McHenry County Blog

A press release from the McHenry County Right to Carry Association:

Training Night-Mental Preparation for Unarmed and Armed Confrontation

Body guard Matt McNamara points out something to Callista Gingrich on her husband’s Presidential campaign stop at the Lake in the Hills Airport.

We are proud to be hosting a dynamic, expert, trainer. His name is Matthew McNamara. Come out and learn the must have skills to prevail in a violent encounter.

Mental Preparation for Unarmed and Armed Confrontation

This presentation will focus on the most important element of protecting ourselves in dangerous and traumatic situations – our mind and mindset prior to violence. Thought processes, physiological and psychological responses to violence, situational awareness and preparing to win in advance of violent confrontations will be discussed and explained along with effective techniques and tactics.

Matt McNamara Bio

All training hosted by MCR2CA is for law abiding citizens with the intention of self protection. Safety is always a number one priority and is ultimately the responsibility of the individual. Firearms safety needs to become ingrained in the user. Never become complacent, never stop striving to learn.

Start: March 28, 2013 7:00 pm
End: March 28, 2013 8:15 pm
Venue: Woodstock VFW Post 5040
Address:  240 N. Throop St.,Woodstock, IL,60098, United States
Cost: $10.00

A missive from the McHenry County Right to Carry Association:

Nik Clark, president of WisconsinCarry.org starts his letters to his members: “Greetings in Freedom”. Thanks, Nik.

Two members of MCR2CA were at the gun show on February 17 at the Woodstock VFW and manned a display table with information about membership and the upcoming Massad Ayoob training. We welcome the new members who joined us that day. Welcome aboard!

This Friday, February 22, the Illinois House Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing in Chicago. If you want to attend, be at the Michael A. Bilandic Building, 160 N. LaSalle St., Room N-600, well before the 10:00AM starting time. Tuesday’s hearing in Springfield was packed. Arrive early. Will you be going? Gus Philpott, MCR2CA Secretary/Treasurer, will be taking the 7:23AM Metra from Woodstock.

Review the names of the Committee members. Decide how you want to dress to impress them. Will a suit or “business casual” be appropriate? We want them to hear us, not just see us. If you go, take something to hand each of the 16 members, whose names you can find here: www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=1192&GA=98 If you go, give us feedback on who is favorable toward the laws that are good for gun owners and whom we need to educate more.

Saturday-Sunday, February 23-24. Visit us at Booth 309 at the Great Outdoor Expo at Woodstock North High School.

Are you an expert “salesperson”? If so, the McHenry County Right to Carry Association is in need of your expert help. As you probably know, MCR2CA has a booth for two days at The Great Outdoors Expo this weekend. We need to get our message out more than ever. If you are able to lend a hand signing up new members at the show, please contact MCR2CA president Mickey Schuch @815-690-0248. The board members will be in attendance both days as well.

Don’t forget 2013 memberships are up for renewal. Please pledge your support of freedom and our Bill of Rights, by visiting www.MCR2CA.ORG; click on “Become a Member” and renew or join (use the same form). You’ll see that we launched a new online membership application, so even if you have been a member in the past we need you to renew. Dues can be conveniently paid via PayPal.

The next McHenry County Right to Carry Association meeting will be held at 7 PM at the Woodstock VFW, 240 N. Troop Street in Woodstock.

An email arrived asking,

• “Should we continue as an organization?
• “Are you prepared to work to protect your rights?”

He adds, “Many are working harder to take your guns. Speak with one voice or lose your rights.”

An email from the McHenry County Right to Carry Association follows, but first take a look at how an armed security guard stopped a crime in Chicago this weekend.

Happy New Year to all members of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association

This McHenry County Right to Carry Association tee shirt was found at the organization's McHenry County Fair booth.

The new year has begun and the holidays are behind us. It is our hope that 2012 will be a great year for our organization in terms growth and achieving our goal of bringing the right to carry to the state of Illinois.

We have a lot of work to do this year and we will be gearing up quickly so here are some quick updates.

