I wish to comment on Irv Williams’ Maine Voices column of Dec. 11 (“Ten years after Sandy Hook, it seems to me that little has changed”). Mr. Williams conflates two entirely separate subjects: gun violence and gun safety.

Gun violence is not caused by guns, it is caused by the individual who pulls the trigger. The decay that has taken place in the traditional family has greatly contributed to this violence. Until we take personal responsibility for improving the situation, nothing will change. Pass all the “gun laws” you want, they will only adversely affect the law-abiding citizen, who is not the problem. A person with criminal intent will acquire a gun by illegal means.

By contrast, gun safety begins at home. It is the responsibility of every gun owner to safely secure guns and ammunition. This is not something that can be legislated; it must by taught and resources to do so are available. One such resource is the hunters safety course that is available online via Maine.gov. This course is concerned with gun safety and the “Maine outdoors.”

Another resource, directed towards younger children, is the National Rifle Association’s Eddy Eagle Gun Safe Program. It offers a short DVD (that contains no political content) that tells children, “If you find a gun, don’t touch it! Call an adult!”

I attempted to introduce this short program into a school system but they had no interest. Ignorance is bliss.

Warren Graumann
Cumberland Foreside

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