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1993-02-24
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3KB
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45 lines
Well, the Washington Post certainly can't be accused of UN-biased
journalism or reporting. This is absolutely the shoddiest bit of
editorialized journalism claimed to be "news" I have seen:
02/24/1993 Washington Post
TIME IS running out in Richmond. The General Assembly is
scheduled to conclude its current session at the end of the week,
and lawmakers appear to be going right down to the wire on the
matter of handgun control legislation. Both houses have passed bills
that will demonstrate a determination to change Virginia's
reputation as weapons supplier for the East Coast. Either version of
the measure is acceptable, but a bill must be passed.
Gov. Wilder's original proposal, that purchases of handguns be
limited to one a month, is a modest and sensible one. The House has
passed his bill. The Senate version would allow police agencies to
grant exceptions by issuing certificates to state residents who have
proof of identity and a business or personal reason for buying more
than one handgun during a 30-day period. If this is a loophole, it's
a small one and not worth a battle at this late hour. The important
thing is not to get so hung up on the difference that the common
goal is obscured.
This is no time for the kind of quibbling that can undermine
action. There is broad agreement on the basic purpose of this
reform. It is not directed at sportsmen or collectors. It doesn't
regulate sales of rifles or shotguns. It seeks simply to curb
traffic in the kind of weapons most frequently used by killers,
holdup men and thugs, and would only limit individuals to 12
purchases a year, a number surely more than sufficient for
law-abiding citizens who buy handguns for legitimate purposes of
protection. It is bizarre that arguments can be made claiming that
the right to purchase 12 weapons a year would somehow amount to both
a danger and a deprivation for Virginians and an infringement of
their liberties.
The legislature has come a long way in grappling with the gun
issue and standing up to the lobbyists who have been able to stop
proposed reforms in the past. Legislation is supported by members of
both parties, and there will be plenty of credit to go around when a
bill is finally signed.
Virginians who recognize that handgun sales are out of control
in the state and who believe that inaction is inexcusable may want
to contact their representatives in Richmond without delay. The
message to be delivered is a simple one: Adopt the Senate bill, the
House bill or some compromise, but enact a handgun control bill this
week.