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Here we go again. At least 22 dead in Lewiston Maine. [1]

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Date: 2023-10-25  

I’m sure many of you are already aware of this, but I was sitting listening to Maine Public Radio a few minutes ago, and the DJ mentioned there was an active shooter. Some mother-f_____g nutjob is at large in Lewiston Maine with . . . you guessed it, an AR-15. The picture released shows the suspect aiming the rifle, tactical pants bulging with clips. At least 22 people are dead and another 50-60 injured.

GOD F_____G DAMN IT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I realize I’m preaching to the choir here, but I’m so pissed off. I live in Maine and it’s a lovely state. Until now Maine has been relatively free from the mass shooting spree. And now this. Welcome to the Fear Factory Maine.

Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in the Second Amendment. I own guns-most of them muzzle loading black powder weapons. The only thing I’ve ever shot with them has been pumpkins and coconuts. There are many hunters up here, some of whom actually depend on the game they shoot to help carry them through the winter.

But NOBODY needs an assault style weapon to hunt deer. A single shot bolt action rifle is sufficient. Because let’s face it. The deer aren’t shooting back and if you can’t hit your deer with one shot, then emptying a 15 round magazine in the deer’s direction probably isn’t going to do much better. Spray and pray shouldn’t be the default hunting method.

Nor does anyone need it for home defense. Unless you live in an action movie where 35 heavily armed goons break down your door at regular intervals, YOU DON’T NEED AN ASSAULT RIFLE.

I consider myself a responsible gun owner. I have no children in my house and my golden retriever just wants to chew on the stocks. But I still keep my firearms in a safe place and keep the ammo somewhere separate. If a child ever does come to visit, I will make damn sure that they cannot access any of them. But I’ve been to gun shows and frankly, I wouldn’t trust most of the people there with the blunt scissors they give to 5 year olds, let alone a firearm. The thought of them wandering around with an AR-15 is terrifying.

The Second Amendment is not a free license to go out and buy military style weapons. When it was written, most Americans owned a smoothbore or more rarely, a rifled musket for hunting. The same weapon was used by the military. It was a single shot weapon that took some time to reload. The founders never imagined the power of a modern assault rifle. If they had, you can be sure the wording of the Amendment would be different. There’s a limit to the damage even the most crazed whackjob can create with a single shot weapon.

I encourage everyone to write to their Congressperson and Senator to demand that they get the HELL off their asses and ban the sale of assault rifles and institute full background checks for the sale of any gun. With the clown show that is the Republican party, they probably won’t, but damn it we need to keep trying.

NO MORE MASS SHOOTINGS!!!

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/25/2201679/-Here-we-go-again-At-least-22-dead-in-Lewiston-Maine?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web

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