Nelson, Georgia: The Extreme Side of Pro Gun Rights

[Jack-Hammer]

I was watching CNN this morning and there's a small town in Georgia called Nelson. The report on CNN stated that Nelson is trying to get a law passed in which it's mandatory that every single home in Nelson must have at least one firearm. Nelson is a small town of about 1,300 people just north of Atlanta.

The proposal was unanimously approved by the Nelson city council. If this goes through, then this will be the second town in the state of Georgia to have such a law on the books. A member of the council stated that she feels the law is appropriate in that she feels the government is trying to take everything away that the Constitution supports.

This is the extreme other side of the gun issue. If this measure is successful in Nelson then, basically, a gun will be forced upon you even if you don't want to own one. Otherwise, you'll be in violation of the law.

I thought this was ludicrous really. I would have laughed if it wasn't something that was so serious, not to mention a little disturbing. Conservative politicians and the gun manufacturers who donate huge sums of money to their political causes have spoon fed people the propaganda that the government is going to swoop into their homes in the dead of night and take all their guns away. Many of them reject any significant laws to restrict gun ownership, yet people who are support laws such as this don't feel your rights are violated by forcing you to purchase a gun whether you want to or not.

I have no problem whatsoever with responsible, well meaning, careful, law abiding citizens owning guns. I just feel it obtaining a gun shouldn't be as easy as buying a pack of gum. That might sound like an exaggeration and I'd think so too if I hadn't attended a few gun shows.

 

[LSN80]

I'm surprised noone has commented on this before.

I was watching CNN this morning and there's a small town in Georgia called Nelson. The report on CNN stated that Nelson is trying to get a law passed in which it's mandatory that every single home in Nelson must have at least one firearm. Nelson is a small town of about 1,300 people just north of Atlanta.

There are so many problems here that it's unreal.

1. What about households with small children? It would be nice to think that every parent would be responsible and lock up the gun, but we know that not to be the case, with disastrous results. This amplifies the chances of disastrous results occuring even more.

2. It's an invasion of privacy. How are they going to enforce this? Sure, guns have serial numbers, and those can be easily traced to their owners, but are they going to put actual tracking devices in the guns to be sure those who are opposed to this keep the guns in their home or they stay in their possession? How do you truly enforce this?

3. Who's going to pay for this? Guns aren't cheap, necessarily, and what of those on welfare programs who only make ends meet, or less? Make them choose between putting food in their mouths, or buying a gun? Or set up government programs for purchase of a gun like they do for food, heating, or housing? Not cheap.

4. As a nation, we have the right to practice religion as we see fit, as long as it doesnt infringe on others rights. We also have those same rights regarding guns. It's essentially a violation of the Constituion.

5. People convicted of some crimes, and certain mental health patients, aren't permitted by law to own guns. How do they get around this?

The proposal was unanimously approved by the Nelson city council. If this goes through, then this will be the second town in the state of Georgia to have such a law on the books. A member of the council stated that she feels the law is appropriate in that she feels the government is trying to take everything away that the Constitution supports.

Even if the government is trying to do so(theyre not), the key wording in the Constitution, as I mentioned above, is right. By forcing someone to own a gun, it's taking away the right. So these same people claiming that their rights are being taken away are trying to do the same to others. The councilwoman you're speaking of called this a "deterrent ordinance", to make burglars think twice before breaking in. What it'sw truly deterring is individual freedom and the right to privacy in one's own home.

I have no problem whatsoever with responsible, well meaning, careful, law abiding citizens owning guns. I just feel it obtaining a gun shouldn't be as easy as buying a pack of gum. That might sound like an exaggeration and I'd think so too if I hadn't attended a few gun shows.

I own a gun myself, I have for 6 years. I like the safety it provides my family and while I'm certainly not a hunter, there's a range near my home I go shooting at a few times a month. But if my wife opposed, I wouldn't own it, and surely wouldn't want or allow one in my home. I'd rather be in violation of the law and arrested for the first time in my life.

Here's an article regarding this:



http://now.msn.com/nelson-georgia-could-pass-law-making-gun-ownership-mandatory

 

[klunderbunker]

I'd love to get the opinions of these lawmakers on the Affordable Care Act. How exactly is this different from mandating that someone purchase a health insurance policy and penalizing them if they don't?

As for the law, this is absurd for all of the reasons listed. What right does the government have to force someone to own something that could easily kill someone else by simply dropping it? This goes with the theory that "the solution to gun violence is more guns", which makes no sense when you really think about it. The idea that "THEY'RE COMING FOR OUR GUNS" is nothing but unsubstantiated paranoia and a good example of what makes the southern stereotypes that much closer to being true. Hopefully this law doesn't pass, but I can't wait for the lawsuits when it does.

 

[Slyfox696]

This law is every bit as absurd as any law would be in telling people they must turn in all firearms. Just as you could never enforce a law which would require confiscation of weapons, you can never enforce a law that requires citizens to own a gun.

Absurd politicking, which probably will pass because I'm sure almost everyone sane moved away a long time ago.

 

[Loveless]

This law is every bit as absurd as any law would be in telling people they must turn in all firearms. Just as you could never enforce a law which would require confiscation of weapons, you can never enforce a law that requires citizens to own a gun.

Absurd politicking, which probably will pass because I'm sure almost everyone sane moved away a long time ago.

Yep I read about this a couple of weeks ago. It's entirely unenforceable by law so even if it passes, it'll be nothing but symbolic. Complete waste of time.

 

[Tastycles]

Honest to God, if I was a billionaire, I'd find out how many homes were empty there, then I'd buy them all and give the homes to paranoid schizophrenics, then watch how quickly the law is repealed.

What a mind blowingly ridiculous state of affairs.