Our Organization:

Our next meeting is January 12 at the Woodstock VFW 240 North Throop Street in Woodstock, Illinois and it is an important meeting and I encourage as many members to attend as possible.We will begin the meeting at 7:00pm and end promptly at 8:30pm.

The first most important item will be the election of new officers. It is important to keep the organization fresh and vital and with that is the belief that the leadership should stand for election every two years. This gives everyone in the group an opportunity to provide energy and leadership to our cause. So on January 12, 2012 we will seek nominations and cast ballots for the roles of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Any member in good standing may seek nomination and address the group regarding their plans and aspirations should they be elected.

The group will need to decide if we are once again going to sponsor a bus to the Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day in Springfield (IGOLD). We have gone for two straight years and this year will likely be very important to the outcome in Springfield and our right to carry. We will be choosing an IGOLD chairperson to head up the event. This has been a fun event and we have shared the bus with our good friends in the McHenry County Sportsman’s Association.

IGOLD will take place on Wednesday March 7, 2012. Mark that day on your calendar. If we are taking a bus we need to begin the process asap!

It is time to refresh and rebuild our webpage and we need to find a motivated individual that can place some dedicated effort into creating content and working with our webmaster to get our page into a current state. If you like to write and have an interest in this important job please come to the meeting or get in touch with me by email at mcr2ca@gmail.com. The organization has grown too large (a good thing!) for any one individual to keep all of the pieces moving so finding the right person for this role will be key.

Be sure to visit our Facebook page.  You can find us by entering MCR2CA in the search box. This is a place to have real time conversation about County and State issues. So log on and join the fun. Of course be sure to remember that what is posted in cyberspace stays in cyberspace so lets be sure to keep our conversations respectful and positive. We have a great reputation in the County and State so lets keep it that way.

Our new project at gaining support of the women in McHenry county and beyond is off to a great start thanks to the core team headed by Sally Wiggins.

Those who attended the first meeting of woman wanting to be able to carry guns for self-protection.

The progress the team is making in a short time is nothing less than astounding so I encourage you to attend and find out what is going on. Women will be the key in our success.

In the last week alone the national press have reported two women who defended not just themselve but the lives of their children from attack. Illinois women deserve that same right. Now is the time for women to demand that right. Get involved with our new initiative. Gentleman the ladies in your life to get involved so they to can have the right to defend themselves.

Current Right to Carry Landscape For Illinois

Barbara Wheeler, the only Republican or Democrat running for the 64th State Representative District, talks with Anthony Lopez President of the McHenry County Sportsman's Association at the booth his group and the McHenry County Right to Carry Association sponsored at the County Fair.

As most of you know last year a Right to Carry bill was voted on in the Illinois House of Representatives and the vote fell 6 votes short of the super majority to over-ride a veto by Governor Quinn.

The vote itself was a victory as the bill got out of committee and our representatives had to take a stand. The Governor and the City of Chicago drove the effort to stop the bill.

We can be proud of our McHenry County Leaders for voting in favor of the right to carry. Clearly our efforts here in the county got results, but on a state wide scale the NRA, ISRA and IllinoisCarry took the lead in making this vote a reality.

In 2011 we also began to see changes in the attitudes of citizens of Chicago and Cook County toward the right to carry. Now that Illinois stands alone as a state in denying the right to carry to its citizens more people are asking “Why not here?”

Lou Rofrano was one manning the McHenry County Right to Carry booth at the 2010 County Fair.

Through the leadership and partnership of the Second Amendment Sisters and Cook County members of the NRA and IllinoisCarry in the African Community the momentum is changing. Just as local organization and mobilization of citizens in McHenry County changed minds on the issue, residents in Chicago and Cook County must be the ones to change the leaderrship’s attitude by demanding their right to carry.

Our good friend and partner Valinda Rowe was awarded the prestigious Grass Roots Activist of the Year by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. We congratulate her and can think of no better individual deserving of this honor.

