City looks to make gun ownership mandatory

WSBTV News ^ | Mar. 5, 2013 | John Bachman

[EXCH54FE]

NELSON, Ga. —

Every homeowner in a local town could soon have to own a gun or break the law. It's a controversial new plan for the city of Nelson.

Leaders told Channel 2's John Bachman the reason they need the law is because the city straddles Cherokee county to the south and Pickens County to the north.

That, they said, can lead to slower response times.

One police officer patrols Nelson, Georgia for eight hours during the day. That leaves 16 hours overnight when the city is basically unguarded.

"When he's not here we rely on county sheriffs--however it takes a while for them to get here," said Nelson City Councilman Duane Cronic.

That's why Cronic proposed the ordinance.

"Every head of household will own and maintain a firearm," he said.

Bill McNiff lives in Nelson, carries a pistol and supports the law.

"I think every city should do it. I think it should go countywide too," McNiff said.

The Nelson ordinance is modeled closely after the 1982 law passed in Kennesaw.

[Hoodat]

This is already the case in Kennesaw, GA. Needless to say, burglaries there are as rare as hair on a gator.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Good idea. Kennesaw has almost no crime.

[kingu]

The right to keep and bear arms is a right, a choice a citizen can make, and a choice they can decline as well. I think any ordinance or law that tries to ban OR compel firearms ownership is equally wrong.

Now, if they sell that radar gun on eBay and orient the officer towards, you know, solving crimes instead of traffic detail, how does that affect the budget? Enough to invite 4 citizens to join a police auxiliary and help patrol the city?

[SampleMan]

I think any ordinance or law that tries to ban OR compel firearms ownership is equally wrong.

That's "old America" thinking. The SCOTUS has ruled that you can be forced to purchase anything the government tells you to purchase.

If you can't be free, be in charge.

[martin_fierro]

JawJaw PING

[duffee]

It makes a statement that your local government is for you, the citizen. I don’t believe that in Kennesaw those who don’t have a firearm in the household are prosecuted, who knows if you do or don’t. I doubt there are many households in Nelson Ga. that don’t already have firearms.

[I want the USA back]

No government has the right to forbid anyone to own a gun and no government has the right to command anyone to own a gun.

[TigersEye]

Here is some "old America" thinking for you...

The Constitution of the United States

Article. I.

Section. 8.

The Congress shall have Power ...

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

The Federal government has the Constitutional authority to require citizens to be members of the Militia and how they will be organized and disciplined. That includes requiring them to purchase and keep their own arms which is exactly how it used to be.