Gun raffle unconscionable

Thank you for the story about the Durham Fire and Rescue gun raffle (The Times Record, Nov. 20), which is based on a raffle model that is apparently used around the state. They are raffling off 30 guns in 30 days to raise money for the department. Some of these guns are semi-automatics, which can fire rapidly without reloading.

I thought I’d bring to your attention the possible idea of following up with some of these winners and seeing what they do with the guns.

One winner is already selling her prize; but she is selling it through Johnson’s, the retailer who does the background checks for Durham’s winners. At least — in theory — a background check will be done.

It seems quite probable that a number of winners would be selling the guns on their own, via Craig’s List, Uncle Henry’s or at gun shows, where people do not have to undergo a background check.

In essence, these fire departments (first responders, who save lives) and other organizations around the state are putting guns out into the community, and they have no way of knowing where they end up. Can you imagine if schools or hospitals held gun raffles? This is in unconscionable.

Lorry Fleming,

Bath

Thoughts on college’s veterans effort

Whitney Soule, Dean of Admissions at Bowdoin College was quoted on Nov. 20 saying, “Having people with military experience would create a more diverse student body and would be a benefit for the ‘traditional’ students, ‘exposing’ them to people who might ‘interpret ideas differently,’ have far different experiences and have a ‘variety of political beliefs.'” (The Times Record, “Bowdoin strives to attract veterans.”)

Besides being obvious, Soule begs the question, “Isn’t that supposed to be what Bowdoin has been doing along? Or am I naive?”

Before anyone gets all left or right wing on me, I still find veterans who find it hard to believe a veteran can be a Democrat, but they can. Bowdoin will also be introducing their “traditional” students to the one percent of our country who volunteer to defend us which will be a new experience for 99 percent of them.

Loren D. Porr

LTC (Ret.), U.S. Army,

Topsham

Thank you, Bowdoin

I would like to extend my appreciation to the Bowdoin College athletics department for hosting a pep band at the Saturday hockey game against Middlebury. For the first time my memory, a hockey game in Watson Arena actually sounded like a hockey game as opposed to a dance club. Let’s have a lot more of that and a lot less of the auto-tune/electronica/house music the fans usually must endure. And please, don’t play music over the band while they are performing as was the case during the entire second intermission.

Shaun Hogan,

Brunswick