March 1

Public knowledge of who has guns is unnecessary

Letter to the Editor

I just read the newspaper's opinion about gun permits and the need to keep them secret (editorial, "Concealed-gun permits should not be secret," Feb. 20).

I couldn't disagree more about this. For what good reason does a newspaper or anyone else, except maybe a police department, need to know who is holding a valid permit?

It has been shown that newspapers will publish this information and in doing so giving the thief a shopping list as to where to go steal a gun.

I think that requiring a course in the proper handling of a gun might be helpful but public knowledge of who has the guns is unnecessary.

The editor seemed to imply this was an attempt by the government to be less transparent. It really is an attempt to protect the privacy of the person that is trying to act in a reasonable manner to protect themselves and their family.

Charles Berry

West Gardiner

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