The plastic-pistol controversy was ignited by syndicated columns by Jack Anderson and Dale Van Atta, including “Qaddafi Buying Austrian Plastic Pistols,” Washington Post, January 15, 1986; “Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Plastic Pistols,” Washington Post, March 14, 1986; and “Concern Growing Over Plastic Pistol,” Washington Post, April 18, 1986. Other important coverage of the affair included editorials such as “Hijacker’s Special?,” New York Times, February 9, 1986, and “Pass Laws to Ban Plastic Handguns,” USA Today, February 27, 1986. I also relied on the following articles: Josh Sugarmann, “Progress Gives Us Great New Handgun: Hijacker Special,” Los Angeles Times, March 24, 1986; Gayle White, “Partly Plastic Gun Comes Under Fire: Critics Say Pistol Would Help Terrorists Evade Metal Detectors,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 1, 1986; Robert J. Mrazek, “The Deadly Truth About Plastic Guns,” Washington Post, May 15, 1986; “Lincoln Mayor Sponsors Resolution: Call for Ban on Plastic Guns Triggers Response by NRA,” Associated Press, June 17, 1986; and Wayne King and Warren Weaver Jr., “Washington Talk: Gun-Control Struggle,” New York Times, December 7, 1986.