I'm happy to announce that we gained 50 members during the time we ran our membership drive and fundraiser for Chris Morley.  We have sent Walter Maksym, Chris's attorney, $500 to be counted towards Chris's defense fund.

Thanks to everyone who joined during this time and also a big thanks to everyone who donated separately to Chris's defense.  We raised another nearly $1,500 through online contributions for Chris!!!!!

The Fellowship is still young, but growing steadily.  We're very happy to have the opportunity to help someone out even at this stage.  I'm personally excited to help Chris out since he's a friend of mine.  I also can feel for Chris for what he's going through right now as I went through the same thing in 2006 through 2007.  I'd ask that we all stand behind Chris not just financially but also by letting it be known that we will not tolerate another law-abiding citizen being prosecuted when it is crystal clear that there has been NO VIOLATION OF LAW.  Politics, personal beliefs, and emotion should not rule over a law-abiding citizen's life.

We hope to see these bogus charges dropped this month.  Chris doesn't deserve a long fight in court like I've been fighting (and still am in appeals).  Be ready to let it be known that we will stand behind Chris no matter what happens.

Dear ICarry.org Users,

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or other.  Likewise, I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!!!

I'll make this really quick -- there are only three (3) days left to join the Gun Owners Fellowship for only $29.99 for LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP.  After 12/31/08, the price will jump up to $59.99.  Also through 12/31/08 $10 of the $29.99 LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP application fee will go to Chris Morley's defense fund!  Chris Morley is the handicapped man from Chicago who was unlawfully and illegally arrested and falsely charged for carrying a gun according to state law!!

The Fellowship has over 50 members currently and therefore over $5,000 of fundraising potential for a member.  If you should ever need the support, you can get it for lifetime for only $29.99.  It's almost too good to be true, but it's not.  Many have taken advantage of this, and we've been able to raise over $500 for Chris through memberships alone and another $1,000 for Chris through other donations.

So help Chris out, and help yourself be protected against unlawful arrest/charges arising from owning firearms, carrying firearms, or using firearms in a self-defense situation.

Thanks and again HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!  Take care.

Sincerely yours,

Shaun Kranish

Founder, ICarry.org and the Gun Owners Fellowship

info@gunownersfellowship.com

Hey Guys and Gals! Yes, its Christmas time again! I want to wish you all a Merry Xmas. However, I am not here just to wish you all fine fine greetings. I want to talk with or write about a common misconception. That is more like a safety rule. During this season I need not remind you of our bad economy and how around the country, the rise in home invasions has risen because of this problem. I know that alot of you own a firearm of some type. Now I know that it does add security and the ability to protect your loved ones from harm.

However, I want to remind you that sometimes, not always if you add a weapon of any kind into the mix of an incident, especially a firearm. You are only (once in a while) brining the stakes to a new level.  This makes me think of what I am constantly taught and reminded of all the time.  That we train, train, train for all types of events and or incidents while practicing with our weapons.

I know that most of us practice target shooting because we enjoy taking part in a match or meet. Most of us don't practice for close quarter encounters, such as hallways or small enclosed areas. However, as you know if you are going to defend yourself and or your family you should be able to make all of your shots count. You should never miss your mark! You are responsible for any shot that does miss its intended target, both criminally and in a civil matter.  (Click on read more to continue...)

I was recently surfing on the internet when I came across the article about the people that invented a way to inscribe a serial number inside of ammunition. Now on the surface this sounds as it is a good idea. I mean why not have serial numbers inside a 9mm or 45 caliber shell casing. Its a grand idea, SO THAT WE CAN ALL GET ACCUSED OF SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T DO WHEN THE ROUNDS GET STOLEN FROM OUR HOMES! Oh I know, we are suppose to lock these things up. Well, if you cannot afford a safe because you are a novice in firearms collecting. Then it doesn't make any sense to have a safe, at least not yet.

Oh I know this way we can track all of our rounds. That makes sense! So we can be criminalized, oh wait I said that already! That's right we can have all the firearms we want too, all we can collect. However, they want to bankrupt us all in the process. This way we are forced to hunt no longer and carry on our sporting traditions like target shooting so that they can prevent crime. Wait a minute! I just realized we cannot prevent crime and imagine this I AM A POLICE OFFICER! The pipe dreams these people have come up with is beyond me.

(click read more to read more!)

Well it seems the truth has finally come out! Can I say I told you so? Ok I will I told you so. Gov HOTT ROD as I have so affectionately called him in the past has been busted for trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate Seat.

