A civilized society is well organized, developed, has customs and fair laws, and because people behave in a polite and sensible law abiding manner, spend their existence working to advance the progress and well-being of humanity. When most Americans see images of lawless countries such as Somalia, Yemen, or tribal Afghanistan and the barbaric conditions people live in with armed men roaming the streets, it is certain they do not consider such unsafe nations as remotely related to civilized society. One cannot help but feel sympathy for people so terrified of their brutal surroundings that the forefront of their minds are pre-occupied with carrying guns for their personal safety, but that is the result of living in uncivilized society. For Americans confident they live in civilized society, one imagines the forefront of their minds is occupied with a home, adequate food, transportation, a financially-secure retirement, a well-paying job, access to healthcare, an education, and feeding their families; unless they live in Georgia.
According to Republican Governor Nathan Deal, what Georgia residents who thought they lived in a civilized society should keep at the forefront of their minds is the same as people living in lawless and uncivilized societies like Somalia and Yemen; guns. This week Republican Deal signed House Bill 60, and stated that for Georgia residents, “The Second Amendment should reside at the forefronts of our minds.” The legislation passed in the eleventh hour of Georgia’s legislative session and expands gun zealots’ ability to carry loaded firearms in public with no restricted areas whatsoever. Critics of the barbaric National Rifle Association legislation dubbed it the “guns everywhere” law for its broad scope and gun proliferation in the public sector they errantly thought was part of civilized society; opponents attempted to block the legislation’s passage to no avail. Frightened Georgia residents, gun fanatics, the NRA, and gun proliferation groups flooded Deal’s office demanding he sign the legislation into law to give the NRA, Gun Owners of America, and Georgia Gun Owners precisely what they intend for the entire nation; “the most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history.”
The law defining Georgia as an uncivilized society takes effect on July 1, and among other absurdities legalizes silencers for hunting (human beings), and puts guns in the hands of convicted felons who can now use the law’s expanded “stand your ground defense” when they take revenge on prosecutors, judges, witnesses, and law enforcement officials who helped make them convicted felons in the first place. Ever since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the preponderance of gun-related slaughters across the country, the National Rifle Association has pushed hard to put guns in schools, churches, government buildings, bars, malls, courthouses, airports, and anyplace a gun fanatic has a legal right to be; their efforts were rewarded in Georgia. The legislation also expanded ALEC and the NRA’s soon to be “stand your ground law” of the land.
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The “guns everywhere” law did not inspire confidence or garner support from Georgia police organizations and victims of gun violence. According to Frank Rotondo of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, “Police officers do not want more people carrying guns on the street. Particularly police officers in inner city areas.” The racial remark aside, it is likely that law enforcement officers will be on heightened alert when the law takes effect and will naturally be involved in more officer-related shootings; particularly in inner city areas. It is likely too, that law enforcement dreads the increase in gun-related crimes as a result of the incredibly stupid idea of allowing loaded firearms in bars where armed drunk patrons are within range of other intoxicated Georgians carrying loaded firearms.
Not all Georgians were pleased with the passage and signing of the guns everywhere law and they were not opponents of the NRA’s near-dream-come-true law. Gun Owners of Georgia said, “Gun owners should be congratulated for your enormous pressure put on the General Assembly,” but complained that Deal’s signature was not gratifying enough and the Second Amendment fanatics condemned Deal and House Speaker David Ralston for being “ethically-challenged big government moderate Republicans.” Another gun proliferation advocacy group, GeorgiaCarry.Org, was equally dissatisfied with “the most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history.” The gun zealots complained, “Was HB60 all we wanted? Of course not! But this will clear the way for some great improvements in the future and we keep marching down the field; one day we will get all our rights back.”
It is doubtless Georgia’s new guns everywhere law will attract national attention from gun proliferation advocates and opponents of the law alike, particularly because the emboldened NRA will increase their substantial efforts to put guns in every public area due to their Georgia success. However, the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rick Jasperse, welcomes national attention for pushing the “guns everywhere” legislation that is more apt for an uncivilized society than 21st Century America. Jasperse announced to a crowd of hundreds of gun zealots, many wearing side arms, to just ignore what he called gun-safety advocates “misinformation” about the law because “This bill is about the good guys – you guys.” Speaking of good guys, in the lawless American frontier, the so-called “Wild West,” it was a standard practice of lawmen and local sheriffs to require cowboys and gunslingers to check their side arms before they could enter a town or city. Today the NRA and patriot gun zealots would call for an armed rebellion against the federal government.
In a way, although it is perverse in a so-called civilized society some Americans think this country is, it makes sense that Georgia, part of the third world former Confederacy, passed a law allowing frightened residents to carry loaded firearms in any public area; guns are likely at the forefront of their minds. The region already leads the nation in poverty, crumbling infrastructure, low-wage jobs, child poverty, lack of healthcare, poor educational outcomes, and a people mired in religious extremism, so the vision of residents carrying loaded firearms meets the standard of uncivilized nations like Somalia and Yemen. America is continuing to devolve from a once-civilized society into a barbaric gun-toting nation and while many Americans pale at the prospect of loaded guns in schools, bars, courthouses, malls, airports, and churches, an element of the population derives pleasure at the prospect of armed men roaming the public square because they saw images of Somalia and begged the NRA and Republicans to create America in Somalia’s image.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
