It was interesting to read the editorial Aug. 4 regarding the alleged laxness of Maine’s gun laws and their purported effects on Massachusetts’ crime problem. What I found most interesting was the underlying premise that it was appropriate for Maine citizens to give up even more rights by adopting the draconian legislation of neighboring states.

That thought closely parallels President Barack Obama’s claim that American guns arm Mexican drug cartel henchmen, and that adoption of extreme gun control policies at a national level is necessary in order to solve Mexico’s problems with organized crime.

Perhaps a better solution to the problem of armed, violent criminals would be removing the unnatural barriers that stop people from defending themselves. Both Mexico and Massachusetts have extremely restrictive gun laws in place, as well as laws designed to make it nearly impossible for honest people to own, carry and use tools useful for self defense, including but not limited to firearms.

Laws and policies that restrict honest people from owning and carrying the means to defend themselves create an environment that emboldens those less scrupulous and encourages predatory actions by both criminals and out-of-control goverments.

Restrictions on the tools of self-defense and freedom serve also to reduce the social acceptability of bearing arms, and thus serve to change a culture from one of a free people who demand justice and fair play to a culture of cowed, complacent and controlled revenue-production units.

Is that the change Obama has in store for America?

John Donald Jr., Jay