Guns and Politics: The Well Armed Town of Greenleaf

Miss Anonymous Opinion pointed me to this story so I shall comment.

The rural community of Greenleaf, Idaho is working to pass the Civil Emergencies Ordinance. They're looking at crime rates in other communities bordering Greenleaf and they don't like what they see. The ordinance would require heads of Greenleaf households to own guns and would also promote emergency planning, civilian response, and neighborhood watch groups. I haven't read the proposed law, so I can't comment on it directly, but why let that stop me, right?

Anyway, this kind of law usually works. But not because it promotes firearms ownership. Generally, places with these laws are communities like Greenleaf that already have nearly universal firearms ownership. What these laws do is publicize that the town is well armed. Kennesaw, GA passed a similar law after the easy highway access to town shopping centers also gave criminals easy highway access to their community for criminal activities like theft. They advertised their new law on a billboard next to their exit off the interstate. Their crime rate plummeted because criminals realized they aren't a soft target.

So yes it will work, although largely due to changing people's perception. But I do hope there is a conscientious objector clause in the law as in Kennesaw. I have the same problem with people forcing others to own guns as I have with prohibiting them by force. Many gun control supporters don't trust themselves with guns, therefore they don't trust others with them either. While they may not respect my rights, I will still respect theirs and not force them to arm themselves. I will take them to the range if they ask though.