Dear Editor:

The casualties of the ultra-right wing’s war on American culture are mounting to beyond those suffered in many foreign wars. Since the massacre of 26 school children and teachers at Sandy Hook December 2012, thousands of shooting deaths have occurred and the body count keeps climbing.

Yes, this is the result of a culture war where we are being asked to accept terror and death as a part of our daily existence. Although the right wing’s culture war on American culture is aimed at liberals and secularists, as well as the poor, immigrant families and wage earners, as with any campaign of terror, the killing is random and indiscriminate. Anyone can become a victim of gun violence.

With each emerging massacre of innocents, children at schools, people at their place of work, worshipers in their churches, or bystanders who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time; I always hope that America would come to its senses and pass some common sense laws that prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands. Instead we have, for example, legislators, including Rep. Stephanie Hawke, who cosponsored a law, LD 652, which irresponsibly puts more guns on our streets and public places without any thought or consideration of the consequences. We need representatives who will stop kowtowing to the NRA.

Currently there is a petition being circulated that would place on the next ballot a referendum to require background checks on private gun sales and sales at gun shows. Similar legislation has already been passed in 11 states. According to a recent Harvard study, 40 percent of guns sold are sold without a background check. This dangerous loophole needs to be closed.

I urge that every citizen of good conscience to please sign this petition and support the initiative with your vote. The right wing’s war on American culture is going to be won not with bullets, but with ballots.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay