You must register with the state if you wish to handle firearms in the State of Illinois. You must obtain a Firearm Owners Identification card (FOID). There is a 72 hour waiting period when purchasing guns. There is a red flag law in place which is supposed to prevent unstable people from buying guns. For private gun transactions the seller has to verify the buyer’s FOID card and keep a record of the sale for 10 years. Starting in 2024 private sales will have to be funneled through a gun dealer with a Federal Firearms License (FFL).
Yet, nothing prevented Robert Crimo from buying a gun and using it on the unsuspecting crowd trying to enjoy a 4th of July parade. Members of his family have claimed in interviews they saw nothing wrong with him. Any impartial viewer of Crimo’s public posts would come away with some reservations about his mental health.
When are we going to wake up to the fact it’s the American culture that’s broken. The problem is not the gun or the ease or difficulty in acquiring them. The problem is we’re creating people who seem to believe life is worthless. Our society’s problems are the ones we have created. This type of lashing out behavior tracks back to the late 1980’s at the very least and the anti-bullying push in the public schools. Instead of teaching kids how to deal with the problem they were instead shielded. When you’re shielded from all adversity you have no life experience to cope.
Sadly, I fear instead of seeing the problem and dealing with it we will continue down the false path of sheltering our population from reality. Turn in your guns, get your vaccine, collect your UBI, and shut your mouth. This is where we’re headed.