Well, this proves one point. Maybe if we try hard enough while he is still in office we can buy the option to CCW in Illinois! Oh I forgot we are law abiding people, except for some of us who did something stupid when we were kids. But am I really counting your Ex-Girlfriend that was 15 when you were 18? No! Am I talking about the pot you smoked? No!

Oh wait that is right because we are not all politically correct now are we. But Gov HOTT ROD is! He defines what politics is all about. He has blocked time after time the law abiding citizens that have called upon him and the State Legislature of the Great State of Illinois have asked for and in most recent instances voted on, where it was found that 10 out of 14 counties wanted Concealed Carry and not the lame may issue kind either!

The Gun Owners Fellowship would like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to the members of the AR15.com forums.  The membership at AR15.com (aka ARFCOM) has pulled together to support Chris Morley with his wrongful arrest.  As of right now, the membership has raised over $700 for Chris and one member has made a pledge to donate $10 for every $100 raised!!!

Thank you, ARFCOM members for standing beside one of your own members and helping him with his honorable battle.  As everyone knows, Chris was exercising his rights within the law (not only within but he was actually doing exactly what the law instructs Illinois Citizens to do) by carrying an unloaded gun in a case.  Even in Chicago, there are brave men and women like Chris who do not give in to intimidation and coercion by the state, but instead insist on exercising their rights to the benefit of everyone in the country.

Thanks Chris for doing what's right.  And thanks again to everyone who has supported him and the Fellowship.

We told you that Chris Morley -- the man whom the Fellowship is currently helping by donating $10 per membership to his defense -- has been an active member of the gun rights movement in Illinois for years.  Well we weren't kidding.  Check out these pictures of Chris involved in the push for concealed carry in Illinois.

Left to right: unknown, John Horstman, John Birch, and Chris Morley posing with guns in a risque picture for the Chicago Reader.

Chris Morley being interviewed at the Chicago "Second Amendment Freedom Rally" in 2008.  His gun has possibly saved his life multiple times.  Now it has cost him his job, livelihood, and a lot of money.  We're helping him as best we can.

Chris is a perfect example of why the Fellowship is needed.  We only wish we woul d have been in place before this happened to Chris and had Chris as a member.  But even now, even in our first few weeks, we're making a difference.  We will make a much bigger difference as we grow in numbers.  Please consider joining us today if you haven't already.  $10 of your $29.99 lifetime membership will go to Chris Morley's defense fund.  http://www.gunownersfellowship.com/join.html

The fellowship is currently donating $10 per membership to Chris Morley's defense fund.  $10 out of the $29.99 limited time (ends 12/31/08) rate for lifetime membership will be given to Chris for the duration of this offer.  This is an out of the ordinary thing we're doing, but Chris has been a longtime supporter of concealed carry in Illinois.  Please consider joining today to help out Chris, yourself, and gun owners across the country.

A handicapped man from Chicago was arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Chris Morley, a long-time and well-liked supporter of gun rights in Illinois, has been carrying his unloaded pistol for nearly a decade – ever since a law was passed to allow this form of carry.

Suffering from cerebral palsy and depending on a cane to walk, Chris Morley has been the would-be target of muggers numerous times. On these three or four occasions, merely reaching for his unloaded firearm was enough to scare the attackers away and possibly save his life.

Morley was not feeling well at work on a Monday, however, and had a coworker help him to an empty room to rest and feel better. As a matter of policy, paramedics were called. But not only did the paramedics arrive, but police in full tactical gear arrived too!

Morley’s personal belongings had been searched without warrant or probable cause and his unloaded pistol in his Maxpedition case had been exposed. Instead of going home as he planned after falling ill, Morley was on his way to county lockup! He was handcuffed to a wall for a few hours, processed, photographed, fingerprinted, stripped of clothes and belongings including his cane and glasses. Morley could not walk or see.

During his arrest, the police even had the nerve to accuse him of being drunk – at approx 10:00 AM in the morning. Morley has a speech impediment due to his condition, but as often happens the police assumed the wrong thing. Meanwhile, locked up in his rubber cell for over twelve hours, Morley listened as the prison guards watched movie clips on YouTube, feature film Walk the Line, news, late-night replays of Oprah and Doctor Phil, and finally the morning news came on. Morley’s wife, parents, and other loved-ones had no idea where he was. Luckily his sister got in contact with someone from the police department and told them Morley suffered from major medical problems.