The path to right to carry may find its way to Illinois through the courts. I encourage all members to visit the Illinois State Rifle Association home page or the IllinoisCarry Forum for complete coverage of the cases now before the courts in Illinois that will impact our right to carry.Shepard vs Madigan and Moore versus Madigan:

A hearing was held on a preliminary injunction in Moore versus Madigan on August 4, 2011. We are still waiting on a ruling from the judge.

In Shepard versus Madigan a motion was filed for a preliminary injunction but no date for a hearing has been set. The presiding judge may set a date or issue a ruling directly without a hearing. We are waiting at this time for the judge to take action.

Gun Safety

A new Crystal Lake shooting range, OnTarget, is giving discounts for memberships purchased before it opens.

It is important to note that this holiday season firearm sales were at an all time high.

This means that we have many new gun owners or individuals that are returning to the shooting sport after a long time. Our number one concern is safety.

Recently there was a tragic firearms accident reported in the Northwest Herald. An accidental discharge took the life of a young resident. It is a good time to remind ourselves the basic rules of gun safety and to remember that safe gun handling is an essential skill.

If we are going to exercise our right to own a firearm than we must take responsibility for becoming a safe and knowledgeable gun owner.

If you have just acquired your first firearm or know someone who has, or if it has been a long time since you have participated in the shooting sports please be sure to take a gun safety and basic skills class. Too often we see people who get a FOID card, buy a gun and some ammunition and then put it in a drawer, “just in case”.

Please take the training you need so that you never hurt yourself or another person accidentally. Also, should that need arise to defend yourself the proper training will prepare you to do so.

Note that there are several NRA Certified and Concealed Carry Instructors in our organization and in the McHenry County Right to Carry Association that can work with you or help you find the right instructor to match your training needs whether or not your interests are personal protection, pistol, rifle, shotgun or concealed carry permit training. Please contact us for a list of those instructors or visit the NRA website for other certified instructors in the state.

Let’s review those safety rules one more time!

1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. (All of the time…especially when you “know” they are not loaded!)
2.  Always keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to fire.
3.  Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
4.  Before you make a decision to fire, be sure of your target, your targets environment and other safety hazards.

*These rules are courtesy of the State of Utah Concealed Carry Training Program.

Let’s make 2012 a great year for 2nd Amendment Rights and most importantly a safe year for everyone in the shooting sports. Let me remind all of you to be sure to support the ISRA and IllinoisCarry in their efforts to bring the right to carry to Illinois.

All the best,

Lou Rofrano, President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association

Check out our web page at MCR2CA.com

While the teen were exploring other parts of the McHenry County Fair on Friday, I went looking for things political.

Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks’ tent was first.  It was closest to the free parking.

Jack Franks staffer Parker Happ mans the Jack Franks tent, smiling as he did last year when my photo was good enough to end up on his Facebook’s front page.

Then,  I saw the Sheriff’s Department’s Crime Stoppers Trailer.

This Sheriff’s Department trailer was parked behind the arena.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s booth was at the front of the first building I entered, although Sheriff Keith Nygren had not yet arrived.

The Sheriff’s Department has a double booth just as one enters one of the display buildings.

McHenry County Citizens for Choice was way around the corner.

Marian Michaels, Dee Many and Toby Levin were staffing/visiting the McHenry County Citizens for Choice booth.

The McHenry County Republican Party booth was down the aisle to the right. My second time around I found Jack Franks’ staffer conversing with the folks behind the table.

Eric Peterson, Glenda Miller and Pam Palmer talk with Jack Franks’ staffer Parker Happ.

I found the Sheriff’s Department had a second booth location to the right of the main one.

This McHenry County Sheriff’s booth was unmanned when I walked by.

In the next building, the Libertarian Party booth was the first I saw.

Jim Young, who ran for State Rep. as a Libertarian, was asking people to put pennies into the jar which best represented their beliefs about the national debt.

Into which jar would you put a penny supplied by the Libertarian Party?

Most pennies were in the “Cut Spending” jar.

Next door was the best political story.

The negative reaction of a modeling agency, which was across the aisle, and a County Fair Official’s reported reaction to a complaint was the best story I found.  The complaining booth workers got another location.

