At first, I was just annoyed when Gov. Paul LePage tried to get a service member to validate his comment that “A bad guy is a bad guy, I don’t care what color he is. When you go to war, if you know the enemy … You shoot at the enemy. You try to identify the enemy …”

Who was he talking about?

Citizens of his own country. People of America for whom the military stands and sacrifices.

I am a 100 percent disabled service-connected veteran. That upset me.

War isn’t an opportunity to satisfy a personal vendetta. It’s serious, dangerous business. People die if you screw up; your country suffers if you screw up.

Then, I heard the voicemail threat to “get” Rep. Drew Gattine.

When I was treated for PTSD and substance abuse, I heard the same snarl of vicious and absolute intent. I know what that is.

So the governor wants to duel? He wants to shoot a man in the face?

I wonder if he would be so puffed up looking at the guy afterward, when you don’t get to apologize and make it go away.

Maybe LePage could remember that verbal abuse is the way domestic violence starts. Much of his career has been about helping people he sees as victims of that. I have no doubt that it’s that passion that animates him. He really does feel enormous compassion sometimes, I believe.

But I wonder if he will remember that the abused sometimes become abusers. I wonder if he can see himself playing that out. I wonder if he can help himself, and help Maine.

Laus Ellis, Otisfield