Re: “M.D. Harmon: Democrats misfiring on all fronts when it comes to gun control” (Dec. 11):

I say this as a gun owner, not some far-left anti-gun extremist:

I am much more disturbed by the fact that, thanks to encouragement by writers such as Harmon (“If you have a handgun, carry it. You don’t need a permit in Maine. … If you don’t have a pistol, buy one.”) the chance of being shot by some wacko having a bad day is much greater than being involved in a terrorist attack.

I just cannot understand the logic that arming everyone all the time will make for a safer society. Is it just the Clint Eastwood dream of being in a firefight and pulling out your gun and saving the day?

I would imagine that any cop or trained soldier would tell you that situations like that occur so quickly and unexpectedly that only a very highly trained person would have the ability to meet the situation in a calm and methodical manner. The rest would simply be in shock.

Meanwhile, do I feel safer knowing that the people around me in Burger King might be carrying concealed weapons? Would I feel safer having my pistol in a shoulder holster? The answer to both is … no.

Peyton Higgison

Brunswick