“They’re basically crying Chicken Little over something that’s not that big a deal,” said John Monroe, a lawyer for the gun rights organization GeorgiaCarry.org. He was speaking in response to those concerned about the “Guns Everywhere” bill (House Bill 60), which took effect July 1.
The “they” he referred to are moms, municipal leaders, clergy leaders, school administrators, bar owners, airport security officials and most significantly, law enforcement officers worried about being able to do their jobs. In fact, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, “they” is the majority of Georgians, who are opposed to this new law.
But instead of upholding the will of the people, our elected officials bowed to the gun lobby. Pushing this law through despite overwhelming voter opposition was an interesting move, especially in an election year.
So, let's examine why this is a big deal.
Firearms are the second-leading cause of death of children and teens in America (and the No. 1 cause among black children and teens). In Georgia, more than 70 percent of domestic violence is committed with a firearm, and our state’s domestic violence rate is consistently higher than the national average. These statistics were a reality for Georgians before HB 60 was put into law.
After the passage of this comprehensive bill, Georgia bar owners and patrons are faced with a new reality. Gun owners carrying loaded handguns or long guns (including those we think of as assault weapons) are now free to come into bars and consume alcohol. The U.S. Department of Justice found that approximately 40 percent of those convicted of homicide had been drinking at the time of their offense. In March, a gun battle took place outside a bar in Marietta, leaving one man wounded. This is only one of many such stories. Now we can look forward to having these battles inside the bar.
We are continually told by the gun lobby that licensed gun owners are never the cause of shootings. Don’t tell that to the family of Griffin police Officer Kevin Jordan, who was shot five times in the back allegedly by a drunk concealed-carry permit holder while Jordan was trying to make an arrest at a Waffle House. The shooter’s aunt stated that she “never thought he was capable of shooting anyone.” The bottom line: Guns and alcohol don’t mix, and moms have confidence Georgia bar and restaurant owners agree.
While the gun lobby may have won the legislative battle, Georgia businesses, schools, places of worship and other community organizations can fight back by prohibiting guns on their properties, and members of the Georgia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America are on a mission to ensure they know this. All summer, we will be canvassing our communities, educating bars and restaurants that serve alcohol about their rights, and providing them with the necessary signage to prohibit guns in their establishments.
We will also be signing up Georgians to go to the polls in November as a part of our Gun Sense Voter campaign. Gun sense is the simple idea that we can do much more to keep our families and communities safe from gun violence. We want leaders who will vote for common-sense gun laws that protect our children. And if our leaders don’t vote to protect them, we’ll find new ones to replace them.
The legislative battle was lost, but the war has only just begun. It must be fought because it is a big deal. It is important to Americans and Georgians, and especially to moms. If our elected officials will not ensure the safety of our children and families in public places, moms will. It is because of our voices that major organizations like Target, Chipotle, Facebook and Instagram have changed their firearms policies.
Our voices matter; we must use them. We welcome all the citizens of Georgia to join us in this effort. For more information go to: www.momsdemandaction.org/join-us.
Piyali Cole is Georgia Chapter leader of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
