Dear Editor:The police should take any weapon pointed at them to be a real gun because a criminal might paint the tip of a real gun orange to make an officer hesitate. On the other hand, I do not believe a law requiring orange paint on toy guns (Aspen Times, June 9) is fair to the people who want to collect and play with them. Much of the appeal of a replica gun is just how real it looks. If it has orange on it, you might as well play with a broomstick. It is unfortunate it makes the job of the police harder and I would instead push for a law that allows them legal protection if they shoot someone with what turns out to be a toy gun. This will of course make parents be extra careful about letting their children out of the back yard with such toys.Rob SilversMarshfield, Mass.