We at Guns Save Life encourage our members to get off the couch and make a difference in the world. Anyone can complain about the status quo, but by getting involved in any number of ways, all of us can promote freedom and make a difference.
At GSL, we try to help folks expand their circle of influence to reach even more people in today’s world with their efforts. It can be as simple as helping distribute GunNews, helping to maintain or rotate our highway signs or participating in the legislative process writing letters or at rallies. No matter how members choose to help, we “amplify” their voices to deliver freedom and liberty’s message to hundreds of thousands of Americans each and every day.
Our members routinely do extraordinary things in other ways as well. One GSL member, Sheheryar Muftee of Bloomington, decided to get off the couch in a big way. Mr. Muftee filed his paperwork seeking the open Ward 9 seat on the Bloomington City Council.
I sat down with him over a lunch hour and we chatted about his bold decision to expand his circle of influence and promote freedom.
Sheheryar (pronounced “Sherry R”) came to America from Pakistan to study for his master’s degree in computer science.
While here, he began dating and eventually married a woman who immigrated to America from Pakistan as a baby. Their families knew one another back in Pakistan from many years before. He laughs, saying that it almost sounds like an “arranged marriage” between the families, but it wasn’t.
“So ‘facilitated’ might be a better word?” I asked with a grin.
“Yeah. They approved of us dating,” he said, smiling warmly.
Today, he and wife Hina have four kids, ages 1 to 11.
His name, he told me, means “the friend of the city”. He laughed at my expression. “No kidding,” he said in light of him running for city council. I told him my wife’s family said they named her (Wendy) after a burger joint. He laughed out loud.
Sheheryar Muftee, Guns Save Life member
Mr. Muftee stands as one of the nearly one million Illinoisans who received their Firearms Owners ID cards since Barack Obama’s inauguration. Many of these new FOID holders are “minorities”, just like Sheheryar.
He bought his first handgun, a Beretta 92, shortly after getting his FOID card from the State Police. Fast forward a few months and he decided to get his concealed carry license. That’s where I got to know him.
He has since signed up as a Guns Save Life member after meeting a number of us at his concealed carry class last fall. Before that, he had his NRA membership too.
As if his life isn’t busy enough, Sheheryar does volunteer work for the McLean County Diversity Project, too.
We talked guns.
Today, his concealed carry license application is pending. He should have it any day now. He now thinks a Glock 19 will serve him much better than a Beretta 92 as a carry piece once he gets that license. Most would probably concur that the Beretta is a little big for everyday concealed carry.
We then drifted into social issues.
Sheheryar says he doesn’t fit many people’s preconceived notions on more than guns. “You know, many people assume that because I’m an immigrant and a minority that I’m a Democrat,” he chuckled. “Far from it,” he said.
Muftee stands as a conservative. He articulated strongly for less taxes, less government spending and less government in general.
Asked if he thought his name might be an issue for voters, he smiled. “You know, people seem very open and nice to me. The rhetoric from the Left in this country doesn’t match what I’ve seen. People seem more interested in the message, frankly.”
Then he added, “My ward voted over 80% for Donald Trump,” he smiled.
“But I thought Trump voters were all racists and xenophobes,” I grinned.
He laughed, shaking his head.
He mentioned that after he filed to run and began espousing conservative principles, more than a few acquaintances suddenly wanted a lot less to do with him.
“And the media is biased, no doubt. The Pantagraph won’t call me back. A couple of the local radio stations don’t want to talk to me all the sudden.”
Wow. With friends like that…
Why did he run? “Local government is the bedrock of our nation and our way of life,” he said.
Indeed.
“You know,” he observed to me. “The effort required to do something really positive isn’t that much if you’re motivated.”
Truer words have never been spoken.
He’s having fun in this campaign, and already has plans to begin walking door-to-door in his district ahead of the April 4 election.
We wish our GSL family member well. We know he’s not the first GSL member to run for office (in fact, we’ve got several already serving), but Sheheryar represents yet another everyday American getting involved to make the world a better place for us all.
Of course, because of federal tax laws, we can’t endorse political candidates.
We can certainly tell you about a member of our Guns Save Life family who is going above and beyond in running for public office.
Photos via Facebook.
Nice!
GSL members I have met in Rantoul, Champaign and now Rantoul again have all been great people, with precious few exceptions.
Very good article. I live in Bloomington Ward 9, and I had not heard anything about this race. Sounds like I would have a lot in common with Mr. Muftee, and look forward to learning more.
But I thought racist, redneck gun owners are racist xenophobes! Why would the obviously anti-Muslim Boch have anything to do with this Pakistani guy?
Wait a minute… You mean the left lied to us!?
You know, if gun owners were half as violent as the left says, logic dictates there would be no more anti-gunners left.
DS,
You should know by now, leftists "project" their personal views and proclivities upon others, in actuality, it is the leftists that are the violent personalities, observe the "Black Lies Matter" crowd and all who support them and their actions.
{On another note, John B., it sure is refreshing not seeing any more comments from Ken, the cop-hater, did he really walk out in front of a train? we can only hope so}