George,

I don't hold a gun permit and I am very opposed to public officials carrying guns and the message it sends to residents.

I do believe the city's policy on workplace violence should apply to us and I am very opposed to weapons in public spaces outside of their presence in the hands of law enforcement officers.

I am very supportive of Karen Darner's initative to establish gun-free zones at schools.

Sense our local problem with guns tends not to be on school properties, but rather in residential neighborhoods and domestic violence, I would be even more interested in the concept of the City of Charlottesville as a "gun-free city zone".

Maurice Cox (electronic mail, January 18, 2002)