Gun Ordinance Fired Blanks

Tuesday night Anderson County Council rightly disarmed a proposed ordinance which would have made it illegal to shoot any firearm within 300 yards of a residence or business in unincorporated areas of the county. Though County Councilman Tom Allen likely had the best of intentions in presenting the ordinance, even he had to know the chances of such a law passing in a county where the majority of folks are gun owners was less than slim.

No question the combination of growth and the lack of countywide zoning has created some strange population densities across the county. There are numerous places in incorporated areas where subdivisions back up to farm land and other open acreage creating the potential for problems during hunting season or other times when someone may be target shooting on their property. Anderson County Sherfiff John Skipper reported to council that 982 shots fired incidences were called in during the past year, with only 276 leading to further investigation. But just because no serious injuries or deaths have been reported, council was also correct to aks for further study on thei issue, particularly in relation to those areas of dense population growth.

Meanwhile laws are already in place to take care of those who are reckless, careless or malevolent with firearms in Anderson County. Aggressive inforcement of such laws is a far more reasonable approach to the problem than infringing on the rights of the overwhelming number of our neighbors who who are responsible gun owners and do not deserve such restrictions on their own property.

Comments

[patricia]

When your standing in your yard in a subdivision (Loblolly Pines) and a neighbor behind is shooting and pieces of the tree above your head start falling, that's scary. Do we wait until someone is killed to have reasonable safe restrictions. I support gun rights and family members own guns, but some people lack good sense.