While I am horrified and disgusted by the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, I feel that elevating him to an American hero and martyr is really inappropriate. No one in this country should be violently targeted for expressing their political beliefs. However, for years, Charlie Kirk has spread vile and poisonous statements contributing and promoting […]

I am writing in response to the Aug. 26 article “Gov. Mills pledged to revive Maine’s tribal relations board. Most state seats are empty.” The gist of the article is that the vacancies on the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission (MITSC) have rendered the commission ineffectual and “teetering on the verge of stalling out.” To the […]

It was with dismay that I read Steve Collins’ Sept. 16 column, “Charlie Kirk was wrong about Maine.” I lived in Maine from 2001 to 2018 and still have family who live in Maine. I travel to Maine, often. It is clear to anyone being honest that the quality of life in Maine is declining. […]

I do not understand how every Republican member of the U.S. House and Senate (yes, this includes Sen. Susan Collins) can stand by and watch the cruelty and inhumanity on display every single day by individuals who seem to have a complete disregard for kindness and empathy. Does no one have a conscience or an ounce […]

The killing of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy, full stop. No one, regardless of their politics, should lose their life for speaking publicly. That so many Americans agree something is seriously wrong tells us we’re not just mourning a man, but reckoning with a culture that’s grown dangerously brittle. We’ve normalized outrage, weaponized identity and […]

Have Mainers read all 16 pages of the so-called “Voter ID for ME” referendum? Question 1 says a lot about absentee voting — restricting the method that 40% of Mainers use, while saying nothing about voter registration. No mention of making sure those who register are American citizens. There’s an old joke about a man […]

Welcome back measles, pertussis, varicella! Hey, polio! What’s new, meningococcus? Say their names. Fun fact: Measles requires over 95% immunity to not propagate. Morbidity and mortality are not confined by state borders. Thanks anyway, anti-Hippocratic Joseph Ladapo and lawyer-playing-mad-doctor RFK Jr.; epidemiology cannot be Sharpied away. Stay vigilant and take care of one another. Mia MariettaGorham

As a small-time musician, I have little place in the conversation, but I must express that I am disturbed by the pattern I am sensing. The killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah has led to condolences, thoughts and prayers from politicians in Maine, far beyond any for the victims of recent atrocities or tragedies that […]