Deerfield, Illinois Gun Confiscation © 2018 Phillip Evans

Deerfield, IL Village Board firearms experts (Mayor and Village Board) have come to our rescue to fight crime, and have crafted an ordinance that will save us. They have redefined what an "assault weapon" is, and have waved their magic edict-wand to purge the evil objects from our possession to keep us from going over to the dark side.

The Village of Deerfield Photo of Mayor Harriet Rosenthal

Let's look at what real experts use as the definition:

Per the United States Defense Department’s Defense Intelligence Agency book "Small Arms Identification and Operation Guide", an “assault rifle” is a “short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges."

The main criteria under which the U.S. Government defines an "assault rifle", is "selective-fire", which means the capability of fully automatic fire.

However, Deerfield politicians know best how to define firearms, and if they wanted to define an "assault weapon" as anything with a barrel longer than 6", or anything that fires a round more powerful than a .38, what would stop them from doing it? Once they can redefine something, they can "update" their definition at any time to further infringe on the right to keep and bear arms.

For now, on their slippery slope journey, they are targeting those skeery looking rifles that look all "assaulty" to them. As well as those evil ammo magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, as opposed to the good magazines that hold 10 or less. In New York the good magazines only hold 7 rounds or less. Why can't "progressives" decide on a universal number for good magazines? With all those different numbers out there your good magazine from Deerfield will suddenly become evil if you bring it into New York.

Village idiots (from all villages around the country) ridicule gun owners always harping the same lie, "we don't want to take away your guns". If they told the truth here's what they'd really say:

"We don't want to take away your guns, except for the ones we don't approve you having, whether you already have them or not,  and that is subject to get more onerous as we go down that slippery slope of 'commonsense' gun ban edicts - the faster the better, just as much as we can get away with without you coming after us with torches and pitchforks in the middle of the night."

From the Deerfield ordinance:

“The possession, manufacture, and sale of assault weapons in the Village of Deerfield is not reasonably necessary to protect an individual’s right to self-defense or the preservation or efficiency of a well-regulated militia.” (emphasis mine)

Do they not understand that the purpose of a citizen militia is to repel tyranny, foreign or domestic? Will not tyrants have so-called "assault weapons"? It therefore seems logical that citizens will also need similar, effective weapons to repel them. Seems like even fully-automatic weapons would be the ticket for that.

But I suppose neutering your citizens by taking away most of their semi-automatic rifles will make them a "well-regulated" militia. By the way, if they did their history lessons, they'd know that "well-regulated" meant well-equipped and well-capable, not "well-infringed".

Some Facebook commentators had a few succinct words to say about it, calling the citizens there "free range prisoners", and "tax cattle".

And they certainly are if they turn in ANY of their lawfully purchased property. They should tell the Mayor exactly what they think about it:

harrietrose@comcast.net

Phone: 847-945-3545

Fortunately, Second Amendment Foundation has filed a lawsuit against them. But I don't know how far that will go with all the corrupt anti-Second Amendment judges in the wild.

Highland Park's "assault weapons" ban was upheld by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals back in 2015, and the U.S. Supreme Court bowed out and would not hear the case, which left the lower court's decision in place. Deerfield is within the 7th Circuit.

Illinois does have state preemption with regards to firearms, and while some municipalities had their infringements grandfathered in, no other local infringements were allowed. No new ordinances could be drafted putting in any infringements beyond what state law provided.

Deerfield is trying to get around this by claiming their ordinance is not a new ordinance, but merely an "amendment" to an existing ordinance. Yeah right.

From - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/low-crime-village-bans-military-style-guns-citing-parkland-other-n863441:

"Does calling the ordinance an 'amendment' make it so?" asked Eric Ruben, a fellow at the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice in New York, in an email. "Or will the court try to draw a line beyond which an 'amendment' becomes a new ordinance? These are just two of the difficult questions the court will need to decide."

How has Deerfield Police Responded?

https://www.facebook.com/DeerfieldPD/

"We received multiple inquiries about the ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines passed by the Deerfield Village Board on April 2nd. The Village of Deerfield compiled a list of frequently asked questions relating to the ordinance. All current information, including FAQ, a press release and the ordinance can be found at the link below.

The Deerfield Police Department would like everyone to understand this ordinance will initially be enforced primarily through education and voluntary compliance. Any enforcement of this ordinance, including search or seizure to effect this ordinance, must comply with the requirements of State and Federal law. Members of the Department will not go “door to door” to ensure compliance.

Please contact the Village Manager’s office at 847-719-7400 with questions." (emphasis mine)

My response to them on their Facebook page is:

"And will you please tell us, Deerfield PD, just why you will not be going (yet) door to door to directly enforce the ordinance? Is it because it would not be a good idea to put an honest face on tyranny and wake a sleeping giant that responds properly with a vigorous revolt?

What happens when the initial enforcement via 'education and voluntary compliance' does not have enough people bending over and complying?

At what point do you take off the gloves and become oath-breakers?

You know, a patriotic response would have been to tell everyone you will NEVER use your guns to enforce ANY such city ordinance against peaceful citizens."

I'm not holding my breath on them giving a patriotic response. They do have to protect their jobs and tax-payer funded paychecks after all.

I wonder how would the Deerfield PD feel about a citizen militia dragging the Mayor and the other village idiot oath-breakers out on the lawn for a little tarring and feathering?

Every gun owner in Deerfield should start making a tally of their fine amount in the form of a bill each week, and mail a copy to the Mayor with a note asking her how they plan to collect.

Mayor Harriet Rosenthal

850 Waukegan Road
Second Floor
Deerfield, IL 60015

Perhaps that would show them that their ordinance, regardless of being on the books, is not worth the paper it's written on, as far as the liberty loving citizens of Deerfield, IL are concerned.