Forget Gun Control, Empower the People! Make It Mandatory, Every Head of House Must Own At Least 1 F

With all the gun discussions going on and the numerous threads for and against gun control, here is a different take. Let's MANDATE that every head of house, is REQUIRED to own at least one firearm!

The idea is based on a law that was put in effect in Kennesaw Georgia in 1982! Here is an article from 2007, which briefly describes the law and speaks to the statistics of the crime rate.

The city's population grew from around 5,000 in 1980 to 13,000 by 1996 (latest available estimate). Yet there have been only three murders: two with knives (1984 and 1987) and one with a firearm (1997). After the law went into effect in 1982, crime against persons plummeted 74 percent compared to 1981, and fell another 45 percent in 1983 compared to 1982.

And it has stayed impressively low. In addition to nearly non-existent homicide (murders have averaged a mere 0.19 per year), the annual number of armed robberies, residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, and rapes have averaged, respectively, 1.69, 31.63, 19.75, and 2.00 through 1998.

With all the attention that has been heaped upon the lawful possession of firearms lately, you would think that a city that requires gun ownership would be the center of a media feeding frenzy. It isn't. The fact is I can't remember a major media outlet even mentioning Kennesaw. Can you?

The reason is obvious. Kennesaw proves that the presence of firearms actually improves safety and security. This is not the message that the media want us to hear. They want us to believe that guns are evil and are the cause of violence.

The facts tell a different story. What is even more interesting about Kennesaw is that the city's crime rate decreased with the simple knowledge that the entire community was armed. The bad guys didn't force the residents to prove it. Just knowing that residents were armed prompted them to move on to easier targets. Most criminals don't have a death wish.

This is a great link because it contains graphs and stats showing the types of crimes, how often they occurred and the decline since 1982.freerepublic.com

Now some of you may be saying, "wait a minute, that article is from 2007, a lot has changed since then."
Here is another article I found from December 2012 following the Newtown tragedy. Have things really changed? Not much according to this from Bloomberg.com.

No town in the U.S. has been as public about its support for guns as Kennesaw, population about 30,000, where city leaders for 30 years have required that every household have at least one gun. The Dec. 14 killings of 20 children and six adults, the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, has done little to change that, residents say in interviews.

Bloomberg.com

Please read the article you will see that the the law is NOT perfect, I think you would be hard pressed to find any law that was. . However the crime rate did decline and continues too. Common sense dictates that a criminal will think twice before invading a home knowing that they will face at least one loaded gun, maybe more?

If we called for every head of house in the United States to own at least one firearm, guess what? Our crime rate would decline exponentially! Guns are not evil, they cannot act of their own free will. They require a human to load and pull the trigger!

If we empowered the people with the mindset that it is not our right but our responsibility as citizens to educate ourselves on gun safety, the risks, the benefits and the gun laws perhaps we could restore the pride of our generation and the ones to follow.

Perhaps we could return to a society of morals and values. One where the officials we elect will work for us, the people not the other way around. It is time to stop living in fear and take back the country we love. This is the kind of change we need in America. It wont happen overnight but it will happen.

Your thoughts ATS?

Thanks for your time,
Pax

I am 100% for gun ownership, but in my opinion, making someone buy a gun is just as bad as taking one away. While everyone should have the right to own one, no one should be forced to buy one, just as people should not be forced to buy health insurance. My health insurance expires on march 20th, my birthday, and I do not plan on buying anymore any time soon.

Originally posted by ReVoLuTiOn76
I am 100% for gun ownership, but in my opinion, making someone buy a gun is just as bad as taking one away. While everyone should have the right to own one, no one should be forced to buy one, just as people should not be forced to buy health insurance. My health insurance expires on march 20th, my birthday, and I do not plan on buying anymore any time soon.

In the Bloomberg article it states if one is morally against it or cant afford one then you are exempt. Thank you I meant to include that in my OP. and I agree!

