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| The US town where it's the law to own a gun | The US town where it's the law to own a gun |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Guns - from antique rifles to Glocks - are James Rabun's family business | Guns - from antique rifles to Glocks - are James Rabun's family business |
| Kennesaw, Georgia, has all the small-town fixings one might imagine in the American South. | Kennesaw, Georgia, has all the small-town fixings one might imagine in the American South. |
| There's the smell of baked biscuits wafting from Honeysuckle Biscuits & Bakery and the rumble of a nearby railroad train. It's the kind of place where newlyweds leave hand-written thank-you cards in coffee shops, praising the "cozy" atmosphere. | There's the smell of baked biscuits wafting from Honeysuckle Biscuits & Bakery and the rumble of a nearby railroad train. It's the kind of place where newlyweds leave hand-written thank-you cards in coffee shops, praising the "cozy" atmosphere. |
| But there's another aspect of Kennesaw that some might find surprising – a city law from the 1980s that legally requires residents to own guns and ammo. | But there's another aspect of Kennesaw that some might find surprising – a city law from the 1980s that legally requires residents to own guns and ammo. |
| "It's not like you go around wearing it on your hip like the Wild Wild West," said Derek Easterling, the town's three-term mayor and self-described "retired Navy guy". | "It's not like you go around wearing it on your hip like the Wild Wild West," said Derek Easterling, the town's three-term mayor and self-described "retired Navy guy". |
| "We're not going to go knock on your door and say, 'Let me see your weapon.'" | "We're not going to go knock on your door and say, 'Let me see your weapon.'" |
| Kennesaw's gun law plainly states: "In order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition." | Kennesaw's gun law plainly states: "In order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition." |
| Residents with mental or physical disabilities, felony convictions, or conflicting religious beliefs are exempt from the law. | Residents with mental or physical disabilities, felony convictions, or conflicting religious beliefs are exempt from the law. |
| To Mayor Easterling's knowledge, and that of multiple local officials, there have been no prosecutions or arrests made for violating Article II, Sec 34-21, which came into law in 1982. | To Mayor Easterling's knowledge, and that of multiple local officials, there have been no prosecutions or arrests made for violating Article II, Sec 34-21, which came into law in 1982. |
| And no one that the BBC spoke to could say what the penalty would be for being found in violation. | And no one that the BBC spoke to could say what the penalty would be for being found in violation. |
| Still, the mayor insisted: "It's not a symbolic law. I'm not into things just for show." | Still, the mayor insisted: "It's not a symbolic law. I'm not into things just for show." |
| For some, the law is a source of pride, a nod to the city's embrace of gun culture. | For some, the law is a source of pride, a nod to the city's embrace of gun culture. |
| For others, it's a source of embarrassment, a page in a chapter of history they wish to move beyond. | For others, it's a source of embarrassment, a page in a chapter of history they wish to move beyond. |
| But the main belief amongst the townsfolk about the gun law is that it keeps Kennesaw safe. | But the main belief amongst the townsfolk about the gun law is that it keeps Kennesaw safe. |
| Patrons eating pepperoni slices at the local pizza parlour will propose: "If anything, criminals need to be concerned, because if they break into your home, and you're there, they don't know what you got." | Patrons eating pepperoni slices at the local pizza parlour will propose: "If anything, criminals need to be concerned, because if they break into your home, and you're there, they don't know what you got." |
| There were no murders in 2023, according to Kennesaw Police Department data, but there were two gun-involved suicides. | There were no murders in 2023, according to Kennesaw Police Department data, but there were two gun-involved suicides. |
| Blake Weatherby, a groundskeeper at the Kennesaw First Baptist Church, has different thoughts on why violent crime might be low. | Blake Weatherby, a groundskeeper at the Kennesaw First Baptist Church, has different thoughts on why violent crime might be low. |
| "It's the attitude behind the guns here in Kennesaw that keep the gun crimes down, not the guns," Mr Weatherby said. | "It's the attitude behind the guns here in Kennesaw that keep the gun crimes down, not the guns," Mr 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 neighbours." | "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 neighbours." |
| Pat Ferris, who joined Kennesaw's city council in 1984, two years after the law was passed, said the law was created to be "more of a political statement than anything". | Pat Ferris, who joined Kennesaw's city council in 1984, two years after the law was passed, said the law was created to be "more of a political statement than anything". |
| After Morton Grove, Illinois became the first US city to ban gun ownership, Kennesaw became the first city to require it, triggering national news headlines. | After Morton Grove, Illinois became the first US city to ban gun ownership, Kennesaw became the first city to require it, triggering national news headlines. |
| A 1982 opinion piece by the New York Times described Kennesaw officials as "jovial" over the law's passage but noted that "Yankee criminologists" were not. | A 1982 opinion piece by the New York Times described Kennesaw officials as "jovial" over the law's passage but noted that "Yankee criminologists" were not. |
| Penthouse Magazine ran the story on its cover page with the words Gun Town USA: An American Town Where It's Illegal Not to Own a Gun printed over an image of a bikini-clad blonde woman. | Penthouse Magazine ran the story on its cover page with the words Gun Town USA: An American Town Where It's Illegal Not to Own a Gun printed over an image of a bikini-clad blonde woman. |
