What is wrong with having a right to carry a concealed weapon without a permit? To this old gun advocate, the answer would be “nothing,” except that first a background check should be required in order to buy a weapon.

When it comes to further investigating, we cross the privacy line. Criminals and people with mental problens usually get a weapon off the street, which means we the public need to be armed in case one of them decides to rape, rob or kill us. It took more than two hours for police to arrive recently after they received a call about a possible home invasion?

Years ago, Massachusetts enacted a Home Castle Law, which stated that if an intruder enters your home castle and poses bodily harm to you or your family, you have the right to defend yourself with any means available, including shooting them. Police applauded that law.

In my opinion, the law should have included the right to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, since bad people present a real danger to us civilians. Police in Maine have too much territory to cover, so it is my fervent prayer that the Legislature allow us civilians to give aid and comfort to the police to know we are armed and ready to protect ourselves.

Frank D. Slason

Somerville