Residents of one Pennsylvania town have a message to visitors: We're armed.
Fox News reports that Conoy Township, Pa. has posted a dozen signs, with plans to install three more, carrying the phrase, "THIS IS NOT A GUN FREE ZONE."
The 15 signs will cover every major road in and out of the town that has a population of 3,000. Their purpose is to deter criminals from breaking the law.
"I think even those who have bad intentions can read," supervisor Stephen Mohr told Fox News. Mohr said all five of Conoy Township's supervisors approved of putting up the signs.
Above the gun-toting message are the words, "Welcome to Conoy Twp."
"The first word on there is 'Welcome' … we have a lot here that we take pride in. What we're telling people is that when they do come here, they should feel safer knowing that everyone in the township is watching out for them," Mohr told Fox News. "And the criminal — he should realize that going into this township he could have a bad day."
Critics of the signs, however, claim they aren't needed because of Americans' Second Amendment rights.
"These signs are silly, because the Second Amendment guarantees the right of law-abiding, responsible citizens anywhere to own guns in their homes," said Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence spokesman Jonathan Hutson. "As a matter of fact, no jurisdiction in America completely prohibits the carrying of guns in public."
The Fox story points out that citizens are not allowed to carry firearms in the town's schools or post offices, along with businesses that prohibit them.
"The intent seems to be to scare those who might consider criminal activity," said Shira Goodman of CeaseFirePA. "The likely effect will be to embolden a shoot first, Wild West mentality."
House lawmakers in Wyoming, meanwhile, recently passed a measure that would allow residents with a concealed weapons permit to carry guns into schools. The legislation must now get through the state Senate.
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