Backers of an ordinance requiring gun ownership in a small north Georgia town acknowledge they were largely seeking to make a point about gun rights.

The ordinance in the city of Nelson, located 50 miles north of Atlanta, was approved by the city council Monday night and goes into effect in 10 days. However, it contains no penalties and exempts anyone who objects, convicted felons and those with certain mental and physical disabilities.

Councilman Duane Cronic, who sponsored the measure, says he knows the ordinance won’t be enforced but he still believes it will make the town safer.

The vote illustrates how the response to the Newtown, Conn., massacre varies widely in different parts of the country.