[To the Fayette County Commission]: I do NOT want to hunt in a park. I do NOT want to target-shoot in a park. I do NOT even want to legally be able to carry a firearm into the ball parks.

What I DO want to be able to do is leave my legally purchased, legally licensed firearm in my locked vehicle while at the parks.

What I DO want to do is to be able to protect my family against the crime in Fayette County.

My daughter plays softball at McCurry Park. Do you realize how many vehicle break-ins have occurred in that park?

Do you realize that if criminals know that we law-abiding citizens are disarmed by our county commissioners, you are just making us an easier target than we already are?

You will NOT be making our parks safer. Quite the contrary, they will be more unsafe.

Do you really think that the criminal element is going to abide by this law? All this would do is put my family at risk and make law-abiding citizens a target for predators.

It is obvious that a criminal will become more brazen plying his trade if he knows that there will be little or no resistance. Crime WILL escalate. Break-ins now, then what — assaults, or worse?

I voted for the members of this board. I can’t believe that anyone I have voted for would even consider such an illogical move.

I voted for the present Fayette County commissioners because I felt that we shared the same ideals and values. I can assure you this is NOT consistent with my views.

My wife and I have chosen to raise our family in Fayette County. We have also chosen to start our business in Fayette County. This will be a very UN-welcomed change to our lifestyle.

While the Fayetteville Police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department do a fine job, they can only protect the citizens to a certain degree. If you can’t guarantee our safety, then why in the world would you take away the means for us to protect ourselves?

What exactly brought on this proposal to disarm law-abiding citizens? I have legally carried a firearm in the great state of Georgia for over 12 years. I have satisfied the federal government as well as the state of Georgia that I am responsible enough to carry a concealed weapon and I have not violated that trust.

You want to talk about the virtues of “gun-free zones” and how well they work? How about Columbine, a gun-free zone? How about Luby’s Cafeteria in Texas, a gun-free zone? How about the New York City pizza shop, a gun-free zone? How about the young girls massacred in the Amish school in Pennsylvania, a gun-free zone? And the latest, how about Virginia Tech? That also was a gun-free zone.

Do you realize that if only one citizen who was legally carrying a firearm that day may have stopped the slaughter of those innocent, unarmed victims? Some of those students were lined up and systematically executed by this madman (who obviously didn’t follow the law). Gun-free zones are not always the answer. These cases prove that.

Criminals did not vote you into office. Criminals will not abide by your law. Honest, responsible citizens such as myself, neighbors, and other concerned citizens will be put at risk for the criminal element that is a growing culture in all metro Atlanta.

At least in Fayette County I have always felt I had the right (and means) to protect my family from being possible crime victims. If this is passed it will be a sad day in Fayette County history.

Do you realize that the wording “... or any other device which discharges projectiles by any means ...” means you just outlawed pitching machines used by our children who play sports at these parks?

A gun-free zone is never gun-free if a criminal chooses not to obey the law. Talk to any law enforcement officer in Fayetteville or Fayette County and ask them about the rise in criminal activity in our county. I can assure you it wasn’t done by tax-paying, law-abiding citizens.

The thug mentality is alive and well in every metro Atlanta county including Fayette. If this is considered to be for “child safety” that is exactly the reason I want to be able to carry concealed.

I respectfully request that this Board Of Commissioners does not vote to pass this proposal. Please reply. A law-abiding citizen, voter and gun owner.

Keith Schachle

Fayetteville, Ga.

[Editor’s note: The proposed ordinance was removed from the commission agenda last week and was not discussed or voted on.]