Thank you, Yvonne Abraham, for your column calling out the vile attacks against Attorney General Maura Healey (“AG faces sexist, antigay slurs after imposing gun ban,’’ Metro, July 30). We are chairs of Democratic city and town committees in Western Massachusetts writing in support of the attorney general’s action to close the loopholes that omitted virtually identical, but not specifically named, firearms in the assault weapons ban. Her common sense move enforces laws already on the books, laws that would remove deadly assault weapons from our streets.

Like Abraham, we also decry and condemn the sexist and homophobic attacks on the Attorney General. It is one thing to disagree with the actions of a public servant, even passionately care about those differences, but quite another to stoop to the level of ignorant personalized attacks. It would appear the attackers are so blinded with rage they are incapable of communicating disagreement in a rational way. It is precisely that level of irrationality, anger, and perceived imperviousness that makes ownership of these types of guns dangerous.

Elizabeth Silver

Northampton

Laurie Garcia Easthampton

Ray Drewnowski

Holyoke

Robert Pam Amherst

Janet Cain Southampton

Barbara Magnuson

S. Hadley