There is nothing that will infuriate me more than someone trying to push the idea of mandatory gun storage as the only “safe storage” option if we want to keep guns out of the hands of children.

I think locking up one’s guns is ideal, particularly when you have young kids, but the way I see it, when you tell people they have to have their guns locked up at all times, you’re making a blanket decree with no regard for anyone’s individual situation. Some kids can be trusted with access to guns if they need them while teens and others should probably be kept away from them until somewhere around the point they draw Social Security. Mandatory storage laws don’t account for any of that.

In Georgia, one Democrat is looking for ways to reduce child gun deaths, and he’s looking at mostly the right places.

A Georgia state senator is trying to change the terms of an entrenched partisan debate, saying he’s not interested in restricting gun ownership but in preventing the fatal shooting of children.

Decatur Democrat Emanuel Jones’ statement reflects the strategies of those who are trying to reduce gun violence in Republican-led states where legislative majorities are locked in behind permissive gun laws.

…

Jones told the first meeting of the Senate Safe Firearm Storage Study Committee on Tuesday that his aim “is not a gun bill,” but instead he wants to build bipartisan support for improved gun safety.

The Senate Safe Firearm Storage Study Committee heard ideas about tax credits for gun owners who install safety devices; educational campaigns; and safe storage measures.

“One of the things that I thought about in creating this study committee is, what can we do to save as many children as possible from an untimely death associated with a weapon in someone’s home that’s not stored safely,” Jones said.

There’s an issue here, though. 

First, I’m glad that they looked at tax credits and educational campaigns to try and reduce child access to firearms. I actually think those are both extremely good and viable places to start. I’d also add in putting gun safety classes in public schools–and maybe find a way to encourage their inclusion in private school curriculums as well, if possible–so that kids learn to not handle guns they stumble across.

Where they lose me is the use of the terms “safe” and “storage” together.

It’s not safe. It’s mandatory. There is a profound difference, and if that’s on the table, I don’t really care to have any conversations. Many other pro-gun folks aren’t interested either.

“But we’re just trying to keep kids safe.”

That’s not what these laws do. They keep guns where they can’t be accessed when needed. They put parents in the crosshairs, and in cases where mature teens might actually need to access that firearm to protect themselves or others, they can’t because some lawmaker figured they knew what was best for them.

This is gun control and I don’t care how much Jones might claim to not be in search of a gun control bill, that’s what he’ll get if that’s what’s on the table. We’re done compromising on our rights, and in Georgia, we don’t need to. We can hold our ground on such matters, and we should, because this makes no one any safer than just encouraging people to lock their guns up and making it easier to get a gun safe.