Let's get serious about real gun control

As I was traveling visiting friends and family when I received a notification on my phone that read “House passes new ban on high-powered weapons, large capacity magazines”. The article went on to state: “Already-possessed guns on the list of weapons could be kept, but they would need to be registered with Illinois State Police within 300 days, ABC 7 reported." Illinois House passes new ban on high-powered weapons, large-capacity magazines (dailyherald.com). What I find a bit contradicting is what happens to those who don’t register their firearms, commit crimes and end up back on the streets? Who is this law really targeting and is it more political theater, which I believe we are all tired of watching at this point.

As newly elected Governor J.B. Pritzker sits in the crowd listening to debate one can’t help but wonder is this a platform for the bigger office? If we really were serious then why are they enacting laws like 730 ILCS 5/5-6-3.6. bottom half of the first paragraph reads as such: “Under this program, a court, with the consent of the defendant and the State's Attorney, may sentence a defendant charged with an unlawful use of weapons offense under Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or aggravated unlawful use of a weapon offense under Section 24-1.6 of the Criminal Code of 2012, if punishable as a Class 4 felony or lower, to a First Time Weapon Offender Program.” Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes (ilga.gov) say what???

In the village of Orland Park, they are adopting an interagency program with the ATF to get guns and offenders off the street. It's a program similar to one I advocated for as a congressional candidate that was referred to as “Project Exile” in Richmond VA or Face 5 in Atlanta GA. The program has demonstrated up to 50% reductions in homicides in these areas starting in the mid to late 90’s. “Project Exile was formally initiated in February 1997 when indictments of the first group of Project Exile defendants for Federal firearm offenses were announced. Project Exile is based on the principle that, if police catch a criminal in Richmond with a gun, the criminal has forfeited his or her right to remain in the community and, as such, will face immediate Federal prosecution and stiff mandatory Federal prison sentences.” Project Exile, U.S. Attorney's Office -- Eastern District of Virginia (ojp.gov)

I am recommending that all citizens of their villages or towns advocate for a program like this in Cook County. We have to REMOVE guns and OFFENDERS as much as rehabilitate them. How many times have you read an article that stated the perp was held prior to on some offense but was released on electronic monitoring or something of that nature. As the SAFE-T act weighs in the balance of the IL-Supreme court this measure can bypass the state's attorney office and reduce crime by 50% or more!

So, to the General Assembly, you want to ban weapons and “get serious” but when someone is caught with one you allow the first-time weapons offender program (730 ILCS 5/5-6-3.6) to allow them back on the streets based on where they are from or what they look like? Nah, this isn't a serious gun control measure, it's just more of the same political theater that makes the people of this state continue to wait on hold for an available U-Haul truck.