The slaughtering of innocent people using military-style weapons that we have witnessed for decades throughout this country has come to Maine.

It is visceral, real and terrifying. We blame the politicians for not doing anything to protect our community from guns, but we are the ones who voted those politicians into office.

We are a gun society. It’s in our Constitution and we will never take the power to own a gun away from civilians.

But we are also a civil society offering independence and freedom in concert with the demands of federal and state governments.

So yes, let’s honor our constitutional right to own a firearm and keep our pistols.

Let’s honor the heritage of hunting and keep our rifles.

And, let’s honor the Constitution and “promote the general welfare” of our citizens by taking weapons of mass destruction off the streets.

Let us not honor the lust for mass firepower simply because we want to and because we can.

Congress shrinks from any discussion on firearms. Don’t let them. Vote for those that support an assault weapon ban. Don’t give Susan Collins your vote if she refuses to support such a ban.

Can we look into the eyes of our children and promise them that we have done everything in our power to protect them from a mass shooting?

By voting for congresspeople and senators who will ban military weapons, we will have done our part.

It really is that simple.

Sarah Russell, Cumberland

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