Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Standing Guard: The Company He Keeps

Monday, August 11, 2008

What do a radical South Side Chicago priest who has demanded that law-abiding firearm dealers and state legislators be “snuffed out,” and Chicago’s political boss, who is “livid” and “outraged” over the Supreme Court’s recognition of the Second Amendment, have in common?

Influence over Barack Obama.

In the case of Mayor Richard S. Daley--who heads the toughest, most powerful urban political machine in the nation--his early primary endorsement of freshman U.S. Senator Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomination for the presidency requires a big political payback. And I suspect that payback will involve our gun rights if Obama takes the White House in November.

With the extra-ordinary victory for
the nation’s gun owners, the Supreme Court recognized that all peaceable law-abiding Americans should indeed have that choice.

When the Supreme Court issued its historic landmark decision in June striking down the District of Columbia gun ban as violating the individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Mayor Daley issued a five-minute diatribe.

As the Chicago Tribune, which immediately demanded the repeal of the Second Amendment, put it: “In railing against the Supreme Court ruling, Daley stressed the danger of private gun ownership .”

Alluding to the urban gun-ban cabal headed by his New York colleague Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Daley sputtered, “Every mayor will be outraged over this. Why should we allow more and more guns in our homes? Could you see everyone having guns in their home?”

With the extraordinary victory for the nation’s gun owners, the Supreme Court recognized that all peaceable, law-abiding Americans should indeed have that choice.

If Daley had his way, he wouldn’t “allow” a single gun in any home. Recently, in Los Angeles, he said, “It is about time that America wakes up and says . . . we can outlaw smoking in a bar so quickly, yet you cannot outlaw guns in America.” And at another rally he screamed:

“NO GUNS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA!”

Daley is a defendant in NRA’s lawsuit to throw out the Chicago gun ban, which is virtually identical to the unconstitutional D.C. ban.

Time and time again, Obama has said the Chicago ban is in line with his vision of the Second Amendment.

No matter how much Obama wraps himself in empty words about the Second Amendment, know him by the friends he keeps--like Dick Daley.

When it comes to the Second Amendment, the company Obama keeps speaks more than his own words. They would destroy the Second Amendment and so would Obama, the candidate.

And that brings me to the radical priest, Michael Pfleger.

On May 27, 2007, with a mob of 1,000 gun-ban radicals cheering him on--blocking the entrance to Chuck’s Gun Shop and Range in Riverdale, Ill., a suburb of Chicago--Pfleger screamed a clear death threat against the owner.

“John Riggio. R-I-G-G-I-O. We’re going to find you and snuff you out . . . like a rat--we’re going to catch you and pull you out . . . whatever it takes to shut this gun store down . . . We’re gonna snuff out John Riggio . . .

“We’re gonna snuff out legislators who are against our gun laws.”

I have never encountered such hatred. Pfleger’s words were recognized as death threats by Chicago’s Cardinal George who issued a rebuke--saying, “publicly delivering a threat against anyone’s life betrays the civil order and is morally outrageous, especially if this threat came from a priest.”

Why is this radical priest so important with the coming election? Because Fr. Pfleger is a key long-time advisor to Sen. Obama, who in turn procured for Pfleger a $225,000 grant from the state and a $100,000 earmark from the federal government. Pfleger is a financial contributor to Obama’s campaigns.

In a Chicago Sun-Times article touting Obama’s faith--in which he stressed the importance of close advisors in “maintaining your moral compass”--the newspaper declared:

“Friends and advisors such as the Rev. Michael Pfleger . . . who has known Obama for the better part of 20 years, help him keep that moral compass set, he [Obama] says.”

Most Americans never heard of Michael Pfleger until videotapes surfaced of a racist rant on Obama’s behalf mocking Hillary Clinton. The performance by Fr. Pfleger was at the invitation of Obama’s Trinity United Church of Christ, made infamous by its America-hating pastor Jeremiah Wright, with his diatribes declaring, “God Bless America? No! No! No! God D--- America.”

