Maine Republican legislators have a lot of explaining to do: Yellow Flag law failed

Editorial echo published in the Boston Globe:

After Maine shootings, our grim ritual returns: burying the dead, pleading for better gun laws.  With some of the region’s most permissive firearm laws, Maine has been a poster child for the nation’s political paralysis on gun safety.

Congressman Jared Golden

There are two important, if crushingly familiar, early takeaways from the massacre of 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday evening, a death toll almost certain to rise. 

One is that the nation is facing a mental health crisis and has a critical shortage of mental health professionals to help it cope with that crisis.

The other is that it is far too easy to acquire firearms in Maine, particularly assault-style weapons whose main function is the swift and efficient killing of human beings, full stop.

Regarding the nation’s mental health crisis, there is much agreement across the political spectrum about the depth and breadth of the problem, as well as about the importance of doing more. 

Whether political leaders in Washington and state capitals can find the political will to allocate the required resources — and whether our educational institutions can recruit and train enough mental health caregivers — are works in progress.

But on the issue of imposing even the most common-sense restrictions on the powerful killing tools made by the firearms industry, the nation is hopelessly divided. Divided between liberals and conservatives, between rural areas and urban ones, even between men and women.

Maine is a poster child for the nation’s political paralysis on gun safety. Though the state government is controlled by the Democratic Party, the Legislature rejected a bounty of gun safety bills earlier this year, including a ban on rapid-fire devices, a 72-hour waiting period to purchase firearms and background checks for private gun sales.

Maine is among the nation’s most sparsely populated states — one where nearly half of adults have a gun at home and where hunting is a beloved pastime. That means that when it comes to gun issues, culture and geography may be as or even more important than party politics.

But once in a while, the hope of progress can rise from the ashes of tragedy. On Thursday, Representative Jared Golden, a Democrat from Lewiston who represents the vast northern half of Maine, declared that he had changed his mind about opposing a ban on assault weapons. In an emotional mea culpa, Golden, a former Marine infantryman who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, called his opposition to the ban “a failure” and pledged to work “with any colleague to get this done in the time that I have left in Congress.”

(Alas, Maine’s senior US senator, Susan Collins, said she would continue to oppose banning assault weapons. But Collins, a moderate Republican who played a constructive role in passage of a gun-safety measure in Congress last year, said she does support setting limits on high-capacity magazines, an incremental but valuable step.)

The real work, however, must start in Augusta. With the possible exception of Republican-dominated New Hampshire, Maine has the laxest gun laws in the Northeast. Currently, in Maine, there is little to stop, say, an abusive spouse from purchasing a semiautomatic weapon from an unlicensed dealer online or at a gun show because the state does not require background checks on private sales. Likewise, because the state does not have a waiting period on gun purchases, a person who is gripped by suicidal thoughts can walk into a gun store and purchase a handgun on the spur of the moment.

We still know little about the background and motives of the man accused in the Lewiston massacre, Robert R. Card II. An Army reservist, he was, according to various published reports, an expert marksman who, after living a quiet life on his family’s farm, struggled with mental health problems during the past year, including hearing voices at the bar and bowling alley where the killings occurred. Several outlets reported that he had received a mental health evaluation this summer due to “erratic” behavior and may have received treatment.

It also seems clear from surveillance photos that the man who killed or maimed all those people — those average Maine citizens who were innocently sipping beers or enjoying a night of bowling with friends — used a military-style assault rifle with its enhanced capability to rapidly fire more, and more lethal, rounds with the mere bending of a finger.

These details are sure to evolve as more reporting emerges. But huge questions remain. If in fact the suspect was hospitalized for mental health care, shouldn’t authorities have moved to have his firearms temporarily removed, as is allowed under the state’s so-called yellow flag law?

Gun safety advocates want to revise that law to make it simpler for family members to ask a judge to temporarily separate a person judged harmful to themselves or others from their firearms, as is allowed under stricter red flag laws that exist in 19 states. But one is left wondering whether anyone attempted to apply even the weaker yellow flag law to the alleged shooter. Did the alleged shooter’s family or Army Reserve colleagues even know it exists?

