Since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT., gun control, gun rights and gun ownership has been a major hot button issue across the country with tensions running extremely high on both sides. The town of Nelson, Georgia has passed a law that seems strange at the very least, that requires citizens to own a gun and ammo. One city councilman in Nelson likens the law to putting a security sign in your front yard to ward off criminals, but is requiring gun ownership going too far?

Nelson has a population of 1,300 and there are exemptions in the law for convicted felons and the mentally ill. Also, any citizen is allowed to opt out of the law, which baits the question then why have a law? The town says they are trying to make a point about gun rights and this law is a preemptive measure against any attempt by the federal government to confiscate guns.

The law calls for the head of every household to own a gun and ammo to help protect the city, which has only one police officer, Heath Mitchell who said neighboring departments are too far way to help quickly, which is one benefit of this law.

Some residents think the law is pointless because anyone who would want a gun, probably already owns one.Nelson is located about 50 miles north of Atlanta and is the second Georgia town to adopt such a law. Kennesaw, GA. adopted a similar law way back in 1982.

Nelson does not have a history of violent crime, but could a law like this make Nelson a target? Requiring gun ownership sees kind of extreme on the surface, but only time will tell if this creates a domino effect across the country, especially in small towns. What do you think?

[MSN]

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