Pax

just issue them with a car registration or voter id.....we waste more money on other things than this would require....you want the gold plated 45s, then you can buy them yourself, but if you can't afford one, we will provide it....Just like a public defender, protection in court, a 9mm protection against crime.

Granted-9mm isn't 100% protection against crime, but it is cost effective....however, neither is a public defender 100% protection.....hence why there are expensive lawyers.

I notice the 1 gun crime was committed in a gun free zone.
Imagine that.

The government apparently has no issue passing laws mandating our purchase of something (health insurance).

I suppose they can consider the purchase of a firearm as life insurance.... And make my employer buy that too.

Let's MANDATE that every head of house, is REQUIRED to own at least one firearm!

Wow, the supposed fans of "liberty" want to push massively unconstitutional mandates. What a shock.

It sure looks like NY state has put the police in a bad way, I just read on MSN that the New York Gun law messed up, they did not provide an exclusion for cops, The NYPD are just like the citizens now they are not allowed to carry no more the 7 rounds in their weapons. I bet that gets a slurry started when they are used to carrying 15 round clips. This could get interesting real fast, seeing as the law is set to go into effect in march. I wonder how the police feel about their Gov. now. This is what gun control gets ya.

Originally posted by CB328

Let's MANDATE that every head of house, is REQUIRED to own at least one firearm!

Wow, the supposed fans of "liberty" want to push massively unconstitutional mandates. What a shock.

Explain how that would be "massively unconstitutional".

Originally posted by candlelight
It sure looks like NY state has put the police in a bad way, I just read on MSN that the New York Gun law messed up, they did not provide an exclusion for cops, The NYPD are just like the citizens now they are not allowed to carry no more the 7 rounds in their weapons. I bet that gets a slurry started when they are used to carrying 15 round clips. This could get interesting real fast, seeing as the law is set to go into effect in march. I wonder how the police feel about their Gov. now. This is what gun control gets ya.

edit on 18-1-2013 by candlelight because: (no reason given)

edit on 18-1-2013 by candlelight because: (no reason given)

Yep and you see how fast that one was fixed right? Just about as fast as the whole thing was slammed through!!!

Originally posted by AwakeinNM

Originally posted by CB328

Let's MANDATE that every head of house, is REQUIRED to own at least one firearm!

Wow, the supposed fans of "liberty" want to push massively unconstitutional mandates. What a shock.

Explain how that would be "massively unconstitutional".

I'm Pro 2a, but the government forcing you to do anything is closer to tyrany than liberty. I know PLENTY of people who shouldn't own firearms, and they don't by choice...because they're afraid of them...or afraid of what they'd do with them.

A lot of what the anti's do is projection, they don't trust themselves with firearms so how could someone else be responsible with them?

reply to post by jaynkeel


When was it fixed?? it was just posted a few hours ago.

Originally posted by CB328

Let's MANDATE that every head of house, is REQUIRED to own at least one firearm!

Wow, the supposed fans of "liberty" want to push massively unconstitutional mandates. What a shock.

More unconstitutional than say, The USA Patriot Act, or NDAA?

The law in Kennesaw Georgia allows the individual to choose not to own a firearm if one is morally against it or cant afford one.

ACLU challenged the law in a federal court just after it was passed. In response, the city added a clause adding conscientious objectors to the list of those exempt.

rense.com...

reply to post by RedmoonMWC


But still the criminals don`t know who is who do they, so they don`t know what they are walking into.

reply to post by RedmoonMWC

reply to post by candlelight


www.foxnews.com...

Well according to him it's a non issue? I took that as it being fixed right?

reply to post by RedmoonMWC


Good way to make the bad guys think before they act.

reply to post by candlelight


Non issue means they will ignore the law in so many words.

Originally posted by candlelight
reply to post by RedmoonMWC

 

But still the criminals don`t know who is who do they, so they don`t know what they are walking into.

Good way to make the bad guys think before they act.

Precisely the point.

reply to post by candlelight


Who is going to say anything to them after all it is the NYPD.