Senators Collins and King, Representatives Golden and Pingree:

We have a CRISIS of gun violence in our country.

DO SOMETHING! 

Complex PROBLEMS require a multitude of solutions.

DO SOME OF EVERYTHING! 

Assault Weapons Ban? YES!

Universal Background Checks? YES!

Increase Mental Health Services for Children, Adolescents and Adults? YES!

Red Flag Laws? YES! (In Maine, we couldn’t even get Red passed - that’s why they’re Yellow.)

ETC. ETC. ETC. You know the many sensible gun law suggestions that have been made.

For the sake of the people of this country, IMPLEMENT THEM!

ONE TINY STEP WILL NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM: TRY SOME PARTS OF EVERYTHING. 

As elected officials it’s YOUR responsibility to deal with these national problems.

By running for office, you were telling us you could make things happen.

Instead we get your mealy-mouthed responses to yet another mass murder of American children, of Saturday shoppers in neighborhood grocery stores, of Asian- Americans at church services, ETC., ETC., ETC. 

What did the president of New Zealand do the FIRST (and only) time a mass murder happened there? What would the president of Ukraine do if this were this to happen in his country? These are leaders who do not allow the status quo. THEY make things happen.

You say you are FRUSTRATED? 

You RENEGE ON YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND HIDE BEHIND legislatively constipated Mitch McConnell.

You MOAN about the filibuster but do nothing to change it.

You ALLOW Citizen’s United to stand and then mumble about the gun lobby while watching colleagues put NRA contributions in their pockets and sometimes your own.

I am FURIOUS! 

YOU ARE FAILING!

LEAD, LEGISLATE OR GET OUT OF THE WAY!

FOR THE SAKE OF INNOCENT PEOPLE ACROSS OUT COUNTRY, DO YOUR JOBS.

Mary Orear lives in Rockport