The Governor opposed them; every major law enforcement group opposed them; Maine already had a better law on the books. In the end, none of it mattered: The Sheeple approved a referendum that will bring red flag laws to the Pine Tree State.
With 72% of the vote counted, red flag laws had received 252,687 votes, or 63% of the total, compared to just 147,022 votes, roughly 37% opposed. The Maine Legislature will still have to produce a bill, but that’s pretty much a formality. Maine state law prohibits a gubernatorial veto.
Maine’s existing yellow flag law, passed in response to the 2023 Lewiston spree, requires law enforcement to request emergency restraining protective orders, and there is also a requirement for mental health consultation. That’s too restrictive for gun control zealots, who want to open things up to family members and have the same lack of limitations as found in most other states with red flag laws.
Consider neighboring Massachusetts: In October 2010, Stephen Nichols, a retired police officer with more than 40 years on the force, worked as a school crossing guard in Tisbury. He was relieved of his duties, stripped of his credentials, and had his guns seized and transferred to a grandson to sell at a gun store he managed in Wooster.
Why? A waitress in a diner caught a snippet of conversation Nichols was having with a friend and reported it to the police. What she thought was a possible threat against the school was actually Nichols expressing concern about the school’s resource officer spending too much time in a nearby convenience store, leaving the school unprotected.
Nobody checked her claim; nobody talked to Nichols’ friend; nobody talked to Nichols.
The public was outraged; the diner was heavily criticized; and Nichols was eventually cleared and reinstated. But he actually had to file a lawsuit to get his credentials back. The city police blamed slow processing by the state for the multi-month delay.
How’ve those red flag laws worked out for Massachusetts? According to the CDC, over the four-year period from 2020 to 2023, the Bay State’s suicide rate rose about six percent. However, the firearm suicide rate went up nine percent.
Sounds like they’re working like a charm. Of course, the vast majority of suicides in Massachusetts are by suffocation, usually by hanging.
According to Ballotpedia, supporters of red flag laws raised $1,041,090.81 and put $974,220.84 into their campaign. The pro-2A forces received $103,919.23 and spent $81,393.23. The gun-grabbers raised ten times as much and spent 12 times as much. Giffords, all by itself, dropped more on pushing red flag laws than the total amount our side raised.
I have been saying for years we need to reevaluate our strategies and our efforts: We need to counter the gun-grabbers where they are, not where we are most comfortable.
How Adamiak Received 20 Years in Prison for Semi-auto Uzis and Other Legal Guns, Gun Parts
Gun-Control Lobby Threatens Ruger to Pull RXM Pistol — Without a Single Crime Involving It
About Bill Cawthon
Bill Cawthon first became a gun owner 55 years ago. He has been an active advocate for Americans’ civil liberties for more than a decade. He is the information director for the Second Amendment Society of Texas.
Until SCOTUS rules on the (un)constituionality of red flag laws this will continue. Don’t hold your breath for the Roberts court to do anything of the such.
I stopped donating to the NRA because of LaPierre and his cronies and to be honest I am not a big fan of Larry Pratt so I am at a loss where my limited money could be the most help. is there any hope the NRA will right itself in the near future ??