This landed in my mailbox earlier, and since the campaign hasn't show any interest in posting it, figured I would.
A Challenge to My Democratic Opponents
by Rosa Scarcelli
A report last week that failed to get a great deal of attention raised important - and disturbing - questions about the relationship between domestic violence and murder in Maine, and whether the state is doing enough to combat this insidious problem.
The report, released last week by the Maine Domestic Abuse Homicide Review Panel, found that 65% of homicides in 2008 were the result of domestic violence, and 35% of the victims in last year's homicides were killed by a family or household member. Most of the homicides were committed with firearms.
The cost of domestic violence cannot be measured in lost lives alone. Children who live in households where domestic violence occurs are often scarred by the experience requiring years of counseling and treatment. Many continue the cycle of domestic violence in their later lives. Dealing with these incidents costs the state as much as $1.5 billion a year in law enforcement, court costs, corrections, child protection and mental health services.
So what can be done?
The report recommends education and awareness starting at a very early age. More training of law-enforcement personnel, more protective services and greater use of protection from abuse orders are also recommended.
These are clearly important steps, but I would go one step further.
The time has come to require mandatory criminal background checks on purchases of firearms. Frankly, I was surprised recently when every one of my Democratic opponents said they opposed such a common sense safety measure. Asked at a debate sponsored by the Associated General Contractors of Maine if they support a mandatory criminal background check for the purchase of firearms, Libby Mitchell, Steve Rowe, John Richardson and Pat McGowan all said "NO." Are they thinking about what's best for Maine or what they think is best for their political campaigns?
It is common sense that we do not want criminals, terrorists and mentally unstable people buying guns. Responsible, law-abiding Mainers should always be able to purchase guns, and I believe most of them will accept background checks if they know it means our communities will be safer. But we don't want spousal abusers to be able to walk into a gun show and immediately walk out fully armed. As a wife and mother of three children, I want the state doing everything it can to stop domestic abuse before it happens.
Would a mandatory background check have saved the lives of all the men and women who were killed last year in domestic violence incidents? Probably not. But do we really want to wait for a convicted abuser to acquire a weapon and harm someone before we pass this common sense, non-invasive law?
I am proud to stand up to prevent domestic violence with common sense restrictions like this one. I only wish my Democratic opponents would join me in doing the right thing for the hundreds of potential victims of domestic violence in Maine.
DIRIGO BLUE is available as an