Educate Yourself on Georgia Gun Laws

I’ve been educated this week on gun laws—not something I had on my list of things to do. Many years ago, before I had children, my husband and I took a gun safety course because we wanted to be responsible gun owners. This course covered laws regarding carrying a weapon and protecting your property. And in regards to self defense, the most memorable fact that we took away from that class was that you had to be in imminent danger inside your home in order to justify the use of a weapon. One cannot intend to inflict deadly force on a suspect fleeing from a home. 

The course also included target practice which can be a little intimidating when that first shot is discharged. The pop of the bullet leaving the barrel of a gun is loud and unnerving. And I don’t think many people, law enforcement included, look forward to discharging a weapon due to the potential consequences. 

As parents we teach our children many things including, as is the point of this story, to respect others and their things. My kids know the few neighbors whose yards they can “cut across” rather than walk the perimeter to reach the front door. They also know basic gun safety (and thanks to Scouting, bow and arrow safety as well as knife safety). 

So, I will just say that what ignited my gun law research involved children (ages 11-15) playing an air soft game of war, which involved a couple of kids' poor decision to be on someone’s property who really did not appreciate it and showed it by wielding a weapon and “explaining” his right to defend his property (and that’s putting it all together nicely). And so began my research. And this is what I found.

According to Georgia Carry, under Georgia Weapons Laws, Title 16 Chapter 3 Article 2 states, “a person is justified in threatening or using force against another when…he reasonably believes that such threat…is necessary to prevent or terminate such other’s trespass on or other tortuous or criminal interference with real property other than a habitation or personal property: (1) lawfully in his possession; (2) lawfully in the possession of a member of his immediate family; or (3) belonging to a person whose property he has a legal duty to protect. The use of force which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm to prevent trespass on or other tortuous or criminal interference with real property other than a habitation or personal property is not justified unless the person using such force reasonably believes that it is necessary to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”

And in respect to defense of habitation one is “justified in the use of force … only if: (1) the entry is made or attempted in a violent and tumultuous manner and reasonably believes that the entry is made for the purpose of assaulting … and that such force is necessary to prevent the assault or offer of personal violence; (2) that force is used against another person who is not a member of the family; or (3) the person using force reasonably believes that the entry is made ... for the purpose of committing a felony therein and that such force is necessary to prevent the commission of the felony."

So, what my family has learned is that we all have certain rights as stated by our Constitution. And we also have moral obligations to uphold, which is well said in the words of John D. Rockefeller Jr.: “Every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.” 

Swift decisions can have life-altering consequences.