These are questions the Maine Legislature should begin debating. And a full range of laws, including a ban on high-capacity magazines and assault weapons, background checks on private sales, and a red flag law, should be on the table.

Opponents of gun safety laws will argue that, even with its lax laws, Maine has relatively little gun violence, that restrictions on gun ownership do not deter criminals, and that, well, the Second Amendment trumps all.

But suicide remains a major health issue in Maine, and nationally firearms are the most common means of killing oneself. Though the number of suicides declined last year from the previous year, the overall rate is well above two decades ago. And even the US Supreme Court, the most conservative and pro-gun court in decades, has said that some restrictions on gun ownership are constitutional.

Perhaps the most infuriating argument sure to come from gun rights activists is that most gun owners are law abiding and shouldn’t be put through the hassles and costs imposed by gun safety laws. They will also say that gun violence and mass shootings will occur with or without more restrictions.

The latter is of course true. But data show that the states with the lowest rates of gun fatalities — Hawaii and Massachusetts — also have among the most restrictive gun laws. And as to the former: Are we as a society prepared to say that inconveniences imposed on one group should outweigh the ability to save the lives of some, even a few, of our fellow citizens?

The choice should be clear.

Experiencing justifiable anxiety resulting from mass shooting slaughters

MaineBiz reports by Alexis Wells: For Mainers, a sense of trust and safety has been shattered, while parents may be unsure how to speak to their children about the violence and help them feel safe. Resources are available for those struggling with mental health or trying to cope with loss.

“The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) encourages anyone affected by the violence in Lewiston to reach out and connect with behavioral health support,” the department said in a statement.

Senator Angus King newsletter: On Wednesday, October 11, Maine the county were horrified by the terrible news about the deadly tragedy in Lewiston. 

And given that the murder suspect remains unfound, we cannot yet move beyond fear to grief.

Eighteen precious lives were senselessly taken during this shocking act of violence, with more than ten injured for doing nothing more than living their lives on a Wednesday night — and my heart is heavy for the families who are mourning this unthinkable loss.

I took the first flight I could get yesterday morning to do everything in my power to support the Lewiston community and everyone impacted by this tragedy. I met with the Governor, the Mayors of Lewiston and Auburn, city councilors of both cities, first responders and medical professionals — sharing my deepest gratitude for their exhausting work and commitment.

If you are in an area currently under shelter in place orders, I ask that you please stay indoors and report any suspicious behavior to local authorities.

This is a challenging time for everyone who calls this great state home, and I want you to know that my thoughts are with you right now. Maine is a big small town connected by long roads — and in times like these, we go the extra mile to look after one another and give comfort and reassurance in any way we can.

I also want to share a few resources below for anyone in need of support in the wake of this tragedy:

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.

If you or someone you know is talking about suicide or feelings of hopelessness, please seek help immediately and call or text 988.

Teens and young adults can text The National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Teen Text Line at (207) 515-8398 for support.

Clinicians, educators, and first responders can call The FrontLine WarmLine at 1-800-769-9819 for support managing the stress of responding to disasters.

And if you are outside of Androscoggin County and looking to help the community during this time, please use this link to find your nearest American Red Cross blood donation location.

Please take care and stay safe,

Angus

Treatment options for Substance Use Disorders can include Harm Reduction welcome programs

 Harm Reduction is a special hospitality that seeks people out, meets them where they are and invites them into loving community.

Churches and other faith communities have too often perpetuated stigma against the people who are ill with Substance Use Disorders, increasing shame instead of extending grace. We at Faith in Harm Reduction invite you to consider how you can offer sanctuary.

Opinion by Genevieve Lysen*: Let’s save lives by allowing harm reduction health centers in Maine- echo opinion published in the Lewiston Sun-Journal.

Rotary Substance Use Awareness program (L'Heureux photo)

No matter who we are or what our lives have been like, we’re all human, and almost all of us are touched in some way by the opioid crisis. Most Mainers believe that people who use drugs should not be treated as criminals, and that substance use disorder should be treated as a public health issue.

I grew up in Lewiston, surrounded by my large Franco-American family. I was an only child, but I had grandparents, my cousins, and my aunts in town — nearly 50 of them live in the Lewiston area to this day.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite family members to hang out with was my cousin Sam. He was like a brother to me, and we grew up riding bikes, building forts, playing Sonic the Hedgehog on his Sega Genesis.