| Similar gun laws have been passed in at least five cities, including Gun Barrel City, Texas and Virgin, Utah. | Similar gun laws have been passed in at least five cities, including Gun Barrel City, Texas and Virgin, Utah. |
| In the 40 years since Kennesaw's gun law was passed, Mr Ferris said, its existence has mostly faded from consciousness. | In the 40 years since Kennesaw's gun law was passed, Mr Ferris said, its existence has mostly faded from consciousness. |
| "I don't know how many people even know that the ordinance exists," he said. | "I don't know how many people even know that the ordinance exists," he said. |
| Blake Weatherby says that growing up, his father told him "if you're a man, you've got to own a gun" | Blake Weatherby says that growing up, his father told him "if you're a man, you've got to own a gun" |
| The same year the gun law took effect, Mr Weatherby, the church groundskeeper, was born. | The same year the gun law took effect, Mr Weatherby, the church groundskeeper, was born. |
| He recalled a childhood where his dad would half-jokingly tell him: "I don't care if you don't like guns, it's the law." | He recalled a childhood where his dad would half-jokingly tell him: "I don't care if you don't like guns, it's the law." |
| "I was taught that if you're a man, you've got to own a gun," he said. | "I was taught that if you're a man, you've got to own a gun," he said. |
| Now 42, he was 12 years old the first time he fired a weapon. | Now 42, he was 12 years old the first time he fired a weapon. |
| "I almost dropped it because it scared me so bad," he said. | "I almost dropped it because it scared me so bad," he said. |
| Mr Weatherby owned over 20 guns at one point but said now he doesn't own any. He sold them over the years – including the one his dad left him when he died in 2005 – to overcome hard times. | Mr Weatherby owned over 20 guns at one point but said now he doesn't own any. He sold them over the years – including the one his dad left him when he died in 2005 – to overcome hard times. |
| "I needed gas more than guns," he said. | "I needed gas more than guns," he said. |
| One place he could've gone to sell his firearms is the Deercreek Gun Shop located on Kennesaw's Main Street. | One place he could've gone to sell his firearms is the Deercreek Gun Shop located on Kennesaw's Main Street. |
| James Rabun, 36, has been working at the gun store ever since he graduated high school. | James Rabun, 36, has been working at the gun store ever since he graduated high school. |
| It's the family business, he said, opened by his dad and grandad, both of whom can still be found there today; his dad in the back restoring firearms, his grandad in the front relaxing in a rocking chair. | It's the family business, he said, opened by his dad and grandad, both of whom can still be found there today; his dad in the back restoring firearms, his grandad in the front relaxing in a rocking chair. |
| For obvious reasons, Mr Rabun is a fan of Kennesaw's gun law. It's good for business. | For obvious reasons, Mr Rabun is a fan of Kennesaw's gun law. It's good for business. |
| "The cool thing about firearms", he said with earnest enthusiasm, "is that people buy them for self-defence, but a lot of people like them like artwork or like bitcoin – things of scarcity." | "The cool thing about firearms", he said with earnest enthusiasm, "is that people buy them for self-defence, but a lot of people like them like artwork or like bitcoin – things of scarcity." |
| Among the dozens and dozens of weapons hanging on the wall for sale are double barrel black powder shotguns – akin to a musket – and a few "they-don't-make-these-anymore" Winchester rifles from the 1800s. | Among the dozens and dozens of weapons hanging on the wall for sale are double barrel black powder shotguns – akin to a musket – and a few "they-don't-make-these-anymore" Winchester rifles from the 1800s. |
| Deercreek Gun Shop is located next to a Confederate memorabilia store | Deercreek Gun Shop is located next to a Confederate memorabilia store |
| In Kennesaw, gun fandom has a broad reach that extends beyond gun shop owners and middle-aged men. | In Kennesaw, gun fandom has a broad reach that extends beyond gun shop owners and middle-aged men. |
| Cris Welsh, a mother of two teenaged daughters, is unabashed about her gun ownership. She hunts, is a member at a gun club, and shoots at the local gun range with her two girls. | Cris Welsh, a mother of two teenaged daughters, is unabashed about her gun ownership. She hunts, is a member at a gun club, and shoots at the local gun range with her two girls. |
| "I'm a gun owner", she admitted, listing off her inventory which includes "a Ruger carry pistol, a Beretta, a Glock, and about half a dozen shotguns". | |
| However, Ms Welsh is not fond of Kennesaw's gun law. | However, Ms Welsh is not fond of Kennesaw's gun law. |
| "I'm embarrassed when I hear people talk about the gun law," Ms Welsh said. "It's just an old Kennesaw thing to hang onto." | "I'm embarrassed when I hear people talk about the gun law," Ms Welsh said. "It's just an old Kennesaw thing to hang onto." |
| She wished that when outsiders thought of the city, they called to mind the parks and schools and community values – not the gun law "that makes people uncomfortable". | She wished that when outsiders thought of the city, they called to mind the parks and schools and community values – not the gun law "that makes people uncomfortable". |
| "There's so much more to Kennesaw," she said. | "There's so much more to Kennesaw," she said. |
| City council member Madelyn Orochena agrees that the law is "something that people would prefer not to advertise". | City council member Madelyn Orochena agrees that the law is "something that people would prefer not to advertise". |
| "It's just a weird little factoid about our community," she said. | "It's just a weird little factoid about our community," she said. |
| "Residents will either roll their eyes in a bit of shame or laugh along about it." | "Residents will either roll their eyes in a bit of shame or laugh along about it." |