The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, February 18, 1995            TAG: 9502170031
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A10  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   36 lines

LET VIRGINIANS PACK HEAT

Your editorial ``If employees packed heat'' (Feb. 9) insults me and all Virginians.

I have long felt that the editorial page should be a source of information that can be relied on to be factual. What I found in this editorial was the uninformed personal opinion of the author. I could not determine from your editorial if there was one fact in your position. The only thing that is sure is that you are of the opinion that ``guns are the cause of violence.''

I do not believe that the Virginia Senate passed this bill with no reliance on fact. Having just returned from a three-week business trip to the Florida, where this same or similar legislation has been in effect for several years, I find your position hard to accept.

I read the local newspaper daily, at home as well as when traveling, and I have not yet seen a single instance of the type of conduct that you propose would exist in Virginia should this legislation become law. I do not believe that the citizens of Virginia are worthy of this disrespect.

If you have knowledge that we Virginians are of such poor character, I feel it is your duty to let us know that we need ``to clean up our act.'' I am sure that we would have more social faults than just becoming the ``gun slingers'' you depict should this legislation pass our House of Delegates and become law.

ROBERT F. SUTTON

Virginia Beach, Feb. 10, 1995 by CNB