Things could get interesting Saturday at an anti-gun rally Saturday planned by Father Michael Pfleger.
Pfleger's rally will take place outside of Chuck's Gun Shop in Riverdale, and serves as the backdrop for the kickoff of the Brady Campaign's national push against what it calls "bad apple" gun dealers.
But the Illinois State Rifle Association is calling on its member to attend the rally and to buy a firearm to show support for the store. In a public notice, the ISRA wrote:
"Few will forget Pfleger's rant in front of Chuck's several years ago when he called for the ISIS-style murders of gun-shop owners."
Pfleger calls the comparison "unacceptable."
"When you identify me as a terrorist because I want responsible gun ownership, that takes it to another level," Pfleger said.
But ISRA president Richard Pearson stands by his word choice.
"I think that characterizes Pfleger exactly. He's a ruthless zealot and he needs to be called out for it," Pearson said.
The gun store's owners declined to comment on the rally, but Pearson says the shop follows every existing gun law.
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"Everybody who purchases a firearm at Chuck's Gun Shop, or any other gun shop for that matter, has to go through a federal background check. If they pass the federal background check, Chuck's has to sell them the gun," Pearson said.
But anti-gun advocates point to a 2012 University of Chicago study that found Chuck's to be the No. 1 supplier of guns used in Chicago crimes over a four-year period.
"They've supplied over 1500 guns to criminals and prohibited purchasers," said Juan Altamirano of the Brady Campaign.
