SPRINGFIELD, IL (IRN) - A group of Chicago-area priests, politicians and citizens say Illinois must not allow guns to be carried in public by everyday people.

The group says Illinois is an example that other states should follow. “Illinois stands alone as the only state that does not allow people to carry concealed weapons. We are proud to stand as an example for the rest of the nation,” said Lee Goodman with the “Stop Concealed Carry” coalition.

Despite trends that show no spike in violence in states that allow concealed carry, the group says allowing the carrying of concealed handguns would increase violence in the state.

“It’s about the numbers. It’s about the numbers of pistols, of handguns, of weapons that can be concealed if Illinois goes the wrong way,” said Ricardo Munoz, a Chicago alderman.

The group is collecting signatures to forward to the state legislature to urge them to steer clear of any measure that would allow concealed carry in Illinois.

In the last election, voters in some Downstate counties were polled on concealed carry, and in at least 10 counties – Adams, Bond, Henry, McDonough, Mercer, Randolph, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stephenson and Warren – a measure supporting concealed carry passed.

The governor has vowed to veto any legislation that calls for concealed carry. Such measures have fallen just short in Springfield in recent years.