Rotary Fentanyl Awareness program provider exhibit table in Deering Oaks Park (L'Heureux photograph)

We were the same in a lot of ways, and later on in life we shared similar struggles with depression and substance use. But because Sam used opioids while I used alcohol, our experiences were very different. Because opioid use is so stigmatized, while I had access to support, he had little. And today, I’m alive. And Sam is dead.

My cousin died in August 2021, alone in his home, due to an accidental drug poisoning. His body wasn’t discovered until five days after his death. He was 34 years old when he died, leaving behind a son.

Last year, more than 700 people died from overdose, like my cousin. They were our sisters, brothers, co-workers, neighbors, parents, and children. And if we treated Substance Use Disorder like what it is — a public health issue — all of those people, including Sam, could still be alive today.

Naloxone nasal spray has recently been approved as an over-the-counter treatment. Soon find this opioid overdose treatment in-store and online.

I strongly believe that if Sam had more access to community and to supportive people to turn to about his challenges with drug use, things would have turned out differently. This is why I support harm reduction health centers.

Harm reduction health centers are sites where people can use previously-obtained drugs under medical supervision. At the same time, they can receive disease screenings and other health care services, as well as options to begin recovery.

If Sam had been at a harm reduction health center on the day he overdosed, it’s likely that he would not have died that day. In fact, no death has been reported at an injection site. That’s in contrast to the 716 people who died from overdose last year in Maine. Harm reduction health centers save lives.

There are more than 200 harm reduction health centers around the world — including in New York City, Rhode Island, and soon, Minnesota — and numerous studies have shown that they improve health outcomes, reduce overdose deaths, and increase access to health services. These centers save lives.

A bill now in the Legislature, LD 1364, would allow cities and towns in Maine to open harm reduction health centers if they choose to, after an approval process that involves a public meeting.

This means that those communities who want to open harm reduction health centers can do so — but those who don’t want to are under no obligation. The bill legally protects the employees and clients of the center, along with the municipality where it’s located. The centers won’t cost the state money because the centers will be federally funded. And, absolutely most importantly, harm reduction health centers in Maine will save lives.

No matter who we are or what our lives have been like, we’re all human, and almost all of us are touched in some way by the opioid crisis. Most Mainers believe that people who use drugs should not be treated as criminals, and that substance use disorder should be treated as a public health issue. In the Maine Legislature, there is a chance, right now, to make a real move toward creating a world where we care for one another.

Genevieve Lysen is the Organizing Director for the Maine People’s Alliance and a certified recovery coach. She lives in Lewiston.

*P.S. Maine Writer- I am a registered nurse who has worked in mental health and been an advocate for the organizations that are treating people who are suffering with substance use disorders and victimized by this heinous epidemic.  Frankly, I do not know how I feel about "Harm Reduction" as an alternative to behavioral health treatments for substance use disorders. But, what I know with certainty is that whatever we are doing to end drug use disorders today is not working.  I have no idea how people who abuse drugs and alcohol are able to afford these expensive and deadly habits, but the concept of "meeting them where they are" to give them a helping hand and support while they find their way out of addiction seems like an alternative we must accept because nothing else is working.

What is in an name? An echo report from Lewiston Maine

Qu'y a-t-il dans un nom?

Echo report published in the Lewiston Sun Journal:

France in the Unites States

Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans un nom? Yahoo.com

https://sports.yahoo.com/france-weighs-controversial-name-change-035900114.html

March  13, 2023—LEWISTON, Maine — A French diplomat serving as his country's consul general in Boston weighed in on the controversial decision to drop the Franco-American name from the center in the former St. Mary's Church (on 46 Cedar Street in Lewiston) and rebrand it as Riverfront Performing Arts and Events.

In diplomatic language, Mustafa Soykurt, the consul general, had a simple message for the nonprofit's board of directors: Non!

In a letter this month to the panel, Soykurt said the French consulate in Boston "has been a strong and long supporter of the Franco-American Center in Lewiston."

