The Illinois State Rifle Association put out an "Urgent Alert" three days ago, calling attention to, as they put it, a "West Suburban Auto Dealership To Host Gun Control Fund Raiser". Based upon a Chicago Tribune Naperville Sun story (since edited) that mentioned an upcoming carwash "behind" the Bill Kay Chevrolet business, the ISRA put out their alert / call to action.
URGENT ALERT – YOUR ACTION REQUIRED
WEST SUBURBAN AUTO DEALERSHIP TO HOST GUN CONTROL FUND RAISER
A west suburban auto dealership will be holding a benefit “car wash” to support gun control legislation that, if passed, promises to empty your gun safe. Bill Kay Chevrolet, located on Ogden Avenue in Lisle, will be the site of the June 16th car wash. The event will reportedly kick off at Noon and end around 3:00 PM.The beneficiary of the Bill Kay event is a cell of extremist gun controllers based in Naperville, IL. The radical group is known for organizing harassment activities against attendees of the DuPage Gun Show and for inciting near-riot conditions during a raucous anti-constitution, anti-freedom demonstration in Downers Grove last March. The gun control group has, as its objective, the banning and confiscation of your lawfully-acquired firearms.
As law-abiding gun owners, we shouldn’t be supporting businesses or other organizations that support and sustain attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights. The Bill Kay Auto Group has chosen to align itself with the gun controllers in their war against your rights as an American citizen. Bill Kay Auto Group’s overt support for gun control should carry consequences.
The Bill Kay Auto Group operates a number of dealerships throughout the Chicagoland area. Those dealerships represent a variety of brands – not just Chevrolet. So, the next time you go shopping for a vehicle, or when booking auto maintenance, remember that Bill Kay is not your friend. Vote with your feet – shop elsewhere.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE YOUR GUN RIGHTS…
1. Post this alert to any and all Internet and social media groups to which you belong.
2. Pass this alert on to your family and friends.
3. Support the struggle to preserve your innate liberties.
The only problem is, if someone from ISRA had contacted Bill Kay Chevrolet, they would have learned that the dealership had nothing to do with the event. Guns Save Life called yesterday. The Bill Kay people were nice and quickly assured me they had nothing to do with any car-wash fundraisers for gun control. They also said they were getting a lot of calls from angry gun owners.
Not only did the peeps at Bill Kay get a LOT of phone calls, but they started seeing angry messages from gun owners pop up on their social media pages.
So, undoubtedly, they contacted ISRA HQ.
The ISRA then sent out another "urgent alert". This one to correct the earlier one.
URGENT ALERT: CORRECTION TO EARLIER ALERT
On June 5, 2018, the Chicago Tribune’s Naperville Sun ran a story in which the leader of a west suburban gun control organization reported that she was holding a car wash to benefit gun control behind the Bill Kay Chevrolet auto dealership. Naturally, the wording of the article would lead readers to believe that Bill Kay was affiliated with the benefit car wash.
Bill Kay Chevrolet has since contacted the ISRA to report that the dealership is not affiliated with the car wash. Likewise, the Tribune has, on June 11, re-released their story with clarifying language that accurately identifies the location of the benefit car wash.
Now that the Tribune has corrected its article, the ISRA is advising its members that the Bill Kay Auto group is no way involved in the car wash and that gun owners should feel free to keep Bill Kay in mind when shopping for a new or used vehicle.
Unfortunately for ISRA, they didn't double check the original story. Of course, the cat was already out of the barn door, mixing the metaphors. And gun owners and followers continued raising Cain with Bill Kay Chevrolet. The company's social media platforms incurred the wrath of gun owners and gun rights supporters based upon the ISRA's announcement. Yelp and other review services saw negative reviews pop up starting on June 10th.
Pearson and crew wrote in the original email: "The Bill Kay Auto Group has chosen to align itself with the gun controllers in their war against your rights as an American citizen. Bill Kay Auto Group’s overt support for gun control should carry consequences."
But, Bill Kay didn't.
And speaking of consequences, it sounds like the lawyers for Bill Kay Auto Group have gotten involved.
Today, we're treated to the third email in as many days about Bill Kay from the ISRA..
Recently the Illinois State Rifle Association released an alert regarding Bill Kay Chevrolet based on a local newspapers article.
The Illinois State Rifle Association did not independently verify our interpretation of the article before sending this alert out. By not doing so, we were incorrect and deeply regret our inaction which has caused considerable harm to Mr. Kay, his staff and his fine business reputation.
I further apologize to to Mr. Kay and his staff and you our members, and gun owners for this Terrible error . In closing , we appreciate Mr. Kay and his efforts to clarify this error that we have caused. I also will meet personally with Mr.Kay and offer my apologies.
Richard A. Pearson
Executive Director
And Pearson acknowledges his inaction caused "considerable harm to Mr. Kay, his staff and his fine business reputation."
Folks, this is not good. Any of us can make mistakes. Failing to at least do the most minimal of "trust but verify" due diligence confirmation of stories before putting them out can have far-reaching consequences. Obviously, ISRA's leadership is learning.
The good news is that ISRA will have a forum for gun owners on Thursday, June 20th at Scheels in Springfield… in the same room that Guns Save Life hosts its monthly Sangamon County chapter meetings. The event has been scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30pm. Here's the letter:
How much more time, money and legal expenses will be taken awat from fighting the anti-gunners to clean up this self-inflicted wound to ISRA?
Bill Kay is not the bad guy here.
We encourage all gun owners to attend this June 20th meeting at Scheels. We need to work together against the common enemy. And not make unforced errors that cost precious resources to remedy.
As a soon to be ex-ISRA member, I think Mr. Pearson should run a free full page advertisement for Bill Kay Chevrolet in the next issue of Illinois Shooter, instead of the full page ad for rock river arms.
That's a very good idea.
He ought to buy a new Chevy Suburban with his own money. At full sticker price.
We can't abandon isra, they do far too much good here in illinois. Seems like the left can fight dirty all the time, and one misstep threatens to harm our cause.
I guess this is a very good example of the need for fact checking before things are reported. We, as gun owners, ALWAYS decry the fact the media does not do so (e.g., calling AR-15s "Assault Rifles"); we can't jump the gun, so to speak, and do the same ourselves – it only hurts our cause. We are better than that. Props to ISRA for trying issuing the apology – I hope they do whatever they can to make this right with Bill Kay and his business.
Unfortunately the ISRA is making us look all bad.
Maybe it is time for a new ED at ISRA. I will nominate Mr. Boch. He isn't perfect, but he works hard and does good work.
I think it will be a long, cold day before the ISRA Board asks me to serve as their Executive Director.
I would have to give it consideration though. If, for no other reason than it would be a massive pay & benefit raise.
John
I don’t think you do this for the money. You’re a true believer. It wasn’t that long ago you were fighting for our rights at your own expense.
This story is am example of what we the people should be doing to the anti-gun groups instead of other 2A groups.
Divide and conquer.
The meeting at Scheels is on Wednesday June 20, 2018, not Thursday June 20, 2018.
Mr Duce —— times change. Things get bigger and they can get out of control quickly. There becomes a need to have full time watchmen we are fortunate to have someone out of out group that can carry the mail pay him liberally and know that the job is getting done as good as can be. I was on a volunteer fire department (s) for years. Then there come a time when full time firemen were nessicary.