Georgia Town Requires All Residents to Own a Gun: 'I Don't Care If You Don't Like Guns, It's the Law'

A Georgia town's unusual law requires every household to own a firearm, a decades-old ordinance that has sparked ongoing debate, with some saying, "I don't care if you don't like guns, it's the law."

In 1982, the City Council in Kennesaw, Georgia, enacted a law mandating gun ownership for all heads of households, except those with specific exemptions like religious beliefs or felony convictions, BBC reported.

The move was a direct response to Morton Grove, Illinois, becoming the first U.S. city to ban gun ownership, aiming to serve as both a crime deterrent and a political counterstatement.

Over the years, the law shaped Kennesaw's identity, earning it the nickname "Gun Town USA" while simultaneously causing some locals embarrassment.

Today, Kennesaw's gun law remains technically in effect but is largely unenforced.

Officials like Mayor Derek Easterling emphasize that the ordinance isn't about promoting lawlessness or forcing compliance. Despite this, residents remain divided.

Some, like local gun shop owner James Rabun, see it as a cultural touchstone and good for business.

Additionally, Blake Weatherby, a groundskeeper at the Kennesaw First Baptist Church, believes the law is a statement of protection that helps keep violent crimes at bay.

"It's the attitude behind the guns here in Kennesaw that keep the gun crimes down, not the guns," Weatherby said. "It doesn't matter if it's a gun or a fork or a fist or a high heel shoe. We protect ourselves and our neighbors."

Others, including longtime locals and city council members, view it as an outdated relic.

Despite the ordinance's minimal enforcement, its legacy endures in Kennesaw's culture and public perception.