Not a God-Given Right

Sheriff’s Deputy Lonny G. Brewer was killed by a semiautomatic assault rifle, and Deputies James Bennetts and Alfred MacKrille were wounded by them. All three cases took place in North County in the past 18 months.

In the city of San Diego, with its growing problem of gang and drug-dealing violence, the statistics are even more stark. Seven people were killed in the city with assault weapons in the past year.

Violence committed with semiautomatic assault rifles is proliferating in San Diego County.

While the Legislature debates whether to ban their sale--an action long overdue--local officials should take the initiative and prohibit their sale and possession, as was done recently in the cities of Compton, Los Angeles and Stockton.

The San Diego City Council will consider such an ordinance this week. We hope the council will act swiftly and not be swayed by pressure from the National Rifle Assn.

We would also urge the County Board of Supervisors and the councils of the other cities to follow suit.

Besides making it a little more difficult to obtain these senseless weapons, the ordinances would also send a signal to the Legislature and to Congress that the majority of people do not buy the preposterous idea that there is a God-given right to own military assault weapons.