I would ask the following question to anyone who opposes the current state-level proposals to add background checks for private sales and institute a 72-hour waiting period on firearm purchases: Do you believe police officers, whose job is to protect our community by responding to dangerous situations, should have to risk their lives because they are outgunned by a mentally unstable person, or someone who has a criminal past? I do not.

Can opponents of these bills not be so selfish as to help mitigate the danger to law enforcement, who probably have the most stressful job today? Would hunters be inclined to hunt if the animals were allowed to have AR-15s? Yet police officers are going to respond to a call, not knowing what they face behind a closed door.

Bangor resident Steven Brough was quoted in this newspaper as saying: “Whether you like it or not, a right delayed is a right denied.” I do not think so. We have a right to a fair trial but that could take years. We have rights to many things that are not instantaneous.

Please tell our representatives to pass these commonsense, non-ideological laws.

Charles Oransky
Kennebunkport