This country is broken. Gun safety laws are not a conspiracy to make gun owners less free. Banning assault-style, semi-automatic weapons does not restrict the freedom to hunt. Banning high-capacity magazines does not restrict the freedom to own or operate a firearm. Banning after-market trigger upgrades does not restrict the freedom to fire a gun. […]

If it isn’t time now, when will it be? On Oct. 25, Maine joined many other states whose citizens have felt the trauma and disruption of mass shootings. Do you feel that pain? Let’s do something today. Let’s make the possession of assault weapons in Maine illegal. That’s the tool that can kill the most […]

I am deeply disappointed (although not surprised) by the weak response of Gov. Janet Mills to the tragic and horrifying mass shooting in Lewiston. The worst mass murder in the state’s history, committed by a mentally ill man with legally obtained weapons of war, and the governor’s response is to waffle, bristle at tough questions […]

Lessons from Lewiston: • Every assault rifle is a weapon of mass destruction. They are designed to maximize death and are used that way. • Now that we have experienced sheltering in place while an active shooter is roaming among us, let us remember Ukraine and the ruthless man pushing to take innocent lives. It […]

I’m beyond frustrated with the prevailing media discourse on why Donald Trump is poised to win the GOP nomination, and potentially the presidency, once again. There is so much handwringing about what person X did or what person Y didn’t do. There are a million reasons why we are in this situation, but the most […]

The election results of Question 8 are that most Maine voters think that individuals under a guardianship for reasons of mental illness should not be allowed to vote for governor, senators or representatives. Denying an adult the right to vote because they have a guardian is preposterous. In practice, there are no uniform criteria for […]

I encourage everyone to go to mainegunsafety.org and sign up to receive notes about the progress of gun safety laws in the Maine Legislature. Those who do so will be notified regarding bills being discussed by legislative committees and will be asked to submit online written testimony and/or to testify in person. Legislators have told […]

I ask you, Sens. King and Collins, to go on record, in these pages, calling for the outlawing of assault weapons. Yes or no. It is a simple request. If your answer is no, I ask readers to vote for your ouster. Harley Marshall Portland

The gun violence massacre in Lewiston is soul-sickening. It’s a horror; Mainers can’t respond to this tragedy with the same indifference that follows other mass shootings in America. According to the Giffords Law Center, Maine ranks 27th in the United States for restrictiveness of its gun laws. Maine does not require waiting periods for weapon […]