In his May 8 letter, Frank D. Slason said that concealed carry firearms by anyone on the street would be a comfort to the police. I am sure that comfort is why the Maine Chiefs of Police Association is against it and the state police have “concerns about some aspects of the bill.”

Imagine police arriving at the scene of a shooting. Several people with guns are milling about, or even shooting at each other. Who is the bad guy and who is the civilian defending the public? Or two gunman are wounded, who is the bad guy, etc. Or if everyone in that California McDonald’s had been armed when that bad guy started shooting, perhaps even more people would have been killed in the crossfire.

To carry lethal force, a person needs a clear brain, an even temper, safety training, accuracy and quick reflexes to make lethal decisions. We do not need any more mistaken, or impulsive, shooting victims. Handy access to lethal force can escalate an argument quickly from a few bruises to a few bodies, as in the recent biker shootout.

I desire security checks and freedom from violent history for anyone entering my world with a gun.

In some southern states, stand your ground laws have become an easy get-out-of-jail-free ticket for trigger-happy shooters where simpler solutions were available.

This is not the Wild West, where a faster draw and better aim decides who is right or wrong. The marshal is in town and can referee disputes without funerals.

Harvey Versteeg

Augusta