The booth was called “Peter’s Net.” Those in it were clearly Catholics and they were explaining how Catholics were Pro-Life.

There were models of how large a baby was at various lengths of gestitation. This man was closely examining the part of the display at the early end of pregnancy.

Here’s a closer look at the models.

I particularly like the baby in God’s hands.

The booth renter across the aisle, described as a “modeling agency” complained about the medical models to Fair Officials. One came and, I’m told, said that the display might not be allowed next year.

The models at the other Pro-Life booth.

Since I vividly remember a similar display from 2000 at the McHenry County Right-To-Life organization, I have a hard time understanding such logic, assuming the story that reached my ears was correct.

It certainly makes no economic sense for the Fair, since another Catholic group, renting three or four spaces–as many as the Sheriff’s Department–also had in utero models.

Maybe it was the message on the button saying, “It’s a child, not a choice” that bothered the folks across the aisle or maybe the models were drawing too much attention from the young girls the complaining booth was targeting.

Just around the corner was the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee’s booth.

Terry Kappel and John Darger were staffing the Democrats booth.

They had an intimidating American history quiz that they were encouraging people to take.  I was told Jack Franks wouldn’t take it.

This “Hands Off my Medicare” sign was on the side of the Democrats’ booth.

I hesitated, read the questions on the front page and figured by 7th and 8th grade American history classes would stand me in good stead.  Then I started checking off the best answer.  I did find until I got to the national debt question.  It asked when the first debt ceiling had been passed.  That was not in any of the American history classes I took.  I won’t ruin the quiz. Suffice is to say that was my only wrong answer.

As I continued my political tour of the McHenry County Fair, I found a second large Pro-Life booth.

“Life is Sacred” is the largest print one sees as one approaches this booth from the south.

Young girls were looking at a display of baby booties and shoes called “Little Soles.”

“Little Soles” is the title of this Pro-Life display..

This is the other booth in which I found the in utero models seen above.

There is also a big banner proclaiming “Life Is Sacred” with a Bible quote.

The booth tee shirt.

Right across the aisle was the booth of the McHenry County Sportsman’s Association and the McHenry County Right to Carry Association.

With Illinois’ being the last state in the union where individuals are not allowed to carry firearms to protect themselves, the petition signatures gathered in past years may have been the reason that Jack Franks’ flipped from being opposed to being favor.

Barbara Wheeler, the only Republican candidate to have announced for the 64th State Representative District, talks with Anthony Lopez President of the McHenry County Sportsman’s Association at the booth his group and the McHenry County Right to Carry Association sponsored at the County Fair.

President Anthony Lopez was standing out front talking to Barb Wheeler, who was helping staff the booth. His wife Laura Rakers was behind the table with Richard Pere.

I went looking for Congressman Joe Walsh’s outpost.

Erin Westphal drew tent staffing duty for Congressman Joe Walsh.  At the Wauconda Town Hall Meeting, she was one bringing the microphone to those who want to ask questions or make statements.

It was on the midway in a corner tent.

I doubled back to the building with the Sheriff’s display in hopes of finding Sheriff Keith Nygren and was rewarded by his presence.

Sheriff Keith Nygren talking to two members of his staff.

I made another circuit and found Congressman Don Manzullo’s booth. Former Wonder Lake resident Marilyn Davis was behind the table.

Kathleen Davis was staffing Congressman Don Manzullo’s booth.

As I left the building, Nunda Township Republican Chairman Brent Smith and Sheriff Nygren were having a conversation.

On the way out, I saw John O’Neill, an announced candidate for McHenry County Board staffing the Ray Chevrolet tent.

Advocates of gun owner rights made their presence known at last summer's McHenry County Fair. Here you see Lou Rofrano, President of the McHenry County Right To Carry Association, explaining the contents of his organization's petition.

Democrat Jack Franks represents a lot of gun owners.

After all, his district covers the most rural part of McHenry County.  That’s where one hunts in McHenry County.

He also has many trade union members who like to hunt.  He gets lots of money from their labor unions.

