The horrifying news of the Newtown slaughter of schoolchildren, aided and abetted by the typical weapon of mass destruction produced right here in Maine, generated a consistent response from the vast majority of Americans: We must do something to stop this senseless violence.

Our governor, always a contrarian if it is personally, financially gainful, has taken a different tack (“LePage courts gunmakers to come to Maine,” April 13), saying, in essence, “Want to build weapons used to slaughter kids? Come to Maine. I’ll give you tax breaks, a friendly legal environment and other incentives.”

This position has made him and us, by proxy, for having elected him, once again a national laughingstock.

“Buffoon” was the most commonly used noun in the reaction to the governor’s Wall Street Journal op-ed column selling our state to the nearest gun manufacturer.

He may be perfectly happy to sell his soul to gunmakers — he’s already allied himself with weapons manufacturers EADS North America and Demmer Corp. — but let’s make sure he doesn’t do it representing us.  

It doesn’t matter if the 2014 race is a three-way or a four-way or an-any-old-which way. We must end the embarrassment. Vote this man out!

Pete Lyons is a resident of Westbrook.