The latest idiotic rule masquerading as a law I have run into is in the Walmarts bordering Illinois. It started about a year or two ago at a handful of Walmarts within a few miles of the state line. The sign? "Illinois residents must present a FOID card to purchase ammunition". FOID: Firearms Owners Identification.
It seems stupidity is contagious because it's spreading deeper into the Hooiser state. This week I went into the Portage, IN Walmart and in front of the empty shelves I saw a new sign:
"Illinois residents must present a FOID card for all ammunition sales."
While on this particular trip I didn't find any staff to question, in the Schererville, IN store I had the sporting goods manager tell me "federal law requires us to see a FOID card for them".
I politely asked: "What federal law could possibly compel a store in Indiana to enforce a Illinois law that only applied to Illinois residents who are in the state of Illinois?"
He immediately responded "It's federal law, we have to".
I had to follow up with one last question: "How would a clerk in, lets say a Florida store, know to check for a Illinois FOID card on a Illinois resident?"
"It's the law" he replied, with a patently brain dead moan that I interpreted to mean "The lights on but nobodies home."
I know my readers are sharper than the average bear but for those just tuning in, there is no federal law requiring a retailer to check for another states FOID or anything else imposed by another state.
I think it's also equally important to point out that the requirement for a Illinois resident to have a valid FOID card to possess a firearm or ammunition only applies to Illinois residents while physically in the state of Illinois.
It is perfectly legal for an of age adult Illinois resident to purchase ammo while out of state, with or without a FOID. Obviously crossing back into Illinois is another matter but one that should be of no concern to an out of state store making delivery in a state with no such governing law.
What could possibly be the motivation for such an asinine requirement? If it is to prevent Illinois residents from driving back to Illinois in an illegal cross border smuggling operation it then begs the question, why doesn't Walmart check the ID of a Illinois resident and refuse to sell them tobacco products? After all it's illegal for an Illinois resident to buy cigarettes out of state and bring them back into Illinois if more than a pack.
Today I'm picking on Walmart, or more specifically a handful of stores in NW Indiana but I'm sure many of you have encountered similar policies that have no basis in the law but are proffered as law. If a store wants to discriminate against someone, for whatever reason, they should own up to it, not try and pawn it off on some non existent bogus law.
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