The source is confidential, and unimpeachable.
We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves. (Hat tip to The Truth About Guns)
Let us put the overall number of valid FOID cards into a graph for your enjoyment…
You probably noticed the numbers of FOID cards revoked has stayed in the 6,xxx range for the entire time frame – despite the 33% rise in valid FOID cards from 2009 to 2013.
Let’s talk about FOID revocations for a moment, shall we.
As this is an anti-gun state, it won’t surprise you to know that the Illinois State Police revoke FOID cards for a multitude of reasons, the great majority of which have nothing to do with felony convictions or involuntary mental health treatments (which are almost negligible in terms of the general population).
No sir.
The ISP revokes for:
- Voluntary commitments for in-patient mental health treatment.
- When an emergency order of protection has been issued against the FOID holder when gun ownership/possession are among the prohibited conditions
- When any two-year “permanent” order of protection is issued against a FOID holder
- Mere arrests on felony charges
- Mere arrests on misdemeanor charges involving physical violence
- When a qualified examiner or other so-called “official” calls the Illinois Department of Human Services hotline and tells them you are a danger to yourself or others. (See our story: Loose lips can cost your gun rights)
Ironically, Illinois has one of the most liberal (no pun intended) procedures for reformed felons to have their firearm rights restored. See here.
Looking at those numbers and the rates at which FOID cards, it’s clear that FOID holders are an exceptionally law-abiding cohort of the population. Less than four-tenths of one percent of FOID cards were revoked in 2013. It’s roughly half again higher than the revocation rate Florida has for its Concealed Weapons Permit holders, but then again, Florida doesn’t revoke for many of the reasons Illinois revokes its FOID cards.
Putting it into a perspective that’s sorely been lacking: Mayors Against Illegal Guns member mayors are far more likely to be arrested – and convicted – than FOID card holders are to have their cards revoked for a host of reasons, including mere arrest.
And do we really need to remind our readers how our governors have fared in the last fifty years in Illinois? We will anyway. Seven Illinois governors have been arrested or indicted since 1971. Four have served jail or prison time.
We should be looking at governors and Mayors Against Illegal Guns member mayors in our state with a great deal more scrutiny than FOID holders.
After all, it’s our elected “leaders” who have demonstrated they are a great deal more criminally inclined, by an order of magnitude, than gun owners.
In other words if we didn’t have FOID cards it wouldn’t make a difference. The few people losing their FOID cards for the most part are not a threat to anyone.
So why is it we have FOID cards. JPFO defines such a law has mans laws versus Gods law.
The only thing the FOID card is good for is to allow government to know who has guns and nothing else.
I miss Aaron Zelman!
The FOID Act was passed in 1968 when there was no instant background check. It was a background check by the State Police, to expedite firearm sales. Now it is nothing but a means to harass, delay and deny law abiding citizens their Constitutional right. It is an illegal unconstitutional tax, no different in standing than a poll tax. To add insult to injury, the state requires another Unconstitutional waiting period, that no politician can explain other than to interfere with free commerce. It’s time to VOID the FOID and the waiting periods and restore our Constitutional rights!