Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 22, 1993 TAG: 9301220411
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: L. DOUGLAS WILDER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
THE DRUG LINK
FOR A growing number of Americans, young and old, a new, terrifying vision of Virginia is spreading. This past month, DC Comics published a special edition of its Batman comic book entitled "Seduction of the Gun." In this issue, a fictional gang of gunrunners from Gotham City purchases caches of firearms in Virginia because our gun laws are so slack.Sadly, the story of this comic book is closer to fact than fiction. Recently, The New York Times and The Washington Post have written front-page stories confirming Virginia as the No. 1 source for handguns to the District of Columbia and New York City. According to Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms reports, nearly 40 percent of weapons seized in New York City, and more than 40 percent of weapons seized in Washington, originated from Virginia.
The Virginia-to-New York gun network fuels the distribution of drugs in every community of Virginia and up the East Coast.
Guns purchased in Virginia (in many cases, 25 at a time) bring four to five times their cost on the streets of New York. For example, a Tec 9 bought in Virginia for $300 has a street price of $1,200 in New York.
Gunrunners often use this profit to purchase illegal drugs, which they then sell in Virginia at large multiples above cost. Thus, it is possible to invest $1 in guns in Virginia, trade the guns in New York for drugs, and realize $10 on the return sale of drugs in Virginia.
Interstates 95 and 81 - which traverse our state's rural and urban communities alike - are now known as "Iron Corridors" where guns are ferried from Virginia to New York and drugs are backhauled for resale in Virginia's suburbs and cities.
Rectifying this problem is not only in Virginia's interest, but in the nation's interest.
In Virginia, the public is coming to understand the close relationship of handguns and violent crime. Poll after poll shows more than 80 percent of the people support reasonable restrictions on handgun sales.
Recently, I endorsed an ambitious package of reforms proposed by a bipartisan commission on violent crime that will help stop the flow of guns out of Virginia. Over the next few months, we will work with General Assembly of Virginia to:
Limit handgun purchases to one per month, with exceptions for collectors and for replacement due to theft;
Ban the possession of handguns by juveniles, with exceptions for hunting, target shooting and other sporting practices;
Strengthen the State Police's instant-background-check system:
Authorize a sharing of information about serious juvenile offenders; and
Require fingerprints to be kept for serious juvenile offenders.
No doubt the battle will be contentious - the National Rifle Association is already gearing up to stop any new gun laws. The NRA's broadside against my initiative has already consisted of misinformation and scare tactics done in that organization's typical style.
Among other charges, the NRA claims that I am going to take away gun rights and all Virginians' guns, that the "law-abiding citizen" is being "penalized" unjustly by my proposals and that "hunting will lose forever unless NRA wins."
The NRA, heavily funded by gun manufacturers, is notorious for scaring public officials and for rallying its national membership to support its cause.
Defeating that organization and all others with a commercial interest in maintaining the gun trade is a national issue. We will not back down from a fight. We cannot allow our children-and those throughout the country-to be put at risk. Neither can we allow our commonwealth to be stained by our leniency.
Virginia is proud of its heritage and beauty, and we value our good name. Can the interests of a few be allowed to soil this reputation and endanger the lives of thousands?
L. Douglas Wilder is governor of Virginia.