Lawsuit Over Registering Assault Weapons

Re “Lungren Assault Gun Policy Attacked,” Dec. 17:

With the lawsuit by Handgun Control Inc. to push Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren to enforce the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 comes the real possibility that the state of California may soon be compelled to jail thousands of gun owners not because they committed a crime but because they happen to own a legally purchased brand-name semiautomatic rifle.

Knowing how full the prisons are already, the only logical way to make room for these thousands of legislated “criminals” will be to let an equal number of violent criminals back out on the street. I don’t think this will happen without a fight!

It is time for legislators and judges in California to put up or shut up, to kill this ridiculous, unconstitutional law or try and enforce it by jailing a million honest gun owners and face the real possibility of open civil war. You have let it come to this, you bear the responsibility, now fix it or face the consequences.

MICHAEL A. PACER

Glendora

* The gun wackos are at it again. On Dec. 18 (letters), Michael Thomas is all over Tom Diaz for picking on “assault weapons” again. I own guns. And I’ve used guns in the military (like for all-out war). But I’ll be darned if anyone has ever logically explained to me just why it is I or anyone else need a fully automatic zillion-rounds-a-minute machine gun. Are we expecting an assault by wild hares or red herrings?

ROBERT F. FALLER

West Covina

* Contrary to politically correct propaganda, any firearm is a potential “assault weapon.” Don’t penalize the law-abiding gun owner for the actions of a few foolish criminals. Bad guys aren’t going away. Young people are still going to die. It’s an unfortunate fact that no firearm-restricting law will affect. Semiautomatic rifles are legal and are involved in only a minor fraction of criminal uses, regardless of their spectacular performances hyped by the media.

The Constitution is still the law of the land. The freedom it provides is far more important than the media-driven hate and constitutional ignorance projected by the anti-gun wackos and their followers.

ROSS NOBLE

Lakewood