"From our perspective, this name change, which is not consensual inside the board of directors, hardly reflects the mission of the center," he wrote, and "does not illustrate the quality, the strength and the history of relations between France and America in Maine."

Opponents of the name change, including prominent residents with French ancestry, seized on the letter to aid their push to convince the 23-year-old nonprofit to reverse its name change decision.

Unlike Soykurt, they weren't always diplomatic in their language.

Calling the Riverfront moniker "an insult" to the Franco community, Rita Dube, who helped raise the money for the center's creation, said many of its past presidents and founding members have come out for keeping the old name in place.

Consul General of France in Boston Mustafa Soykurt

"Why erase the very name that belongs to all these Mainers now and for generations to come?" she asked.

Lionel Guay Jr., a former mayor of Lewiston and a founder of the center, said Monday that "changing the name of the Franco-American Heritage Center is just a pure and simple act of bastardizing" Franco-American culture.

"You have hundreds of establishments all over Maine by the name of Riverfront," he said. "How many do you have by the name of The Franco-American Heritage Center? You do not see the Irish Heritage Center wanting to change its name."

Guay said the move by the center's board shows disrespect and discrimination.

Another former mayor, Larry Gilbert, said he is "incensed and vehemently opposed to the change of name with anything that has the name Riverfront."

"I am a proud Franco-American," he said. "If we can't celebrate and hold our culture, what more do we have to pass on to future generations. The change to Riverfront is utterly ridiculous. We will fight this to our dying breath."

The board made the name change because it saw the move as a "fresh, new look" that also honors the riverfront, its president, Elaine Roop, said in January.

"Nothing has changed about being the stewards for our French-Canadian heritage and culture," she said at the time. "The only change has been a change of name to make it far easier for people to know that all are welcome. It's that simple."

In a nod to the past, its new logo added a tagline that says it was "founded by Franco Americans.

In his letter to Roop and the board, Soykurt said that "changing the name of the Franco American Center in Lewiston is not just a question of branding."

"It has an impact on our common heritage and sends a message about what we want to build," he said.

The consul general asked the board to reconsider its decision "since we are all involved in a common cause."

Dube said the consulate's opposition to the new name is "a very big deal."

"The relations between the Franco American Heritage Center and France have always been very important to the French heritage of so many Mainers," she said. "The language, the culture, the music, the food, the actual connection and similarities between the two for years have been a source of support for the Franco Center."

Soykurt said the relationship between France and the region is special.

"It is based on our common use of the French language," he said. "But more importantly, it is based on a common heritage that goes back centuries ago when French settlers came to Canada and a part of them joined Maine."

Juliana L'Heureux, board chairwoman of the Franco American Collection at the University of Southern Maine, sent a memo to the center's decision-makers that said the name change "marginalizes the history about the Franco-Americans who donated their meager resources towards building the original and beautiful" church.

"An unpopular name change has the appearance of undermining the intentions of the founders" who created the center as a community resources "where Franco-Americans will take pride in having created this monument and tribute to the culture's long heritage."

"Roe Roe Roe Your Vote" : Vote Blue in 2022

Governor Janet Mills is running for re-election and former Republican Governor Paul LePage is challenging her successful leadership. For sure, LePage is "out of his political league" when he stumbles while trying to answer questions about his position on abortion.

Echo report published in The Washington Post by Amy B. Wang:

During his two terms as Maine governor, Republican Paul LePage attended antiabortion rallies, argued that “we should not have abortion” and said in 2018, that if the Supreme Court were to make a case for overturning Roe v. Wade, “let’s do it.”

But on a gubernatorial debate stage Tuesday night, in Lewiston, Maine, LePage was much more circumspect about his views on reproductive rights, struggling to respond directly when asked what he would do if the Maine legislature introduced additional restrictions to abortion in the state. Multiple times, he avoided answering questions directly, protesting that it was a hypothetical issue or that he did not understand the question.

LePage misused donated funds meant to protect families from domestic violence


LePage’s awkward performance, during the debate, highlights the position many antiabortion Republicans are in, four months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that for nearly a half-century guaranteed the right to an abortion in the United States. The decision has galvanized Democratic voters — and put some GOP candidates on the defensive — in a midterm election cycle that would typically favor the party not in power.

