The Racist Roots of the Illinois Firearm Owner Identification Card
The Illinois Firearm Owner Identification card, or FOID for short, has been law since the 1960s. Facts and evidence show that the FOID card was brought about due to May Daley Sr.’s racist desire to block the ability of “non-whites” to buy firearms.
I remember hearing many many years ago, rumors that the Illinois FOID card was passed into law because Mayor Daley didn’t want black people having guns. I also remember being skeptical. But as time went on and more information became available to me, it became apparent that all gun control is racist. I sought evidence to back up the claims that Mayor Daley was trying to keep guns out of the hands of black people, and I thank Mom’s at Arms for finding the proof.
Watch the Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWtUtsKL45U
For those not from Illinois, Illinois requires all lawful gun owners to be registered with the state. The state issues a permission slip for us to exercise our rights, and that is what we call the Illinois Firearm Owner ID or FOID for short. The FOID act was passed in 1967 and took effect in 1968.
When I say the FOID is racist, don’t take my word for it. Listening to former Mayor Daley begging President Linden B Johnson for national gun control, citing his reasoning as “non-whites buying guns” as his reasoning…
“…something has to be done, Mr. President, on the sale of the guns. We — Outside [in] the suburbs — in the city we have control — but what the hell, in the suburbs that are — you go out to all around our suburbs and you got people out there, especially the non-white, are buying guns right and left. You got guns and rifles and pistols and everything else…”
The entire audio is worth a listen, or text worthy of a read. Daley discusses his irritation that the people he was elected to serve do not respect his authority. The FOID act was designed to protect the government from the people, which is a direct violation of the purpose of the Second Amendment. The second amendment affirms the people’s right to defend themselves from the government. It is also worth noting that Daley is begging the President to do something on a national scale, and it should be no surprise that the federal Gun Control Act passed shortly after.
In a Chicago Tribune newspaper article on May 23, 1967, discussing the passage of the FOID, the article reads “no gun control measures made headway in 1965 to spite fervent support from Mayor Daley.” The article also cites that “such a law is vital to help police guard against… …racial disturbances.”
The article continues, “Mayor Daley’s bill to register guns was approved by house committee but was killed in the senate committee..” Since they couldn’t register guns, they decided to register gun owners.
Something else we’ve also got to discuss is non-compliance. As I have been saying for years, non-compliance is a short-term strategy. If the law is on the books, it will eventually be enforced. One of the newspaper articles uncovered by Moms at Arms shows how 450,000 people didn’t initially register. This is known as non-compliance. Many cops didn’t even enforce… at first. Now the FOID card is so integrated with our system of gun ownership, there isn’t any way to legally not-comply and the FOID is readily enforced. While non-compliance is a valid short-term strategy, it has to be a part of a combination approach to removing the unconstitutional law from the books. Non-compliance only kicks the can down the road for our kids and grandkids to fight.
However you look at it, the FOID card has been used to oppress since the very beginning. Going back only as recently as 2020, massive wait times were used to suppress the rights of the people who were in fear for their safety. The state violated the law by making some people wait over a year before the state would issue permission slips. When we examine the demographic of the fastest-growing segment of the population buying guns (hint: non-whites), it is clear that the Illinois Government is still using the FOID to oppress minorities, just as it was intended back in the 60s.
What is the point of this? The point of all this is to bring to the forefront the abuses of requiring permission to exercise a right. Also, to point out that anyone who supports the FOID card supports institutionalized racism, as there can be no denying that the FOID card has deeply rooted racist intent.
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