By Sen. Matt Harrington

Maine has a long-storied tradition of gun ownership. Centuries of self-reliance amid the backdrop of a wilderness still covering much of our state has given us a unique perspective on the importance of responsible gun ownership and safety.

The right to bear arms is one of our basic rights established by both the U.S. and Maine constitutions. Yet a new law threatens to take away that very right and harm our vital outdoor sporting industry in pursuit of the ideals of gun control.

Hello. This is Sen. Matt Harrington of York County. I thank you for joining me for this week’s Republican Radio Address about the importance of protecting our constitutional rights.

First some facts. Maine ranks 22nd nationally in the number of households that own at least one firearm and 16th when it comes to the number of guns per capita. According to estimates by data company Rand Corporation, about 47% of Maine homes have a gun and our state is well above the national average of about 32%.

Yet we are in the bottom 10 when it comes to the death rate by firearms as a percentage to the number of firearms in the state. It shows that Maine is a safer, more responsible state despite having a larger share of firearms compared to other less populated states. In fact, states with less guns per capita fare much worse in homicide rates than Maine does.

But in case you haven’t heard, that’s not good enough for liberal Democrats in Augusta and their progressive gun control allies. Through these Democrat lawmakers, special interest groups have introduced bill after bill trying to limit or control how you own a firearm in Maine.

Gov. Janet Mills allowed one particular bill that will require a 72-hour waiting period for any new gun purchases to become law. The bill, LD 2238, was the same bill defeated just a year ago. But this time around, Democrats used some parliamentary tricks to ram it through both chambers, like holding votes open and pairing votes. And what it does is try to satisfy the insatiable demand by progressive Democrats to rid the planet of civilian-owned guns.

If we learned anything from the left’s recent attempt to ban gas-powered vehicles, the first step in any strategy to ban anything is to make it as hard as possible to obtain it. Yes, it is that transparent.

The Governor’s failure to stand with Maine’s responsible, law-abiding gun owners has now set a series of things in motion. First, anyone threatened by a domestic abuser or even a mentally ill neighbor such as the Lewiston killer can no longer take immediate possession of a firearm for personal protection.

Allowing the 72-hour waiting period bill to become law also puts our outdoor sporting industry at risk. Hunters who come to Maine for guided hunts will no longer be able to use the firearms they buy or rent while they’re here to do it. This includes anyone on active duty who wants to take leave and travel directly to our state to hunt big game such as moose.

What does that say to those serving in harm’s way, much less Maine’s guides, outfitters and other small businesses that rely on our outdoor heritage? In fact, Kittery Trading Post said on Thursday they would move to New Hampshire if this law takes effect – that should alarm everyone.

Backers of this law claim the purpose of the 72-hour waiting period is to give anyone who may have suicidal ideations a “cooling off” period. But what it really does is create a backdoor universal background check process by killing off gun shows. At the very least, it will drive people toward private sales.

Most importantly, it infringes on our Second Amendment right. We don’t suspend any of our other rights for 72 hours, such as the right to a fair trial or the right to vote. We don’t suspend any of our First Amendment rights either, although Democrats hate free speech when it’s not theirs.

But when it comes to guns, Democrats want to not only suspend your right but also take it away – a right delayed is a right denied. This is their mission, and we must do everything we can to stop it.

Again, this is Senator Matt Harrington of York County. I thank you for listening.

Senator Matthew Harrington represents the communities of District 33, which includes four communities in York County. He is the Senate Republican Lead for the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.