The only call I ever got from a union president was from the Operating Engineers head.  He asked me to vote against a gun control measure.  I was more than happy to tell him my vote was not in doubt.

So, after refusing to reveal how he would vote, I admit Franks led me to conclude that his vote would be “No” on the horribly characterized “conceal carry” bill.

I guessed wrong.

I figured that he still had statewide ambitions.  After all, he capitulated to the pro-abortion forces.  The evidence is his endorsement by the most pro-abortion political action committee–Personal PAC–for the last two election cycles.

Can’t be Pro-Life if one wants to win statewide as a Democrat.  Glenn Poshard demonstrated that when he lost to George Ryan.

The 65-32-1 roll call on House Bill 48. 71 votes are needed to have a veto-proof majority.

The bill to allow people to protect themselves by having a handgun on their person failed 65-32-1 yesterday.

To my surprise, Franks voted in favor of House Bill 148, as did Republicans Mark Beaubien and Mike Tryon.

Lakemoor gun rights rally crowd.

Maybe he saw photos of the crowd when not-yet Congressman Joe Walsh spoke to gun rights advocates before the GOP primary election last spring.  He skipped the rally.

What you see is the side of the agenda for the McHenry County Concealed Carry rally held Thursday night at the Operating Engineers Lakemoor Banquet Hall.

I see four candidates for Congress were present or representated.

From the 16th District, incumbent Republican Don Manzullo had a statement read by McHenry Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano.  Challenging Democrat George Galrapp spoke for himself.

In the 8th District, incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean was a no-show.  Republican Joe Walsh came in person and Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer had a statement read.

Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County Sheriff Mike Mahon spoke early on.  Green Party candidate for Sheriff Gus Philpott was slotted in the middle.

Incumbent Republican Sheriff Keith Nygren is not listed on the agenda.  Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran had a statement read on his behalf, as did his Demcoratic Party opponent Doug Roberts.

For state representative, the southern McHenry County district now represented by Republican Mike Tryon saw him speaking for himself.  Challenging Democrat Robert Kaempfe sent a statement to read.

Incumbent Democrat Jack Franks was apparently a no-show, but his Republican opponent John O’Neill spoke.

A view from the back of the Lakemoor Banquet Hall.

Lake County’s State Senator Michael Bond is listed on the agenda.  His opponent, Suzi Schmidt, had a statement read.

The only statewide candidate on the agenda was Republican gubernatorial aspirant Bill Brady.  A statement was read on his behalf.

Nick Provenzano, seeking to return to the McHenry County Board, also spoke to the crowd.

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If you would like some facts about the effectiveness of the proposal after which the association is named, I would suggest reading the third edition of “More Guns, Less Crime” by John Lott.

For my review of the book, click here.

Politicians who support the Second Amendment probably will be out in force on the night of September 30th at the Route 120 Operating Engineers Union Hall in Lakemoor on the east side of Lakemoor.

It will run from 7-9.

Before the primary election a similar rally was held, sponsored by the McHenry County Right-To-Carry

On the dias were, from left to right, county board candidate Nick Provenzano, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano, McHenry County Sportsman Association's Lee Lexow, 8th Congressional District candidate Joe Walsh, the Illinois State Rifle Associations' Mike Weisman and IllinoisCarry.com's Valinda Rowe.

It was the biggest political meeting of the year.  (If you want to get a good idea of the size of the meeting, look at by Ryan Provenzano-RyanProPhotos ryanprophoto@hotmail.com
at the link above.  He took the photo of those sitting on the stage you see above.)

The details follow:

Illinois Right To Carry Forum Association.

All Citizens of McHenry and Lake Counties are urged to attend this important Right To Carry Forum to advance right to carry in Illinois.

Come out and hear our leaders and candidates.

Make your voice heard.

Admission is free.

Enter drawings for great sporting prizes and firearms education. FREE.

Lakemoor Banquet Hall
Highway 120 and Darrell Road
28874 W State Route 120
Lakemoor, IL 60051
Thursday  9/30/2010   7-9 PM
Lou Rofrano   mcr2ca@gmail.com 815-575-4510

Lou Rofrano, McHenry County Right to Carry Association President manned the group's County Fair booth this summer. The president of the McHenry County Sportsman Association is seen to his left.

