Long Beach : Legislature Urged to Ban Sale of Assault Weapons
Alarmed at the recent rash of publicized shootings involving assault rifles, the Long Beach City Council has decided to let one of its committees study whether more can be done to control the high-powered weapons.
Council members also passed a resolution calling on the Legislature to ban the sale of military-style semiautomatic assault rifles.
“There is no legitimate use for these weapons,” said Councilman Evan Anderson Braude, who sponsored the actions.
“This is madness and it has got to stop,” said Councilman Clarence Smith.
But gun advocate Clark Biggers III said that he objected to an attempt by the city to control the sale of assault rifles. He said that youths learn to shoot the weapons, giving them valuable experience that they can apply if called for duty in the military. Also, he said their familiarity with the Russian-designed, Chinese-manufactured AK-47 could prove valuable if they have to use an enemy weapon in combat.
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