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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 8, 1992                   TAG: 9201080313
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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IT'S THE PEOPLE, NOT THE GUNS

I AM A MEMBER of the National Rifle Association and I hunt with a semiautomatic rifle. Robert E. Lockhart (letter, Dec. 27) started off on the right track when he said "Hunting is a great sport . . . but there are too many people giving hunting a bad name" - and I emphasize "people."

Then he started to criticize the use of semiautomatics with some very lame questions. Anyone could criticize the use of any kind of rifle or shotgun with the same questions. They pertain to people and not the type of gun at all. How can one make conclusions about guns and ask questions about people?

Mr. Lockhart should concentrate more on getting the "wrong" people out of the woods instead of the "wrong" guns. A gun by itself is completely harmless. That is, until an irresponsible person picks it up.

TRAVIS DALTON

CARROLL COUNTY

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