Anti-Gun Newspaper Outs Law-Abiding Gun Owners

[frazod]

If this is buried somewhere, I didn't see it. Don't really give a shit if it's a repost, either.

http://www.lohud.com/usatoday/article/1791507

N.Y. newspaper's gun-owner database draws criticism

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Thousands of people have taken to their computers and phones in rage after The Journal News posted an online database of local gun-permit holders.

The database, legally obtained from the County Clerks' Offices through a Freedom of Information Act request made after the shootings in Sandy Hook, Conn., that left 20 children and eight adults dead, has been called irresponsible, dangerous and leaning toward intimidation by online pundits.

Social media played a big part in the exponential spread of the story, whose map has been recommended more than 20,000 times. Two Facebo

Numerous additional comments relating to the gun-permit map have appeared on posts in other unrelated articles. More than a dozen more people sent private messages via Facebook objecting to the map. The overwhelming majority of comments strongly object to the article.ok posts linking to the article on Sunday garnered 346 comments as of Tuesday evening. That's in addition to 167 comments posted directly to Facebook.com/LoHud since the article was published.

The database also was mentioned in the Drudge Report, Memorandum.com, Breitbart.com, Thegatewaypundit.com, Instapundit, iOwnTheWorld.com and UrbanGrounds, along with Yahoo, ABC News and Fox News, among others.

More than 500 comments -- on both sides of the debate -- accompanied an article on CNN.com Tuesday.

The Journal News is owned by Gannett Co. Inc., which is also the parent company of USA TODAY.

Hundreds of callers have complained, claiming publication of the database put their safety at risk or violated their privacy. Others claimed publication was illegal. Many of the callers were vitriolic and some threatened members of the newspaper staff.

"New York residents have the right to own guns with a permit and they also have a right to access public information," said Janet Hasson, president and publisher of The Journal News Media Group.

Robert Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government and an expert in the state's Freedom of Information law, has said all government records and data are presumed public unless a specific statute bars their release. Names and addresses are specifically deemed public records, he said.

This is not the first time The Journal News has been criticized for publishing information about gun permits. A similar article in 2006 received similar responses, although social media did not play as large a part in the spread of the article or of the complaints.

"We knew publication of the database would be controversial, but we felt sharing as much information as we could about gun ownership in our area was important in the aftermath of the Newtown shootings," said CynDee Royle, editor and vice president/news.

"People are concerned about who owns guns and how many of them there are in their neighborhoods," she said. "Our Freedom of Information request also sought specifics on how many and what types of weapons people owned. That portion of the request was denied."

Scott F. Williams, 41, of Haddon Heights, N.J., who served in the Marines as a rifleman, was one of the very few callers who agreed to identify themselves and comment on why they called.

"This is what I see," he said. "It's all in the context of the shootings in Newtown ... it gets us all talking about gun control. That people are at a heightened concern makes sense to me. I am a gun owner and a pro-Second-Amendment (person). I try to be rational." He called the newspaper's decision to link to the database "highly Orwellian."

"The implications are mind-boggling," he said. "It's as if gun owners are sex offenders (and) to own a handgun risks exposure as if one is a sex offender. It's, in my mind, crazy."

*****

Welcome to the Peoples Republik of New York, kids. Frankly, I don't know what's worse - the fact that this ****ing liberal rag actually did this, or the fact that some dumbass government official felt it was appropriate to release the information. Outing law abiding citizens guilty of nothing but exercising their constitutional rights - what a disgusting, despicable, dangerous abuse of power and betrayal of the public trust. Sane people don't advertise to their neighbors that they own guns - they don't flash them in the window, they don't have GUNS HERE INQUIRE WITHIN signs in their yards. Just like conceal carry, anonymity is important here. Now any punk who clicks on this site will know where they can go steal a gun. It essentially rings the dinner bell for them - just find a remote house on this list, and if nobody's home, break in and start looking. I guess if these gun owners didn't have alarm systems before, they'd better get one now. And so much for leaving your pistol in the nightstand - now you'll need an expensive safe. Thank God most thieving scumbags who'd steal guns don't read the news (or anything else), but surely somebody's going to take advantage of this, and when it happens, I sure as hell hope these ****ing vermin are held accountable for their irresponsible actions.