Carol Marin finally gets it about gun control.

“Words alone can’t stop gun violence”

Carol Marin's Sunday column on Chicago gun violence.

Her three column column would have been more powerful, if she had just quoted Lila Leff, head of Umoja Community Development Corporation:

“I can’t think of a single, solitary thing left to say. Other than little girls should be able to play in the street without getting shot…What kind of grown-ups are we that we can’t even give them that, huh?

“That’s it. Mine would be a short column.”

Now, if that had been put in larger than normal type and surrounded by lots of white space, it would have more impact that Marin’s Sunday Chicago Sun-Times piece, which says pretty much the same thing.

Obviously the grown-ups in Chicago have other priorities than stopping gun violence.

Meanwhile in a related story, I read in Woodstock Advocate that  “The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will meet Thursday, March 25th at 7 PM at the VFW Hall in McHenry. The address is 3002 West Route 120.”

The Association now has over 100 members, Gus Philpott reports.

Looking out at the Lakemoor crowd, speakers would have seen this on the left side of the hall.

OK, so it’s still January.

This is a veiw of the right hand side of the room from the stage.

Nevertheless the approaching 500 people who showed up at the Operating Engineers Local 150 Lakemoor Banquet Hall was impressive.

On the dias were, from left to right, county board candidate Nick Provenzano, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano, McHenry County Sportsman Association's Lee Lexow, 8th Congressional District candidate Joe Walsh, the Illinois State Rifle Associations' Mike Weisman and IllinoisCarry.com's Valinda Rowe.

On the dias were, from left to right, county board candidate Nick Provenzano, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano, McHenry County Sportsman Association’s Lee Lexow, 8th Congressional District candidate Joe Walsh, the Illinois State Rifle Associations’ Mike Weisman and IllinoisCarry.com’s Valinda Rowe.

Below is a press release explaining what happened at the meeting:

McHenry County Right to Carry Association Holds Packed Town Hall Meeting

McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano outlines the group's goals.

Lakemoor, IL – McHenry County Right to Carry Association, MCR2CA, held its inaugural Town Hall Meeting Thursday night, January 21st, 2010 at the Lakemoor Banquet Hall with over 475 attendees crowding the standing room only venue.

Second Amendment supporters gathered to hear a panel of guest speakers discuss the Right to Carry and how to bring this right to Illinois. “The citizens of Illinois deserve the same right to personal self protection as those currently enjoyed by the citizens of 48 states in the Union” said Lou Rofrano, President, McHenry County Right to Carry Association.

Rofrano welcomed the crowd, introduced the panel and explained the mission and objectives of the MCR2CA:

Mission:
The McHenry County Right to Carry Association is a non-partisan group of like minded individuals dedicated to advancing the right to carry for the citizens of Illinois.

Objectives:
1. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will work to educate Illinois citizens in the benefits of the right to carry in the state of Illinois.

2. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will work to inspire individual citizens and members to actively work for advancing the right to carry in Illinois in 2010.

3. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will work to educate individuals and community organizations in the safe handling and responsibilities associated with the legal use and ownership of firearms.

4. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will inspire the highest levels of good citizenship, safety and adherence to all local, state and federal laws.

McHenry County Board candidate Nick Provenzano addresses the crowd.

Nick Provenzano, County Board candidate discussed how he led the fight to pass the “Pro-2nd Amendment Resolution” at the McHenry County Board. “Through Chairman Ken Koehler’s leadership this resolution passed the County Board unanimously” stated Provenzano, who is also a member of the MCR2CA Board of Directors.

Provenzano also announced “If I am honored to be elected to the County Board, I promise you tonight that I will take another resolution back to the board supporting our right to carry and together we will send a message to the county, state and the city of Chicago that enough is enough, we want our constitutional right to carry – right here in McHenry County”.

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Photos by Ryan Provenzano

RyanProPhotos ryanprophoto@hotmail.com