laws, Chicago does not have any retail guns stores within its boundaries. However, it can be as easy as traveling less than an hour to guns show in Indiana, where background checks are not necessary and private sales are not recorded, to carry guns into Chicago. Advocates for firearm control in Indiana argue that it is essential to maintain the constitutional rights that these regulations are intended to safeguard.
In Other Words
No matter how ambiguous or even lenient you find the law to be. People need to take into account the responsibility that there action effects others. Otherwise, someone can really hurt themselves or someone else. When you are a neighbor state your laws do not only affect you, but thoughts are around you as well.
If you’re in the city of Chicago’s South Side, you may be closer to Indiana than you are to the Magnificent Mile. So, in such close proximity to each other, it’s important to remember for both states and people what the consequences of your action really is. The long hat fact is ignored the more that ripple effect will hider chigo and other places in that same situation and if it anything like the tumbling artilleries laws between Chicago and Indiana could be deadly.
Written by Jada Dunkentell
Sources:
Moms Demand Action : Everytown for Gun Safety Releases 2024 State Gun Law Rankings, Illinois Among National Leaders for Strong Gun Laws, Ranking Third and Seeing Rank Increase by 4
Every Own Research: Gun Laws in Indiana
Every Own Research: Gun Laws in Illinois
WTHI TV: Comparing gun laws in Indiana, Illinois, and Texas
FOX59: More Hoosiers arming themselves, but do they know their Indiana gun rights?
The New Yok Times: How Gun Traffickers Get Around State Gun Laws
Featured Image Courtesy of Ryo Chijiiwa‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Cory Doctorow‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Second Inset Image Courtesy of OZinOH‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