If my name and address was on this list..... well, my reaction sure as **** wouldn't be a sternly-worded e-mail.

But of course, these vile twats will hide behind the First Amendment. Gotta love people shitting on Constitution and then hiding behind it when the outrage hits.

And that idiot Direckshun had the balls to complain about the money the NRA raises, when the opposition has the ability to pull crap like this.

[Aries Walker]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

You need to delete the "more so" part. Knowing who doesn't have a gun, more likely could to more dangerous crimes than a tp'd yard.

It's malicious, not ignorant, it's targeting a specific person, and - though I don't think it's likely - it's possible it could end up in targeted violence towards to guy. Hence, it might be even more irresponsible, which is why the moreso.

[rockymtnchief]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

It's malicious, not ignorant, it's targeting a specific person, and - though I don't think it's likely - it's possible it could end up in targeted violence towards to guy. Hence, it might be even more irresponsible, which is why the moreso.

But...it's public information! Public information should be in the papers!

So it's ok to post where the gun owners are, but not the author?

[Shaid]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I tend to agree with this. They pretty much just announced to any would-be thiefs looking for guns, where they need to go.

yep, that was my first thought. Hey criminals, look who has guns!

[RNR]

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

But...it's public information! Public information should be in the papers!

So it's ok to post where the gun owners are, but not the author?

No shit, if you want to take a chickenshit stance publishing law abiding citizens personal information for no other reason than to sell you paper then do not cry when the tables are turned~

[Aries Walker]

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

But...it's public information! Public information should be in the papers!

So it's ok to post where the gun owners are, but not the author?

Not what I said. I said they both stink.

[listopencil]

Newspaper That Printed Gun Owner Names Hires Armed Guards

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...-armed-guards/




The New York newspaper that printed a map with all of the names of residents who have handgun permits has hired armed security to patrol its headquarters.

The Journal News, which covers Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam Counties in New York, faced a backlash from readers after publishing the names of residents who had handgun permits registered to their names. The newspaper created an interactive map which showed permit owners’ names and addresses, which they posted on Dec. 23, 2011, as part of their coverage of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting.

The Gannett-owned paper received a wave of angry comments in which readers published the names and addresses of reporters and editors at the paper.

Caryn McBride, the Rockland editor for the newspaper, filed a report with the Clarkstown police about the “negative correspondence” received by the newspaper in response to the map.

On Dec. 28, she reported that she received an email from an unknown sender who wrote that he “wondered what McBride would get in her mail now.”

The email did not contain any specific threats, and did not constitute an offense, according to a Clarkstown police report obtained by ABC News.

The report also noted that RGA Investigations, a private security firm, had been hired by the paper to perform security services in the wake of the controversy.

The company’s “employees are armed and will be on site during business hours through at least January 2, 2013,” the report said.

No security problems have been reported at the newspaper’s offices.

The Journal News did not return messages seeking comment. They previously released a statement to ABC News defending their decision to publish the map.

“We obtained the names and addresses of Westchester and Rockland residents who are licensed to own handguns through routine Freedom of Information law requests. We also requested information on the number and types of guns owned by permit holders, but officials in the county clerks offices in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties maintained that those specifics were not public record,” the statement read.

[RNR]

Originally Posted by listopencil

Newspaper That Printed Gun Owner Names Hires Armed Guards

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...-armed-guards/




The New York newspaper that printed a map with all of the names of residents who have handgun permits has hired armed security to patrol its headquarters.

The Journal News, which covers Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam Counties in New York, faced a backlash from readers after publishing the names of residents who had handgun permits registered to their names. The newspaper created an interactive map which showed permit owners’ names and addresses, which they posted on Dec. 23, 2011, as part of their coverage of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting.

The Gannett-owned paper received a wave of angry comments in which readers published the names and addresses of reporters and editors at the paper.

Caryn McBride, the Rockland editor for the newspaper, filed a report with the Clarkstown police about the “negative correspondence” received by the newspaper in response to the map.

On Dec. 28, she reported that she received an email from an unknown sender who wrote that he “wondered what McBride would get in her mail now.”

