Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to [email protected]
For those who doubted whether mass shootings could ever take place in Maine, the shooting in Lewiston two years ago made it abundantly clear they can. As a parent with kids in school, I have worried about this possibility — unique to war zones and the U.S. — since my children were born.
It doesn’t have to be this way. If Maine’s firearm laws had been stronger in 2023, the Lewiston shooting might not have happened. The shooter’s family had been vocal in their concerns regarding their loved one’s deteriorating condition, but their hands were essentially tied. The current law did not allow them to go directly to a judge to show why his firearms should be removed. But if Question 2 passes this fall, Maine families would have the power to initiate the process before the next mass shooting takes place.
And, I believe the risk that this law will be abused by vengeful ex friends or ex partners is extremely low. The court hearing component of the proposed law will ensure due process, and without sufficient evidence of potential harm to self or others, no one’s weapons would be removed. Furthermore, anyone who knowingly brings false claims of dangerousness can be charged with a felony.
Please vote “yes” on Question 2 on Nov. 4.
Hillary Shende
Brunswick
