Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com
To reach a suicide prevention hotline, call the new 988 three-digit hotline or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Suicide prevention services can also be reached at 888-568-1112 or 800-273-TALK (8255).
I have enormous gratitude for Peggy McGehee’s recent letter in the BDN about protecting Mainers from the horrors of gun violence. Her letter is an education on the thoughtful efforts of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition Foundation and the Maine chapter of Moms Demand Action. I believe their work of giving away cable gun locks, for free, and advocating for guns to be stored safely exemplifies neighborly Maine values.
I deeply respect these groups for their willingness to have the uncomfortable, but necessary, conversation about the role of guns in suicides in Maine. In my personal view, this demonstrates the generous hearts of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition Foundation and Moms Demand Action volunteers. I find them inspiring, and hope their grassroots efforts likewise inspire new gun safety laws in Maine.
Aaron Bergeron
Portland