On March 2, 2010, the Supreme Court will hear arguments opposed to and in support of the Chicago handgun ban which has been in place since 1982. This case, McDonald v Chicago was filed by the Illinois State Rifle Association immediately following the landmark 2008 case Heller v DC. Currently 38 states, 305 US Senator and Representatives and over 700 state legislators, to name just a few, have filed briefs in support of the defendants. View all the available filings and briefs at ChicagoGunCase.com.

This case is expected to not only overturn the ban in Chicago but to finally provide incorporation of the Second Amendment to the states. To think that this will end Mayor Daleys attempts to maintain Chicagos draconian gun laws, however, would be to ignore his recent statements made at the US Conference of Mayors:

In the face of strong opposition from the NRA and other gun extremists, we will continue to advocate for the rights of cities to regulate guns and to coordinate efforts with other cities that share our position.

As soon as possible, the ISRA website will have links to the oral arguments. Those links will go out over Twitter target="alerts" as well as an additional email message.

The ISRA will continue to advocate for YOUR rights as firearm owners and citizens (which Mayor Daley considers extremist) but it does not have the support of taxpayer dollars or the Joyce Foundation. If you are an ISRA member, we need your continued support. Please make a donation on-line here, or over the phone at 815-635-3198. If you would like to mail or fax a donation, we have a printable form here. Even better would be to sign up friends and/or family members with gift memberships target="alerts".

If you're not an ISRA member, now is the time. You can join on-line, or over the phone at 815-635-3198. You can download a printable application form here.

Please post this alert to all internet blogs, bulletin and message boards to which you belong. Pass this alert on to your gun owning friends and fellow sporting club members. You can also join us on our FaceBook page along with hundreds of other fellow firearm enthusiasts.