The October 2023 mass killing in Lewiston has sparked a dramatic response in Maine. That tragic event awakened an awareness that we must do all we can to make Maine a safer state to live in. Churches, organizations and individuals have risen to the challenge of advocating for meaningful legislation to address this.

The four areas being proposed are: comprehensive background checks that will help to reduce the sale of guns to those who cannot use them responsibly; a 72-hour waiting period to help curb impulsive acts of gun violence; Extreme Risk Protection Orders to help reduce access to weapons to those who are identified as needing intervention by professional mental health care providers; and, the removal of military assault type weapons with large magazines that are the guns of choice in many mass killings. Will these changes prevent gun violence? Of course not. But this type of legislation holds the most promise in limiting mass killings.

Gov. Mills has proposed some changes in gun laws in Maine. We applaud the acknowledgment of the need for such legislation and the effort to frame the language that would address that need. This effort does not go far enough, however, to provide the measures to help Mainers feel a higher degree of safety for themselves and their children. It is imperative that we address gun violence with legislation that will help each and every citizen feel we have done our best.

Dana Williams
The First Church in Belfast Gun Safety Work Group
Belfast

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