Town passes gun ordinance, brady sues

[jimmy the one]

email I rec'd from brady campaign (so no link): The gun lobby extremists and city council members of Nelson pushed for and passed the "Family Protection Ordinance" {cough} — a new law requiring every household to own a gun and ammunition. That's right: If you live in Nelson, Georgia, you're now required by law to keep a loaded gun in your home.
.. the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence filed a lawsuit today against the City of Nelson, Georgia, alleging that its ordinance is unconstitutional and violates citizens’ First, Second and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
We are arguing that in America people have the freedom to make individual decisions about how to protect themselves and loved ones. A gun should never be forced on anyone who chooses not to own one.

Bravo Brady, Brava Sarah;
Nelson has about 1,400 residents (on google), so it's not that big a thing except for the forced gun ownership policy.
More gunnut double standard, towns can't ban handguns anymore, but they can require guns?
Reminiscent a bit of kennesaw georgia which required guns in households couple decades ago, but allowed for exemptions. A crime comparison between kennesaw & morton grove illinois which banned handguns (up till 2010) resulted in kennesaw regularly having approx 30% higher crime rates than 'da grove', with similiar demographics & past populations (kennesaw has two zip codes, one higher in crime then the other but morton grove generally bested both).

[Bazinga]

1. I agree

This is pretty ridiculous. In the way that gun-control advocates have always claimed they don't want a total ban, I have always claimed that no one wants to arm everybody (eg no one argues that all students should be armed to make college campuses safer, but rather to allow those who are qualified to carry elsewhere to carry on campus). But apparently that it's not entirely the case.

Those who choose to be armed take upon themselves a huge amount of risk and responsibility, obviously no one should be forced to do that.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

2. Hello JTO

I thought I might point out that the town at the other end of interstate 575 in GA, Kennesaw, also has a mandatory firearm ownership law. IMHO, I-575 has ONLY a FAR RIGHT lane.

[aikoaiko]

3. Family Protection Ordinance

Family Protection Ordinance

AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY OF NELSON, GEORGIA

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NELSON, GEORGIA, TO ADOPT PROVISIONS REGARDING THE REQUIREMENT FOR HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS TO MAINTAIN FIREARMS.

WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Nelson finds that it is in the public interest to amend Chapter 38 of the Code of the City of Nelson, Georgia, for purposes ofemergency management and general safety of the city;

NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Nelson hereby ordains thatChapter 38 of the Code of the City of Nelson be amended as follows to add Section 38-6to Article I of said Chapter:

“Sec. 38-6. Heads of households to maintain firearms.

(a) 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.

(b) 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."

This Ordinance is hereby adopted this _____ day of _____________________, 2013, the public health, safety and general welfare demanding it.

http://www.nelsongeorgia.com/family-protection-ordinance

[jimmy the one]

4. morton grove vs kennesaw

aikoaiko Family Protection Ordinance (a) .. every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain and firearm, together with ammunition therefor.
(b) 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."

Thanks aiko; seems it does have exemptions, & apparently seems identical to kennesaw's ordinance (likely based upon it). Doesn't diminish brady's suit, since a young 'gun able' father with small children or teens might not want to have a firearm in his house. Or former gunowner who wants nothing more to do with guns. If anyone can claim exemption the ordinance is toothless, & I doubt just anyone can.

discntnt: I thought I might point out that the town at the other end of interstate 575 in GA, Kennesaw, also has a mandatory firearm ownership law.

Reread the OP, where I mentioned kennesaw; here's a comparison between morton grove illinois which banned handguns in the 70's iirc, and kennesaw georgia which required households to own a gun. Note 2010 was final year of morton groves handgun ban due 2010 mcdonald decision, but the stats are similarly representative of stats for the past 20 years or so. Morton Grove had a higher assault & larceny risk, but kennesaw a higher total crime risk:

2010CrimeRateIndex Kennesaw,GA -Morton Grove,IL- US
Total Crime Risk ..........56 ...................35 .............100
Murder Risk ...............27 ...................15 .............100
Rape Risk .................46 ...................42 .............100
Robbery Risk ..............38 ...................15 .............100
Assault Risk ..............16 ...................47 .............100
Burglary Risk .............54 ...................41 .............100
Larceny Risk ..............64 ...................83 .............100
Auto Theft Risk ...........67 ...................33 .............100
http://www.clrsearch.com/Kennesaw-Demographics/Ga/Crime-Rate?compare=morton+grove+illinois

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. I kind of thought...

...that the Nelson law was based on the Kennesaw law. Kennesaw has no punishment or sentencing for anyone violating the law and, AFAIK, has never charged anyone with a violation. IMHO, the creation of such laws are essentially knee-jerk reactions, just like bans.

I know Cobb County, where Kennesaw sits, is rather conservative/Republican, thus the highway joke. I expect Nelson is the same.