THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 10, 1996 TAG: 9604100009
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Regarding ``GOP asks for trouble'' (editorial, March 27), you state accurately that ``the popular view is that assault weapons in the hands of civilians is, literally, overkill.
Why then did Democrat Owen Pickett of Virginia Beach, who, your editorial states, does not accept National Rifle Association money, vote for the Republican-sponsored bill to repeal the ban on the sale and manufacture of some assault-style weapons? You note that two of five Republicans, including Rep. Herb Bateman of Newport News, voted no. Delegate Pickett owes Virginia Beach an explanation.
The much-respected William Bratton, retiring police commissioner of New York City, told Ted Koppel on ``Night Line'' recently that he and almost all police organizations in the nation were vehemently opposed to repeal of the ban. Mr. Bratton pointed out that 12 percent of police killed in the United States were killed by bullets from assault-style weapons that pierced their bulletproof vests. He said two policemen in New York City recently were killed by assault weapons.
The overwhelming majority of the American electorate opposes the assault-style weapons to the general public. If the American public, which includes citizens who voted for Mr. Pickett, and the police, whose comrades are being killed by these weapons oppose lifting the ban, why did Delegate Pickett vote for the bill? His constituents await his reply.
BRIAN BELL
Virginia Beach, March 31, 1996 by CNB