In recent days, numerous individuals, including survivors and relatives of those impacted by the Lewiston shootings, have effectively voiced their pain, anger and frustration regarding the failure of authorities to prevent such incidents and demand the implementation of new regulations, new procedures, new departments to prevent their recurrence in Maine and/or elsewhere in the country.

This outcry presupposes that more money, new agencies, rewritten laws and procedures could effectively address the issue. It overlooks the reality of human fallibility: that flawed individuals would be tasked with analyzing other flawed individuals and enforcing flawed regulations amidst the common imperfections which we all experience. While it may seem logical to advocate for new laws, particularly regarding gun ownership, the current political climate renders the likelihood of enacting such legislation unlikely. What could that legislation look like?

For instance, gun owners could choose to enlist in the national guard as directed in the 2nd Amendment and store their weapons securely in armories when not training. Gun enthusiasts could join licensed gun clubs and practice shooting in controlled environments, leaving firearms securely stored within club premises after use. Hunters and those engaged in varmint control could opt for bolt-action rifles with limited magazine capacities and the bolts placed in lock-boxes when not in use. For collectors, the permanently removal of firing mechanisms from firearms would render them wall-art and historical artifacts.

While it’s true that determined criminals could still acquire firearms through illicit means, proactive measures such as increased efforts to identify and confiscate illegal firearms could significantly reduce their availability. Though it’s impossible to eradicate all forms of greed, anger, depression and dementia, limiting the lethality of weapons accessible to individuals in such mental states could mitigate the scale of devastation they could inflict.

In conclusion, I fear that forces against gun control, are too entrenched for us to have any meaningful impact on the reduction of killing; and politicians who advocate violence against their detractors do not advanced the cause. Therefore and depressingly, we must accept that mass shootings will become our new normal; that we are all equally flawed and complicit in creating and sanctioning a society that is eager to shoot first and question later.

Hubbard G. Goodrich,
Harpswell

Guzzetti for Maine Senate

I write in strong support for Jean Guzzetti (Bath) to become our next State Senator for District 24 (Sagadahoc county and the town of Dresden).

A single mom and part time environmental law student, Jean understands all too well the struggle of affording health care, housing and other expenses while providing for her family. Jean has always had a calling to serve her community through public service, whether that be through stepping up to serve as register of probate for Sagadahoc County when the seat was left vacant halfway through a term, or through her work as a nonpartisan policy analyst for the Legislature in Augusta.

I was thrilled when Jean approached me in the fall to ask for my support. As a freshman at Bowdoin College and Morse High School graduate, I greatly appreciate that Jean has gone out of her way to involve youth voices and make sure the next generation of Mainers are included in her campaign. I believe she’ll bring those values of representation and accessibility to Augusta as our state Senator.

In watching the effort and love she has poured into connecting with fellow community members while starting her campaign, I have seen first hand the care Jean has for our community and her understanding of the commitment required to succeed in the Maine State Legislature.

I urge you to vote for Jean in the primary on June 11, and send her to Augusta to work for the people of Maine!

Natalie Emmerson,
Woolwich