LETTERS
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SHOOTING RANGE DISTURBS PEACE

To the editor:

I am a year-round resident of Wigwam Road. I have owned my property since 1992 and have been walking my dogs, mountain biking, going to the beach and generally enjoying the serenity of the Madaquecham area since the mid-70s.

I don't mind (much) the fall hunting season when our peaceful neighborhood has a lot of orange-colored visitors. I even supported the winter deer season as a method of controlling the deer and the deer tick population.

I own a shotgun and have an FID card. I grew up hunting pheasant, duck and geese. I support responsible hunting. During the various hunting seasons, however, there is only the occasional shot - not the continuous barrage that I believe would be the result of the proposed shooting range.

I do not support a rifle, pistol and skeet-shooting range anywhere within earshot of my property. I do not support the idea anywhere on Nantucket. I think it is an inappropriate land use for the Nantucket of today. A shooting range is noisy and would negatively impact the general quality of life.

I hate the thought that there could be a potential 20 rifles and pistols and another five shotguns blasting away at whatever time they might be allowed to fire. The sound of one semi-automatic pistol is disturbing enough.

For years, I have found the occasional pistol and rifle firing (generally on Sunday mornings) that has occurred on the "unofficial" range to be annoying. I will be out on the deck with my morning coffee, or walking the dog down to the end of Russell's Way to get my paper or heading down to the beach and the rapid "pop, pop, pop" of a handgun definitely destroys my serenity. I cannot help but wonder if a stray round might come my way.

When the wind blows right I can hear it all the way down at the beach - let alone in my house or yard. The fact that my neighbors and I haven't called the police much seems to be being used as an argument by the proponents of the range to say they should be allowed to set up a gun club. I would argue that there is a world of difference between what has been unofficially nodded and winked at and the shooting range they are proposing.

I found proponent Terry Sutherburgs's comments in his letter in support of the range about opponent and seasonal Wigwam Road resident Dan Saevitz not being "considered a resident of the island" and his reference that "20-plus members of the Wigwam group live here a few weeks a year, with a couple of exceptions" to be offensive and incorrect.

There have been 15 or so year-round residents out here for quite a few years, along with their pets, off-island guests, family members and visiting island friends. (I don't imagine I will get too many takers when I invite a friend to take a walk by the ol' shootin' range!)

My seasonal neighbors come here at all times of the year. Certainly more in the summer than the winter but they are universally glad to get here to our little piece of the rock and put the stresses of life on the mainland behind them. Their appreciation for Nantucket is tremendous.

Seasonal residents are a hugely important part of our island life and I find it disturbing when they are belittled. Each one of those seasonal residents brings friends and families to enjoy the beauty of Nantucket - and, by the way, support the local economy.

The constitutional right to keep and bear arms can be argued ad infinitum but I do not believe our Constitution gives anyone the right to disturb the peace of Madaquecham Valley. Isn't there a shooting range on the Vineyard?

- Marshall Thompson