Moms seek license tag to mark D.C. march
(carjack me 'cause I'm unarmed)
By CHRISTINA NUCKOLS
© 2001, The Virginian-Pilot
RICHMOND -- A measure asking the General Assembly for a license plate commemorating last spring's Million Mom March will be considered next month, but has already strayed into unfriendly territory.
Del. Karen Darner, D-Arlington, has filed a bill requesting a license plate for ``supporters of the positions of the Million Mom March'' on Washington -- among them gun control.
Darner's bill is one of 11 filed so far in the House of Delegates requesting a special plate. The other 10, including plates for members of the Izaak Walton League and supporters of Virginia zoos, were assigned to the House Transportation Committee, which handles most license-plate bills.
But the Million Mom March was diverted to the Militia and Police Committee, which considers firearms legislation.
House Speaker Vance Wilkins, R-Amherst, packed that committee earlier this year with rural Democrats and Republicans who favor gun rights. The panel killed several bills calling for greater restrictions against firearms at schools. Wilkins said he sent the bill to the Militia panel because it has only 12 bills so far, compared to 33 in Transportation.
``We're trying to even up the workload,'' he said.
Asked if he was singling out the Million Mom March bill, Wilkins said, ``It may have caught my eye, I'm not sure,'' adding he's not opposed to the license plate but hasn't seen the proposed design yet.
Wilkins is concerned that the General Assembly has allowed special license tags, once reserved primarily for college booster groups, to become politicized, he said. As a result, minor bills have generated hours of debate over hot-button issues such as abortion.
Wilkins said he'd like to ban issue-oriented plates, but added he supports the plate commemorating the Sons of Confederate Veterans, though it incited a lengthy debate.
``I'm not sure where we draw the line,'' he said.
Officials at the Million Mom March National Headquarters said they know of no state offering a commemorative plate for their cause.
Darner remains optimistic that the license plate will be approved, she said.
``There's a little bit of gamesmanship going on and it's too bad because it's a very serious issue. But I don't think it's the kiss of death at all.''
(carjack me 'cause I'm unarmed)
By CHRISTINA NUCKOLS
© 2001, The Virginian-Pilot
RICHMOND -- A measure asking the General Assembly for a license plate commemorating last spring's Million Mom March will be considered next month, but has already strayed into unfriendly territory.
Del. Karen Darner, D-Arlington, has filed a bill requesting a license plate for ``supporters of the positions of the Million Mom March'' on Washington -- among them gun control.
Darner's bill is one of 11 filed so far in the House of Delegates requesting a special plate. The other 10, including plates for members of the Izaak Walton League and supporters of Virginia zoos, were assigned to the House Transportation Committee, which handles most license-plate bills.
But the Million Mom March was diverted to the Militia and Police Committee, which considers firearms legislation.
House Speaker Vance Wilkins, R-Amherst, packed that committee earlier this year with rural Democrats and Republicans who favor gun rights. The panel killed several bills calling for greater restrictions against firearms at schools. Wilkins said he sent the bill to the Militia panel because it has only 12 bills so far, compared to 33 in Transportation.
``We're trying to even up the workload,'' he said.
Asked if he was singling out the Million Mom March bill, Wilkins said, ``It may have caught my eye, I'm not sure,'' adding he's not opposed to the license plate but hasn't seen the proposed design yet.
Wilkins is concerned that the General Assembly has allowed special license tags, once reserved primarily for college booster groups, to become politicized, he said. As a result, minor bills have generated hours of debate over hot-button issues such as abortion.
Wilkins said he'd like to ban issue-oriented plates, but added he supports the plate commemorating the Sons of Confederate Veterans, though it incited a lengthy debate.
``I'm not sure where we draw the line,'' he said.
Officials at the Million Mom March National Headquarters said they know of no state offering a commemorative plate for their cause.
Darner remains optimistic that the license plate will be approved, she said.
``There's a little bit of gamesmanship going on and it's too bad because it's a very serious issue. But I don't think it's the kiss of death at all.''
) a "turn-in-the-guns" sticker and our house wasn't broken into any more than the neighbors, including those with NRA stickers on their cars. That car is actually the only one of my family's and one of the few on the block which wasn't ever vandalized. Of my friends who have cars, most have some pacifist-leaning stickers and they're not often broken into (they're also lousy cars). I guess what I'm trying to say is that people committing crimes really aren't, in my experience, likely to sit around and figure out who might have a gun at hand and who might be likely to shoot them. Besides, I don't understand how having a gun in your house when you're not home would deter a burglar.