After weeks of dithering as to whether to leave Wright’s Trinity, it was only Fr. Pfleger’s Hillary-smearing rant that ultimately caused Obama to quit.

Yet Obama was silent on Pfleger’s “snuff” threats.

But then closing down law-abiding gun stores is part of Obama’s real Second Amendment vision. He has proposed a law banning federally licensed firearm dealers from operating within five miles of a school or park. Think about almost any community in America and what that would mean.

There are those who say guilt by association is unfair. To them I would say, 20 years with these men as Obama’s closest confidants and spiritual advisors cannot be discounted.

When it comes to the Second Amendment, the company Obama keeps speaks more than his own words. They would destroy the Second Amendment and so would Obama, the candidate.

IN THIS ARTICLE
Politics
TRENDING NOW
CPRC’s Latest Report Outlines the Robust State of Concealed Carry in America

News  

Monday, December 22, 2025

CPRC’s Latest Report Outlines the Robust State of Concealed Carry in America

Dr. John Lott’s Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) has released its latest annual report on the state of concealed carry in the United States. 

Minnesota: Governor Walz Issues Two Gun Control Executive Orders

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Minnesota: Governor Walz Issues Two Gun Control Executive Orders

With the holiday season upon us, former VP candidate Governor Tim Walz has once again proven his "Bah Humbug" stance on the Second Amendment. 

DOJ (Again) Goes to Court to Defend 2A

News  

Monday, December 22, 2025

DOJ (Again) Goes to Court to Defend 2A

We recently reported that the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had created a new section under its Civil Rights Division—the first ever dedicated to protecting the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.  

DOJ Defends Federal Firearms Registration in NRA Challenge to the NFA

Thursday, December 18, 2025

DOJ Defends Federal Firearms Registration in NRA Challenge to the NFA

In the NRA’s case, Brown v. ATF, the Department of Justice filed its opposition to the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, along with its own cross-motion, defending the National Firearms Act of 1934’s registration requirement for suppressors, short-barreled ...

SCOTUS Denies Cert in NRA-ILA Challenge to NFA Short-Barreled Rifle Restrictions

Monday, December 15, 2025

SCOTUS Denies Cert in NRA-ILA Challenge to NFA Short-Barreled Rifle Restrictions

The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in Rush v. United States, a challenge to the National Firearms Act of 1934’s restrictions on short-barreled rifles.

Evidence of Firearm Industry “Debanking” Uncovered as Trump Administration Takes Aim at Discriminatory Practices

News  

Monday, December 22, 2025

Evidence of Firearm Industry “Debanking” Uncovered as Trump Administration Takes Aim at Discriminatory Practices

President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order earlier this year on “politicized or unlawful debanking” and so-called “reputational risk” assessments that financial institutions used in denying services because of a customer’s political or religious beliefs ...

Gun Control Advocate to Lead Duke Center for Firearms Law

News  

Monday, December 22, 2025

Gun Control Advocate to Lead Duke Center for Firearms Law

“Developing Firearms Law as a Scholarly Field” is a worthy endeavor and exactly what the Duke Center for Firearms Law proclaims on their website as the Center’s mission. 

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

In September, the North Carolina General Assembly briefly returned from recess and re-referred Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to the House Rules Committee.

Virginia: Gun Control Looms on the Horizon – Make Plans to Attend Lobby Day in January!

Monday, December 22, 2025

Virginia: Gun Control Looms on the Horizon – Make Plans to Attend Lobby Day in January!

Anti-gun legislators in Richmond have already begun filing legislation ahead of the upcoming Virginia General Assembly session. 

New Jersey: Senate Vote on Gun Bills Scheduled for Next Week

Friday, December 19, 2025

New Jersey: Senate Vote on Gun Bills Scheduled for Next Week

The gun-grabbing grinches of Trenton do not take a holiday break from trying to steal more rights from Garden State gun owners. As lawmakers spend December wrapping up a “lame duck” session, many gun bills ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.