Thanks to everyone who made our October 21st fundraiser a great success. Special thanks to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who spoke with many of those present and gave a short, inspirational speech. President Preckwinkle is the type of public servant who makes us proud to be Democrats.

Thanks to the many elected officials who attended including Cook County Recorder Karen Yarborough, State Senator Laura Murphy, State Representative Elaine Nekritz, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Mariyana Spyropoulus, Justice Bernetta Lampkin, Judge Rossana Fernandez. and Judge Fredrick Bates. Thanks also to the many candidates who attended, including Josina Morita and Tom Greenhaw, candidates for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board; Jacob Meister, candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County; Dr. Robert Marshall, candidate for Congress in the 6th Congressional District; and Maureen O'Donoghue Hannon and Pat Heneghan, candidates for Circuit Court Judge.

 We are especially grateful to our sponsors:

• Platinum Sponsor: Alan Prochaska
• Gold Sponsors: Painters District Council #14, State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, and State Sen. Laura Murphy.
• Silver Sponsors:  Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Cook County Recorder Karen Yarbrough, State Sen. Julie Morrison, Patrick J. Heneghan, David Gurion, Laddi Singh, Elizabeth Marcin, Lyn and Frank Huckin, and Friends of Flamm.

We awarded our annual Jim Hightower Community Organizing Award to Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) for its continuing actions to organize local progressives around health care reform, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, diversity, and economic and fiscal issues. Bil Davis, Renee Gladstone, Patrick Watson, and Harold Whyte accepted the award on behalf of NWSOFA.

If you were meaning to make a contribution but didn't get around to it before the fundraiser, there's still time. You can mail your check to GPAD, P.O. Box 2120, Palatine, IL 60078 or go to www.gpadems.org/fundraiser to contribute online.

This event will allow us to continue to maintain our year-round office, which is available for use by all Democrats and progressives, and to continue our efforts to identify and reach out to Democrats in the Palatine area.

Finally, thanks to Susan MacDonald, Beth Marcin, Renee Shapiro, Harold Whyte, and Patrick Watson, who helped make this event go smoothly. An organization is only as good as its volunteers, and we are grateful to have some of the best.

On Saturday, June 6th, volunteers from Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) traveled to Riverdale to join almost 200 people in protesting outside Chuck's Gun Shop. The protest was organized by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Volunteers from Operation PUSH, People for a Safer Society, and other Chicago-area groups joined the protest. A group called Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence came all the way from Indianapolis.

Dan Gross of the Brady Campaign introduced Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Michael Pfleger of St.Sabina's Church. He led the group in peaceful protest just outside the front door of Chuck's Gun Shop.

The truly memorable speakers, however, were dozens of mothers, fathers, and children of people killed by gun violence. Their quiet, sincere testimonials brought our chants of "Purpose over Pain" as they turned their grief into action.

Several dozen counterprotestors stood on the property of the gun shop, waiving signs that had obviously been prepared by professionals and shouting insults. What struck me was the pettiness and lack of substance in what they and their signs said: "Chuck's Is Not a Bad Apple," "Guns Don't Kill People, Gangs Do," and the like. They had no argument why Chuck's shouldn't sign the code of conduct that most gun shops have, or why Chuck's should be allowed to continue selling guns to straw purchasers, advising customers how to evade the law, and enabling gun crime in Chicago and elsewhere.

I had several memorable conversations. One was with a woman whose 19-year old son was shot to death. Another was with an older black man who had been in the Marines. He said that after he returned from combat, he had no desire to own or use a gun.

Another of our volunteers said:

Guns have always made me fearful. Protesting outside of a well-known gun shop whose unethical business practices are in question terrified me, however, something inside of me pushed me to go. One activist wore a super hero cape, but the family members of the victims of gun violence were the true heroes of the day. As they shared their stories, embraced the photos of their deceased loved ones, held posters with the autopsy photos of their beloved deceased, and hugged a total stranger like me, they demonstrated what a toll this senseless violence has on the living, as well as the strength they have derived to make something positive occur out of their personal tragedy. I left the rally without fear, but with a new found courage. I was emotionally moved, inspired, and resolved to push on because this movement to make America a country that values life over guns and life over money is alive in all of the family members whose loved ones have lost their lives to senseless gun violence.

ABC-7 News covered the rally. I thought their story was fair, other than underestimating the number of protestors. Even Sean Hannity of Fox News interviewed Dan Gross and agreed with most of what Gross said.

The Brady Campaign did an excellent job of organizing and managing the protest. Several buses came from different areas, including St. Sabina's Parish and Evanston. The organizers had red t-shirts for all with the message "Stop Bad Apple Gun Dealers." The message was clear and consistent. The crowd was multi-racial and multi-ethnic. The organizers had volunteers walk, chant, and eventually sit symbolically on the sidewalk outside the gun shop. Despite high emotions on all side, there was no violence or even threat of violence. This was a model of how to organize an effective protest.

The fact that most gun dealers have signed a code of conduct tells us that common sense and public pressure are winning out over the selfish, irrational shouts of a few gun rights extremists. Every year, more people recognize the need for reasonable regulations. This rally encouraged me to "keep the faith" knowing that we are on the track to victory.

For decades, the "conventional wisdom" has been that politicians dare not cross the NRA. Pundits and political strategists have warned candidates that support for even the mildest gun violence prevention proposals would bring down a hailstorm of opposition from Second Amendment absolutists, who were said to be "single issue voters." The theory was that gun rights absolutists were well organized and motivated, in contrast to supporters of gun violence prevention.

I think that conventional wisdom is wrong. In fact, I believe that gun violence prevention will become a "litmus test" or "wedge" issue in coming years. Here are my reasons.

First, far few people grow up in households with guns. Between the 1980s and 2010, the rate of gun ownership dropped from 49% of American households to 32%. That's a decrease of more than one-third in just one generation. That trend will continue as more Americans grow up in cities and suburbs, where gun ownership is far less common than in rural areas.

Second, most voters support reasonable gun violence prevention measures. Polls show that prohibiting assault weapons and large-capacity magazines and requiring universal background checks are supported by a large majority of even gun-owning Americans.

Third, gun owners are not "single-issue" voters. Most reasonable gun owners vote for candidates based on their overall agreement with the candidates' views. Those few who are gun rights extremists tend to be the same people who are anti-choice, anti-gay rights, and anti-government. They're not going to vote for a Democrat regardless of the candidate's stand on gun violence prevention.

Only a minority of a shrinking minority believe that unrestricted gun ownership should be allowed. Fewer than one percent of people in Illinois (and fewer than one-half of one percent in Cook County) applied for concealed carry permits in the first year they were available. But that small minority has forced the rest of us to post "No Guns" signs on our homes and offices if we don't want them endangering our families and co-workers.

We're already seeing signs that a candidate's willingness to take on the NRA is an asset, not a liability. Robin Kelly won her special election to Congress in part because she took a forthright stand in favor of reasonable gun violence prevention measures, while her opponents had voted with the NRA. 

State Senator Julie Morrison has introduced a bill to allow Illinois municipalities to adopt ordinances prohibiting assault weapons sales. She did so at the request of Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, who is running for Congress. Congratulations to Sen. Morrison and Mayor Rotering for having the courage to take on the NRA. I believe the large majority of their constituents approve.

This change will not happen everywhere at the same pace. Supporting gun violence prevention will be more of an asset in a liberal suburb than in a rural area. But as more politicians take on the NRA and win (and as others equivocate and are punished by the voters), "conventional wisdom" will change. Very soon, candidates will be called upon by voters to take a firm and progressive stand on gun issues or risk losing their support.