On Tuesday night, a moderator first asked whether Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) would support removing the “viability” restriction in Maine’s current abortion law, which allows abortion until the point “when the life of the fetus may be continued indefinitely outside the womb by natural or artificial life support.” After that, an abortion may be performed only when it is necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother.

Mills, who has served as Maine’s governor since 2019, said she had no plans to change the state law, which she said reflected Roe v. Wade.

“I believe a woman’s right to choose is just that: It’s a woman’s right, not a politician’s and most certainly not Mr. LePage’s or anybody sitting in public office,” Mills said. “As long as I’m governor, the right to reproductive health care will never be considered dispensable. My veto pen will stand in the way of any effort to undermine, roll back or outright eliminate the right to safe and legal abortion in Maine.”

“I have never wavered in that position, never equivocated, never flip-flopped,” she added pointedly.

As the moderator began asking LePage the same question, he jumped in on his own.

“I served eight years as the governor of Maine. Never once did I attempt, ever, to do — even talk about the abortion bill, because I believe in — the bill that’s in place right now is a good bill,” said LePage, who was governor of Maine from 2011 to 2019. “I believe in protecting the mother’s life for rape … and incest. I also believe in the viability.”

The moderator pointed out that the question had actually been different. What would he do as governor if the state legislature were to bring a bill to him that added additional restrictions, such as reducing the viability period to 15 weeks or requiring parental consent before a minor could receive an abortion?
“I support the current law as it is,” LePage said.

“And if they brought those bills to you, you would not sign them?” the moderator asked.

“That is correct,” LePage said.

Mills interrupted: “Well, would you let it go into law without your signature?” she asked.

“I don’t know …” Le Page started.

(Yeah! Good  catch for Janet!  #RoeRoeRoeYourVote!)

“That’s the alternative,” Mills said. “You know that. You were governor. You know what the options are. Would you allow it to go into law without your signature?”

A visibly flustered LePage dropped his pen on the ground and then leaned over to pick it up as he shot back at Mills: “Would you allow a baby to take a breath? Would you allow the baby to take a breath …”

Mills paused and repeated her questions more slowly. “Would you let a restrictive law go into effect without your signature? Would you block a restriction on abortion?”

“Would I block? Or would-?” LePage said. “This is what I would do. The law that’s in place right now, I have the same exact place you have. And I would honor the law as it is. You’re talking about a hypothetical.”

“Oh, we’re not,” Mills replied, smiling and shaking her head.

“If you’re saying, we’re gonna take the restriction away, making it illegal for the viability?” LePage continued. “No, I would not sign that. I would veto that. The viability is in law now.”

After a brief pause, the moderator pointed out that LePage still had not answered the question. Would he veto additional restrictions that came to him? LePage asked for examples. The moderator provided them once again.

“If you’re talking about would I veto a bill that would change the viability, I would go to the medical professionals to tell me,” LePage said, shrugging. “I don’t know what you mean by 15 weeks or 28 weeks. Because I don’t know. I mean, I’m not sure I understand the question.”

“I was Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular,” LePage joked after throwing his endorsement behind tRrump. (Can Mr. LePage spell "delusional"?)

Then, there was another pause.

“I understand the question,” Mills said flatly. “I would not let such law become effective. My veto can and will stand in the way of any restrictions on the right to abortion.”

“When you say restriction — I’m, I’m trying to understand the question,” LePage said.

A different moderator asked the question one last time.

“So, Governor LePage, if the legislature came to you and said we want to change Maine’s law, and instead of viability which currently stands at 28 weeks, now Maine’s law is going to say no abortions after 15 weeks — would you veto that?” she asked.

“Yes,” LePage said at last.

Abortion is a key issue in many races this November, with polls showing that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade remains unpopular. While Republicans generally have praised the ruling overturning Roe, many have preferred not to focus on the issue ahead of the midterms. But avoiding the topic became more difficult for GOP candidates after Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) introduced a bill last month that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy nationwide.

The debate was held at Lewiston Maine's Franco Center and was hosted by Maine Public, the Portland Press Herald and the Lewiston Sun Journal.