Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 9, 1992:wq! TAG: 9202100192
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
POLL FINDINGS TOO AMAZING TO BELIEVE
I WAS NOT surprised at the pro-gun-control flavor of the recent "Kids and guns" series. Gun-control articles have come fast and fierce for a long time now. What I find amazing are the poll results published on Jan. 27.Do you really expect us to believe that 93.8 percent of the people in the Roanoke Valley area favor a five-day waiting period before purchase of a handgun is allowed? I would find it difficult to believe that 93.8 percent of any population could agree on what day of the week it was.
I have lived in Southwestern Virginia for too long to believe that this statistic is anything other than intentional misrepresentation. I can imagine the pollsters' question: "Do you favor a five-day waiting period for the purchase of a handgun, or would you rather be shot down in the streets like a dog?"
The problem of juveniles involved with guns and drugs is a serious matter, to be certain, but I fail to see how a waiting period addresses the situation at all. Juveniles are already prevented from legally purchasing a firearm by virtue of their age. They get access to guns through adults who are willing to make the purchase in exchange for a relatively small amount of cash or drugs. Current penalties for buying a firearm for a juvenile are about the same as for buying him a six-pack of beer.
You cited the case of Nassar Abdurraham: convicted of 13 counts of illegally purchasing firearms and sentenced to only 18 months in prison. This sentence does not even begin to match the severity of the crime.
Earlier this year, three Roanoke adults were convicted of purchasing the firearms used in the celebrated shoot-out in which Anthony Kasey was killed. None of these people will even spend two years in jail. Until the crime is not worth the time, the problem will persist. Buying a gun for resale to a juvenile is an unconscionable act for any responsible adult, and it is a crime deserving severe penalty.
The driving force behind the problem of violent crime, most will agree, is the thriving but illegal cocaine industry. Until the death penalty is used against drug kingpins, the opportunity for fast and enormous profits will outweigh the risk of investing in drugs. These people are greedy, but I don't think they have a death wish.
So until we have actually tried strict enforcement of the laws already on the books, leave responsible gun owners alone. We are the only group of people likely to be affected by any new legislation. If you are a gun owner, I urge you to let your representatives know that you are opposed to waiting periods, gun registration and gun bans. STEVEN C. YORK CHRISTIANSBURG
note: The question posed to those interviewed for the 1991 Roanoke Valley Poll was: "Would you favor or oppose a national law requiring a five-day waiting period before a handgun could be purchased, in order to determine whether the prospective buyer has been convicted of a felony or is mentally ill?" Of the 400 interviewed, 375 were in favor (93.8 percent), 22 opposed and three unsure. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.