Joining Forces In Illinois

One of the guiding principles of war is the concentration of forces.

To achieve success in war, it is essential to concentrate superior force, moral or material, to that of the enemy at the decisive time and place. Concentration does not necessarily imply a massing of forces, but rather having them so disposed as to be able to unite to deliver the decisive blow when and where required, or to counter the enemy’s threats. Concentration is a matter more of time than of space.

Having fought determined enemies of gun rights for a long time, the Illinois State Rifle Association has learned a thing or two about both strategy and tactics. Thus when I read the release below from ISRA, I shook my head in approval at the wisdom of it.

ISRA and Illinois Carry are joining forces in lobbying the Illinois General Assembly. Dr. Valinda Rowe and her husband Mike Rowe will be the Springfield coordinators for both ISRA and Illinois Carry. This concentration of forces to lobby for gun rights in Illinois will bring a greater focus to both the opportunities and threats facing Illinois gun owners.

Illinois State Rifle Association and IllinoisCarry.com Join Forces!


When the General Assembly returned to session this week, there were two new faces joining the Illinois State Rifle Association team. Valinda Rowe and husband Mike will serve as Springfield Coordinators and lobbyists for both the ISRA and IllinoisCarry.com. It was almost inevitable that the top two Second Amendment organizations in the state should team up to form an even more effective presence in Springfield. The national award winning ISRA and the national award winning grassroots group, IllinoisCarry.com, are joining forces for an even stronger front in the battle for Second Amendment rights for Illinois citizens. The two organizations represent nearly 40,000 gun owners in the State of Illinois.


ISRA President Don Moran, “We have worked closely with Valinda and Mike over the past decade, our parallel cases, IC / SAF’s Moore v Madigan and NRA / ISRA’s Sheppard v Madigan being the straw that broke the camel’s back in moving CCL forward in Illinois. It’s been a partnership for some time and our codifying it has been long overdue. The ISRA welcomes Valinda and Mike on board and we look forward to continuing to fight together for firearms rights in Illinois for years to come.” ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson, “I am pleased that the ISRA and IllinoisCarry are working together. The gun owners of this state will be well represented by this partnership.”


Valinda, spokesperson for IllinoisCarry and her husband, Mike, are excited about their new role in Springfield, “We believe this partnership will benefit both organizations and help each one to be better, stronger, and more efficient in many ways. We have always enjoyed working alongside our friends in the ISRA and we are excited to see that relationship expand. It is our hope to not only strengthen the ISRA’s presence in Springfield but to also increase the overall presence of all Second Amendment supporters.”

Correction: I incorrectly referred to Valinda Rowe as Dr. Valinda Rowe. I mixed Valinda’s credentials up with those of another stalwart in the fight for concealed carry in Illinois – Dr. Paula Bratich DVM.