Gun Control Praise

Hurray for Police Chief Bill Kolender for supporting and promoting stronger handgun control legislation. In recent ads and media interviews, Kolender has shown that he is willing to stand up to the powerful National Rifle Assn., which not only is fighting handgun control legislation now before Congress, but actually wants to bring back the sale of machine guns and Uzis to private citizens.

Kolender seems intent on getting the facts about gun control out to the public. The NRA would have us believe that the Brady Bill would prohibit gun ownership in the United States. This is far from the truth. The Brady Bill simply establishes a seven-day waiting period to allow police to run criminal background checks on handgun purchasers. Under current federal law, a felon can walk into a gun store, swear he has not been convicted of a felony and walk out with a handgun. Fortunately for those of us who live in California, the state has a waiting period and background check. But many states do not.

When a veteran police chief such as Bill Kolender sounds a warning, we all had better listen and take his suggestion to work together for the passage of a bill that will make our nation a safer place to live.

SUSAN K. POLLOCK

San Diego