Pennsylvania town mulls recommending guns for all

PHILADELPHIA, Dec 7 (Reuters) A tiny town in western Pennsylvania could ask all of its residents to own guns, if a proposal under consideration on Wednesday wins approval from local officials.

Under the proposed law, residents of Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, would be asked to own guns and know how to use them. Cherry Tree, some 70 miles (113 km) northeast of Pittsburgh, has about 400 residents.

The town council was scheduled to vote on the proposed ''Civil Protection Ordinance'' yesterday evening.

Introduced last month by resident Henry Statkowski, the measure recommends that ''all heads of households maintain a firearm along with ammunition.'' In written comments, Statkowski said homeowners have a right and a responsibility to defend against intruders rather than calling police and waiting for help to arrive.

The measure would send a message to ''burglars, ne'er-do-wells and other criminal elements,'' Statkowski wrote.

The male head of the household has the responsibility to defend the family from intruders, he also wrote.

''I don't believe your wife would appreciate it very much if you said, 'Honey, I'll wait until the police arrive and have them defend your life,''' he wrote.

Statkowski could not be reached for comment.

Chad Ramsey, a spokesman for the national gun-control group the Brady Campaign, dismissed the proposal as ''ridiculously silly.'' The measure was unlikely to pass because state law prevents municipalities from making their own gun laws, Ramsey said. He said about 40 per cent of Pennsylvania households own guns.

Aaron Fry, owner of the Cherry Tree Cafe, said he did not understand why the measure was necessary because guns are common.

''Every house has a couple of guns,'' he said.

REUTERS PB VC0936