I feel compelled to write to you and let you know how disappointing I found Tom Bell’s article titled “Maine’s Russians: Don’t lump us with terrorists” (April 20).

In a time when the world needs all the understanding and actual information related to complex geopolitical issues it can get, the article — ending with the broad generalization “Chechens have a culture of vengeance, (Luba) Gorelov said. ‘It’s blood for blood,’ she said” — was a great disservice.

Additional Photos

Luba Gorelov, above, a Kazakhstan immigrant interviewed for an article about Maine Russians’ response to the Boston bombings, should have been asked why she described Chechen culture as “blood for blood,” a reader says. 2013 File Photo/Gordon Chibroski

I am neither Chechen nor Russian, just your run-of-the-mill “Heinz 57” American. But I understand enough about the world to understand that the Russian and Chechen people have a long history of conflict.

I also understand why people are feeling nervous and unsure about how they will be categorized. Yet having one person speak for all Maine Russians or to categorize all Chechens is, in my opinion, both bad journalism and irresponsible.

No group of people should ever be described with that sort of blanket statement. If an individual makes such a comment, I believe it is the newspaper’s responsibility not to repeat such things or further clarify with that person why they are making such a statement.

When there is no further explanation or opposing view, the reader is left to believe that such a statement must be true or at least generally accepted.

At these moments, in which people are wounded and tender, words have extra power, and I am saddened that the words printed in this article continue to divide us rather than add to our understanding of one another.

I hope that in the future, more care will be taken to ensure that what is written in the paper does not blindly continue to represent whole groups of people with such broad strokes.

Judy Colby-George

Yarmouth

Risk of gun violence makes new legislation imperative

Americans are suffering from an epidemic of gun violence.  

Every year, more than 30,000 people will die in a gun-related fatality. This is comparable to the 35,000 to 40,000 people who will be killed by breast or prostate cancer this year.

Gun violence primarily affects the young, and therefore, the public health impact of these deaths is substantial.

Maine is not exempt from this epidemic.  

It would surprise most Maine citizens to learn that they are more likely to be killed by a firearm than are citizens of New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, but this is the case.  

In New England, only Vermonters are more likely to die from a gun than Mainers, and we are more than twice as likely to be killed by a firearm than citizens of Massachusetts.

Most firearm fatalities in Maine are related to suicide. While this may make some of us sleep a little better, it should not lessen our resolve to do better.

The medical community in Maine needs to do more to address this issue.  

Physicians need to talk to patients about the risks of gun ownership, and we need better resources for mental health. In addition, we need to enact sensible gun legislation.  

The Maine Legislature is currently considering legislation requiring background checks at gun shows, restricting firearm access for citizens hospitalized with psychiatric illness, and requiring safety training prior to the purchase of a firearm.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people in states with stricter gun laws — those same states mentioned above — are less likely to take their own life by firearm suicide.  

We urge the Maine Legislature to adopt these measures for the benefit of the citizens of Maine.

Daniel Meyer, M.D.

member, American College of Physicians

Freeport

Letter writer who argued that books can’t kill erred

In the April 18 newspaper, Mel Howards of Buxton concluded his letter (“Want more guns around? Buy a lot of books first“) with the statement, “A book never killed anyone — guns do.”

Let’s tally up the victims of just two books: “Mein Kampf” — 6,000,000 people killed. “The Communist Manifesto” — 40,000,000 killed.

Mr. Howards would like to require that every home have at least 30 or 40 books before allowing any guns in the home. Fair enough.

A collection of Ayn Rand’s works would form the essential core of such a library. David Boaz, John Lott, Steven Halbrook and David Kopel should be well-represented, too.

Then, having fulfilled the book requirement, we can again use his 30 or 40 number as a benchmark for the magazine capacities of our semiautomatic rifles.

We can probably concede that a 30-round magazine is more than enough for deer hunting. But when the government comes for your guns, you will think a 30-round magazine is way too small.

Russell Frank

Gorham

Nation needs your help on National Day of Prayer

I want to take this opportunity to share the importance of gathering together in churches, synagogues, schools, parks and other venues to intercede for our nation on Thursday, the National Day of Prayer.

Today we face extremely difficult times and daunting challenges, from economic turmoil to moral confusion and decline. 

Our nation again faces battlefields, broken homes, violence, sexual immorality and social strife. The need for prayer is great. 

It behooves us, then, to once again honor the precedent established by presidents and leaders throughout our history — proclaiming reliance on an Almighty God and calling citizens to come before him on behalf of our nation.

 In that spirit, our National Day of Prayer Task Force has chosen “Pray for America” as our theme for 2013, based on Matthew 12:21, which reminds us that “In his name, the nations will put their hope.” 

So on Thursday, as we pray for our government, businesses, churches, education, families, media and military, please join us at Mechanics Park off Water Street in Biddeford from 6 to 7 p.m. (weather permitting).

God bless!

Clement Fleurent

Biddeford

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