Gun Referendum is Right for Maine

A recent times record article, “LePage talks turkey in Richmond; governor discusses gun control, snap at forum,” notes that a November referendum on gun safety “seeks to require background checks prior to the transfer of firearms between individuals.” This begs clarification.

Passing a gun on to a family member, or lending a gun to a fellow hunter while on a hunt, are both exempt from the ballot measure. No background check would be mandated in these types of transfers.

The initiative would level the playing field among firearms dealers. It would require background checks for online and gun show sales from unlicensed dealers. Background checks usually take five minutes and can be done at any licensed firearms dealer, which outnumber post offices in Maine.

Roughly 80 percent of Maine voters — including a great many gun owners, as well as Maine law enforcement — are in favor of universal background checks. Making it more difficult for felons, domestic abusers, and the court-adjudicated mentally ill to acquire a gun is sensible. States with universal background checks see nearly 50 percent reduction in gun violence, including suicide.

Don’t be fooled by the NRA, the gun manufacturer’s lobby, which will spend millions in Maine to dilute the facts. This initiative will not make it more difficult for a law-abiding person to purchase a firearm; it will make it a little more difficult for those who are not.

Lisa Ledwidge,
Bath