Typical of election season, politicians begin to display their core values to the strongest degree imaginable. April 12 sparked extensive praise and criticism for the current Republican governor of Georgia Brian Kemp due to his signing of Senate Bill 319. The bill, already established within 25 other states, allows “law-abiding citizens” to no longer need a permit or background check to carry a concealed weapon.

Governor Kemp carries an extensive history revolving around his perspective on gun rights. Garnering national attention from multiple public speeches surrounding the importance of the 2nd amendment and even brandishing a gun at an actor, Kemp has proven his radical beliefs surrounding the role of guns within the United States. He firmly believes in the critical role of a citizen’s ability to protect themself, a sentiment he mentioned within his justification for signing SB 319 into Georgia law.

“[This bill] makes sure that law-abiding Georgians, including our daughters and your family too, can protect themselves without having to have permission from your state government,” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said. 

However, evidence proves that the sentiment for the law remains more negative than anything else. 70% of Georgians (according to a poll done by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a primarily neutral publication) oppose the new law, calling it “ridiculous” and “outrageous”. Democrats and other Republicans have spoken out about the implications of the higher accessibility of guns. Certain topics have placed themselves above others in order of relevancy, especially in the cases of emotional attribution to shootings and mental health. 

“The logic that if we put more guns on the streets, we put more guns in people’s hands, we will have less crime is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. It is a sad day when the Republican leadership across Georgia cares more about their political position than public safety,” Georgia Democratic Representative Roger Bruce said.

Police officers, who interact daily with guns and the convoluted human processes involving them, speak out against the new law as well, calling the decision uninformed at best, and disastrous at worst, especially pertaining to human emotions and crime.

“There’s a certain amount of angst, and with that angst, people are quick to draw; [and]  now that everyone has guns, it’s like the fastest draw,” retired Atlanta homicide detective Keith Meadows said.

NC students’ consensus on the increase in technical eligibility to carry weapons legally sparked horrific implications on the already generally shaky waters of school security.

“I think this new bill is really going to increase violence because people can just carry a gun wherever they want and whenever they want…With the number of school shootings and violence that is going on …, I feel like murders going to increase as well as drug violence and gang violence… I’m not going to feel as safe as I normally would when I’m walking outside knowing that someone, anyone walking around could just carry a gun, and I won’t know,” magnet junior Alexis Christian said.