The email did not contain any specific threats, and did not constitute an offense, according to a Clarkstown police report obtained by ABC News.

The report also noted that RGA Investigations, a private security firm, had been hired by the paper to perform security services in the wake of the controversy.

The company’s “employees are armed and will be on site during business hours through at least January 2, 2013,” the report said.

No security problems have been reported at the newspaper’s offices.

The Journal News did not return messages seeking comment. They previously released a statement to ABC News defending their decision to publish the map.

“We obtained the names and addresses of Westchester and Rockland residents who are licensed to own handguns through routine Freedom of Information law requests. We also requested information on the number and types of guns owned by permit holders, but officials in the county clerks offices in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties maintained that those specifics were not public record,” the statement read.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by listopencil

Newspaper That Printed Gun Owner Names Hires Armed Guards

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...-armed-guards/




The New York newspaper that printed a map with all of the names of residents who have handgun permits has hired armed security to patrol its headquarters.

The Journal News, which covers Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam Counties in New York, faced a backlash from readers after publishing the names of residents who had handgun permits registered to their names. The newspaper created an interactive map which showed permit owners’ names and addresses, which they posted on Dec. 23, 2011, as part of their coverage of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting.

The Gannett-owned paper received a wave of angry comments in which readers published the names and addresses of reporters and editors at the paper.

Caryn McBride, the Rockland editor for the newspaper, filed a report with the Clarkstown police about the “negative correspondence” received by the newspaper in response to the map.

On Dec. 28, she reported that she received an email from an unknown sender who wrote that he “wondered what McBride would get in her mail now.”

The email did not contain any specific threats, and did not constitute an offense, according to a Clarkstown police report obtained by ABC News.

The report also noted that RGA Investigations, a private security firm, had been hired by the paper to perform security services in the wake of the controversy.

The company’s “employees are armed and will be on site during business hours through at least January 2, 2013,” the report said.

No security problems have been reported at the newspaper’s offices.

The Journal News did not return messages seeking comment. They previously released a statement to ABC News defending their decision to publish the map.

“We obtained the names and addresses of Westchester and Rockland residents who are licensed to own handguns through routine Freedom of Information law requests. We also requested information on the number and types of guns owned by permit holders, but officials in the county clerks offices in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties maintained that those specifics were not public record,” the statement read.

It's slightly ironic, that the anti-gun newspaper had to hire armed guards in order to make themselves feel safe...

[frazod]

Originally Posted by Fish

It's slightly ironic, that the anti-gun newspaper had to hire armed guards in order to make themselves feel safe...

I wonder if the goons they hired are identified on their shitty little interactive map?

Probably not.

[RNR]

Originally Posted by frazod

I wonder if the goons they hired are identified on their shitty little interactive map?

Probably not.

They mean armed with cell phones I am sure. They have made it clear guns are bad and not needed. Those guards will call the police if someone needs protection~

[frazod]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

They mean armed with cell phones I am sure. They have made it clear guns are bad and not needed. Those guards will call the police if someone needs protection~

You forgot Liberal Douche Rule No. 1 - do as I say, not as I do.

I also find it interesting that these pricks never respond to questions/interview requests posed by other media people. They just issue statements.

Just like our pals at Westboro.

[RNR]

Originally Posted by frazod

You forgot Liberal Douche Rule No. 1 - do as I say, not as I do.

I also find it interesting that these pricks never respond to questions/interview requests posed by other media people. They just issue statements.

Just like our pals at Westboro.

Trust me they are just playing this out. Oh my gosh we were just reporting the news and these evil gun owners are so scary

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by frazod

Those of us who aren't on ****ing welfare leave our homes occasionally - you know, jobs and such. When that happens, and nobody's home, well, a smart person could figure it out. I guess I'll write it off as one of life's great mysteries for you.

Doesn't the NRA bumper sticker give it away?

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by frazod

You forgot Liberal Douche Rule No. 1 - do as I say, not as I do.

Who did as they said not to do?

[frazod]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Doesn't the NRA bumper sticker give it away?

I don't have an NRA (or any other) bumper sticker on my car.

Try again, Spanky.