Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member:

Today the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing the case District of Columbia v. Heller, a challenge to Washington, DC's more than 30-year-old ban on handguns. Yesterday, in preparation for today's oral arguments, the Violence Policy Center issued the following press release: http://www.vpc.org/press/0803heller.htm

Included in the release are links to the following.

The amicus brief filed in the case by the Violence Policy Center and joined by the police chiefs of Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Seattle: http://www.vpc.org/hellerbrief.pdf

A side-by-side comparison of amici in the case showing that the DC handgun ban is supported by a wide array of mainstream American institutions. In comparison, a significant number of those who oppose it have gun industry or gun lobby ties:
http://www.vpc.org/Amici%20comparison%20list.pdf

A new Washington Post national poll showing that 59 percent of the American public supports restrictions identical to Washington, DC's gun laws-a ban on handgun possession and the requirement that legally possessed rifles and shotguns be either disassembled or secured with a trigger lock: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2008/03/16/GR2008031600072.html?sid=ST2008031502430

Also, yesterday's Washington Post op-ed page featured an article excerpting a section of the VPC's amicus brief in the case:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/16/AR2008031602129.html

As this case moves forward, we will continue to keep you updated on what effect the Supreme Court's eventual ruling will have not only on Washington, DC's handgun ban, but on gun laws across the nation.

Thank you, as always, for your efforts to stop gun death and injury.

Sincerely,

Josh Sugarmann
Executive Director

We got them, err, outgunned. So to speak.

I'm pissed, though; I didn't Professor Olson's name on their list. Who else did they miss?