Dear Editor:

On Monday, Jan. 20, tens of thousands of people gathered in Richmond to protest the egregious infringements on the right to bear arms proposed by Gov. Northam and his Democrat controlled legislature. This gathering began with Virginia’s Pro Second Amendment groups and quickly there were pledges by other groups from other states to attend. The result was nothing short of awe inspiring.

The politicians, with the help of their media friends, spent the days leading up to the protest claiming that this was to be a “white supremacy” rally or organized by “white nationalists.” The governor of Virginia went so far as to declare a state of emergency, banning weapons within the grounds of the state house claiming that there was likely to be violence.

This Virginia governor and much of the legislature owe their allegiance as well as their seats to anti-gun groups funded in large part by Democrat hopeful, billionaire Michael Bloomberg. You will remember he tried to buy a universal background check initiative in 2016 and is in part responsible for some of Maine’s more ardent anti-gun legislators.

What this event proved to be, though, was a diverse gathering of Second Amendment supporters that crossed all lines of race, ethnicity, religion, orientation or gender. Even though an estimated 70% of the attendees were armed, many with the very firearms the governor and his handlers despise, there was no violence and one arrest. That arrest was for having a face mask on. At the end of the protest, trash bags were passed through the ever-swelling crowd to facilitate clean up.

So, let’s take a long look at this — diverse membership, lawfully armed, nonviolent and respectful. Not at all what the anti-Second Amendment lobby and their complicit media would have you believe about lawful gun owners in Virginia as well as the rest of these United States.

Perhaps, just for the day, Maine let Virginia borrow its motto, “Dirigo,” for they certainly did lead.

Sic semper tryannis

Linc Sample

Boothbay Harbor