U.S. Congressman attacks Dupage County Sheriff James Mendrick over gun ban.
Congressman Sean Casten attacks the popular Sheriff in a press conference
Dupage County Sheriff James Mendrick/File Photo
Val Ojeda, Writer
Illinois Democrat elected officials are attacking constitutional elected Illinois Sheriff's for not enforcing the illegal gun ban. Sheriff's in Illinois both Republican and Democrat stood in alliance to stare down the Illinois Governor and Democrat members of the Illinois House and Senate as they have been threatened by removal from office for defending their oath to the Constitution and protecting the rights of the people refusing going door to door confiscating guns and arresting individuals. In the gun ban legislation there was no funding for a special Police force or funding to the Sheriff's and local Police to conduct such operations. Just a demand by the Governor or else.
Not once have these elected officials asked Illinois Sheriff's to participate in a public safety panel to discuss their plans about the proposed gun ban legislation. Now they are crying foul because the Sheriff's are not siding with them over this unjust and illegal gun ban that they passed to retaliate against innocent law abiding gun owners.
Coincidence? Not.
How did we get here?
The Second Amendment and the Constitution of the United States itself are under attack. America, like other nations, is prone to terrorist attacks. These violent attacks happen all over the world. Yet, the Democrats and liberals want to place blame on the weapon and not the individual. A pistol or rifle are nothing but metal and plastic components. It does not breathe, hear or see. A weapon cannot walk or shoot itself. The problem is the individual. You can place the blame on mental health or rage. But it's not the fault of the gun.
There are 30,000 gun related deaths per year by firearms, and this number is not disputed. U.S. population 324,059,091. Do the math: 0.000000925% of the population dies from gun related actions each year. Statistically speaking, this is insignificant! What is never told, however, is a breakdown of those 30,000 deaths, to put them in perspective as compared to other causes of death:
65% of those deaths are by suicide which would never be prevented by gun laws
15% are by law enforcement in the line of duty and justified
17% are through criminal activity, gang and drug related or mentally ill individuals gun violence
3% are accidental discharge deaths
So technically, “gun violence” is not 30,000 annually, but drops to 5,100. Still too many? Well, first, how are those deaths spanned across the nation?
700 homicides (9.4%) were in Chicago
344 homicides (6.7%) were in Baltimore
333 homicides (6.5%) were in Detroit
119 homicides (2.3%) were in Washington D.C. (a 54% increase over prior years)
So basically, 25% of all gun crime happens in just 4 cities. All 4 of those cities have strict gun laws, so it is not the lack of law that is the root cause.
This basically leaves 3,825 for the entire rest of the nation, or about 75 deaths per state. That is an average because some States have much higher rates than others. For example, California had 1,169 and Alabama had 1.
Now, who has the strictest gun laws by far? California, of course, but understand, so it is not guns causing this. It is a crime rate spawned by the number of criminal individuals residing in those cities and states. So if all cities and states are not created equally, then there must be something apart from the tool causing the gun deaths.
Are 5,100 deaths per year horrific? How about in comparison to other deaths? All death is sad and especially so when it is in the commission of a crime, but that is the nature of crime. Robbery, death, rape, assault all are done by criminals and thinking that criminal wills obey laws is ludicrous. That's why they are criminals.
But what about other deaths each year?
40,000+ die from a drug overdose, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT!
36,000 people die per year from the flu, far exceeding the criminal gun deaths
34,000 people die per year in traffic fatalities (exceeding gun deaths even if you include suicide)
Now it gets good:
200,000+ people die each year (and growing) from preventable medical errors. You are safer in Chicago than when you are in a hospital!
710,000 people die per year from heart disease. It's time to stop the double cheeseburgers! So, what is the point? If Joe Biden and the anti-gun movement focused their attention on heart disease, even a 10% decrease in cardiac deaths would save twice the number of lives annually of all gun-related deaths (including suicide, law enforcement, etc.). A 10% reduction in medical errors would be 66% of the total gun deaths or 4 times the number of criminal homicides..... Simple, easily preventable 10% reductions!
So, you have to ask yourself, in the grand scheme of things, why focus on guns? It's pretty simple.
The taking away of guns gives control to governments. The founders of this nation knew that regardless of the form of government, those in power may become corrupt and seek to rule as the British did by trying to disarm the populace of the colonies. It is not difficult to understand that a disarmed populace is a controlled populace.
Thus, the Second Amendment was proudly and boldly included in the U.S. Constitution. It must be preserved at all costs. It was literally the second thing they wrote into the Constitution to defend our freedoms from a tyrannical government. Furthermore, it wasn't for hunting rights.
So, the next time someone tries to tell you that gun control is about saving lives, look at these facts and remember these words from Noah Webster: “Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword because the whole body of the people are armed and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force at the command of a Congress can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power.”
Remember, when it comes to “gun control,” the important word is control,” not gun.”
When the mentally ill individual committed the horrific act in Highland Park last year, the Democrats circled the wagons and right away went on the attack attacking 2A. Governor Pritzker called the White House and the very next day Vice-President Kamila Harris visited the crime scene demanding a ban on guns in a press conference.
Soon, the powers that be were devising plans at a federal and state level. First, President Biden instructed the ATF to begin yanking Federal Firearm Licenses for minor infractions. That means one by one, gun stores have been closing down because their FFLs were revoked. When this happens, the federal government takes control of your inventory. It's then auctioned off, and the former gun owner is given what's left from the auction, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Biden administration is using this procedure to cut off the flow of guns and ammo to the American people. Soon we will be like Mexico. To purchase a gun in Mexico, you have to pay an expensive fee and have a referral by a politician. When you have that, you can purchase a gun at the only gun store located in Mexico City. Mexican residents travel 1,000 miles just to purchase one pistol. That's what Biden wants to do with us. Meanwhile, the drug cartels are taking control of entire cities and are killing Mexican politicians, Police Officers and soldiers and the population have nothing for self-defense. A fine example of the liberal rationale of social rights.
Illinois passed their gun ban and 3 days later President Biden issued a gun ban following suit. Do you think this was a coincidence? They very deceitfully plan this to rob gun owners of their gun rights and risk making them felons overnight. It's CONTROL. Ban the weapons for sale and the ones that the owners have, to register or else. In both instances, they are requiring you to register your weapons with them for their database. Why? Gun confiscation.
Do you remember the scenes from the 1980s movie “Red Dawn”? The Russian soldiers were tracking down the gun owners by the state's gun registry. Nowhere in the constitution is there a clause for gun registration because of that reason. Government cannot intrude on our rights? What's next? We already register our children with birth certificates and our vehicles with the state.
The courts are now examining these bans. Friday, a judge in Illinois issued a temporary restraining order for 860 plaintiffs. Soon these bans will be reversed. Now the Democrats are attacking Illinois Sheriff's for defending their oath. In DuPage County over 20 Democrat elected officials are attacking Republican Sheriff James Mendrick. They are demanding he do his job. But his job is being loyal to the constitution of the United States.
These officials are stating he is working outside the laws they created that have yet to be reviewed by the courts. Some are demanding Mendrick step down. That will be a cold day in hell when he does. The Democrats failed to even run someone for Sheriff in Dupage County because they knew he could not be beaten. Yet they are making demands?
Congressman Sean Casten in a press conference attacked Sheriff Mendrick admonishing and berating him. On 1/16/23 he contacted the Sheriff like others placing him on blast about carrying out his duties as Sheriff. The problem is Mendrick doesn't work for Congress and the State of Illinois. He works for the people. Mendrick sent out a letter politely telling the Congressmen to go fly a kite.
State statute requires sheriffs, acting as their counties’ supervisors of safety, to enforce all state traffic laws. But there is no requirement to enforce other laws.
The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement elected officer in their respective counties. They have more authority than the State Police. They control the jails and work in liaison to the prosecutor's office. They have the power to refuse intake of any prisoners from any state peace officer.
The biggest mistake is for elected officials to take on the Sheriff's because they have the powers to investigate ANY Illinois laws. Including public corruption and bribes. They are also not safe to drive. It's not about retaliation, it's about enforcing the very laws they passed. Except these same laws can be used to arrest them. Illinois has prosecuted over 500 corrupt politicians so why not add another 500 to that list.
Mess around and we will see. In the meantime let us support our second amendment rights and our brave Sheriff's.
Val Ojeda is a Republican Author, Media Personality, Strategist and Consultant. Ojeda manages federal political campaigns also serving as President Trump's Hispanic Coalition Leader. Ojeda is also a businessman, entrepreneur and the founder of FAMA a 501c3 Chamber of Commerce. Ojeda served as law enforcement Veteran Officer/Detective.
Casten is an atheist who has proposed legislation to remove signs of Christianity from public view. He does not stand for the rule of law & order; no for the 2nd Amendment. I thought I knew the people in West suburban Metro Chicago, but no longer believe I do since they re-elected Casten to another term in office. By all means, arrange a debate with the Sheriff . Casten will reject or be a 'no show.' He is a coward.
Casten blows a lot of mindless smoke out his ass. He can not support ant comments he makes. People need to lear to ignore this unqualified idiot. I would love to taketh clown on for a debate. One on One. I could tear him apart on gun control. Casten, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is. We can arrange for a one on one with the Sheriff live TV. Or are you going to run and hide as you normally do after making such stupid unqualified comments.