Ga. town mandates gun ownership

A small town in Georgia is on its way to approving a largely symbolic local law requiring the head of every household to own a firearm to combat growing fears of the federal government overreaching, local officials say.

“It’s a statement from a little town to the government – you’re not going to get into our lives and take our firearms away, that type of thing,” Nelson, Ga., councilwoman Edith Portillo told POLITICO. “This government intrusion in our lives is getting bigger and bigger – it’s getting into every section of our lives.”


In Nelson, located just north of Atlanta, council members unanimously approved the law earlier this week to require each household in the 1,340 person community to have a firearm. But exemptions would be permitted for those with disabilities, are convicted felons, can’t afford a firearm, or whose beliefs or religious doctrine make them opposed to gun ownership. The measure must be passed by council members, who meet again next month, a second time before it becomes law.

“This is a deterrent ordinance and nothing more,” councilman Duane Cronic, who proposed the law, told POLITICO. “I liken it to putting a security sign up in your yard.”

Portillo added: “I think that our Second Amendment – we all should stand for that. That was put into [the Constitution] by our Founders. I don’t want anybody to tell me to do and what not to do and now that’s all we’re hearing left, right and everywhere.”

The full text of the law is only two sentences and is modeled after nearby town Kennesaw, Ga., which passed a similar ordinance, Cronic said.

The full text of the law:

“In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain and firearm, together with ammunition therefor.

Exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who suffer a physical or mental disability which would prohibit them from using such a firearm. Further exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who are paupers or who conscientiously oppose maintaining firearms as a result of beliefs or religious doctrine, or persons convicted of a felony.”

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