Georgia Has A New Gun Law

On last Tuesday a new law took affect that have gun owners and gun rights advocates celebrating. State house bill 89, which was passed hours before the end of the 2008 session and signed into law by Governor Purdue, allows people that hold permits to carry concealed weapons to enter parks, restaurants that serve alcohol and public transportation. There are a number of opponent to this new law including Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. Mayor Franklin and the Atlanta airport are challenging the new law, citing public safety concerns. The management of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has issued a warning to those people with concealed weapons permits; don’t bring your guns to the airport! The airport is threatening to arrest anyone discovered with a concealed gun permitted or otherwise under a law hat house bill 89 was designed to amend to. The Governor along with GeorgiaCarry.org has served Mayor Franklin and the airport with a lawsuit. I can’t wait to see how all off this will play out.

It’s been a week since the start of the new law and still no public gun fights. I don’t think we are no less safe than we were a month ago… criminals don’t advertise that they are carrying guns or knives. People with concealed permits are just they same. You still don’t know whose carrying and whose not. One difference is, if something does happen especially on public transportation and parks, there is a chance someone is around with the firepower to stop an assailant.

The new law comes just as the U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of gun rights for home owners. As someone that’s been on the business end of a gun, I know I would rather have a permit and carry a gun, even if I never use it. But I would rather not be in a situation where I needed it and didn’t have it. This law isn’t going to cause people to go out and buy a gun just like that. All it does is extends more freedom to carry a weapon to those people who already follow the law. No law is going to stop people who are intent on breaking the law. This law helps the law abiding citizen and not the criminals. I’ve always said this and I will continue to say it, “guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people.” Blame the person and not the instrument they used.