New York paper posts names and addresses of gun owners

[kentonio]

Given that the founders were totally against standing armies and that was one of the reasons for the second amendment in the first place, maybe you should just disband the US military?

[Imran Siddiqui]

You pretty much nailed it. The paper was completely within its rights to do this. And everyone involved in that decision is a complete ****ing *******.

Though, on the other hand, the government can make certain citizen supplied information not available to the public - such as IRS tax returns.

[Felch]

Given that the founders were totally against standing armies and that was one of the reasons for the second amendment in the first place, maybe you should just disband the US military?

Every once in a while you say something that isn't ****ing retarded. Congrats

[regexcellent]

Given that the founders were totally against standing armies and that was one of the reasons for the second amendment in the first place, maybe you should just disband the US military?

I would totally get behind reforming most of the US Army as National Guard units

[Hauldren Collider]

I think only Jefferson really hated standing armies, actually.

[Dr Strangelove]

All gun owner should be enrolled into a "ready reserve militia" and placed under the jurisdiciton of military law.

[MichaeltheGreat]

I would totally get behind reforming most of the US Army as National Guard units

The reason we went to a standing army in the first place is that guard/militia units were as useful as tits on a bull.

[regexcellent]

The reason we went to a standing army in the first place is that guard/militia units were as useful as tits on a bull.

The 29th Infantry, which stormed Omaha beach, was comprised of Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland National Guard units.

They've performed perfectly well since then. We didn't use them in Vietnam for political reasons.

[DinoDoc]

I found this story amusing given the Paper's editorial stance:

The Journal News is Armed and Dangerous
Guns are good for the goose but NOT for the gander.

A Clarkstown police report issued on December 28, 2012, confirmed that The Journal News has hired armed security guards from New City-based RGA Investigations and that they are manning the newspaper’s Rockland County headquarters at 1 Crosfield Ave., West Nyack, through at least tomorrow, Wednesday, January 2, 2013.

According to police reports on public record, Journal News Rockland Editor Caryn A. McBride was alarmed by the volume of “negative correspondence,” namely an avalanche of phone calls and emails to the Journal News office, following the newspaper’s publishing of a map of all pistol permit holders in Rockland and Westchester.

Due to apparent safety concerns, the newspaper then decided to hire RGA Investigations to provide armed personnel to man the location.

Private investigator Richard Ayoob is the administrator of RGA. He told the Clarkstown Police on Friday, December 28 that there had been no problems on site at the Journal News headquarters despite the massive influx of phone calls and emails.

McBride had filed at least two reports with the Clarkstown Police Department due to perceived threats. However, the police did not find the communications in question actually threatening. Incident-Report 2012-00033099 describes McBride telling police she was worried because an email writer wondered “what McBride would get in her mail now.”

Police said the email “did not constitute an offense” and did not contain an actual threat.

The Journal News caused an international stir when they released an interactive map of pistol permit holders names and addresses in Rockland and Westchester counties last Sunday, December 23. The editors have said they believe knowing where guns are is in the public’s interest. The newspaper has also taken a strident editorial position in favor of strict gun control.

Rather than take the map down following the public uproar, the executive board at the Journal News has decided to “stick to their guns” and double-down on their original decision, as they have said a map listing all pistol permit holders in Putnam County will soon to be posted.

[update---Putnam County officials have since announced their intention to not comply with the Journal News' request for the names and addresses of pistol permit holders]

The controversial use of the Freedom of Information Act to create the interactive map may come back to bite the Journal News and others who would prefer that pistol permits remain public record.

New York State Senator Greg Ball has already introduced state legislation to make such records off-limits to the public and Rockland County legislators led by Frank Sparaco (R) will soon introduce a bipartisan-sponsored resolution with a similar intent.

It is not clear whether the negative reaction has threatened the Journal News’ true popularity as a news source. As an anecdotal piece of evidence, the Rockland County Times confirms receiving an influx of new subscribers who stated they cancelled their subscription to the Journal News due to the gun story.

The Rockland County Times has not investigated whether the Journal News’ Westchester County headquarters in White Plains has beefed up security.

[Dauphin]

I found this story amusing given the Paper's editorial stance:

You appreciate irony derived from a quasi prisoner's dilemma.

[Sava]

I still don't understand why people seem to give a **** about what a bunch of pre-industrial slave rapers thought.

[DinoDoc]

Oh won't somebody think of fringe cases!!!

Inmates using newspaper's gun owner map to threaten guards, sheriff says

Law enforcement officials from a New York region where a local paper published a map identifying gun owners say prisoners are using the information to intimidate guards.

Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco, who spoke at a news conference flanked by other county officials, said the Journal News' decision to post an online map of names and addresses of handgun owners Dec. 23 has put law enforcement officers in danger.

"They have inmates coming up to them and telling them exactly where they live. That's not acceptable to me," Falco said, according to Newsday.

Robert Riley, an officer with the White Plains Police Department and president of its Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, agreed.

"You have guys who work in New York City who live up here. Now their names and addresses are out there, too," he said adding that there are 8,000 active and retired NYPD officers currently living in Rockland County.

Local lawmakers also say that they intend to introduce legislation that prevents information about legal gun owners from being released to the public.

The newspaper published the online map last month alongside an article titled, "The gun owner next door: What you don't know about the weapons in your neighborhood." The map included the names and addresses of pistol permit holders in Westchester and Rockland counties obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

While the paper ostensibly sought to make a point about gun proliferation in the wake of the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the effort may have backfired. A blogger reacted with a map showing where key editorial staffers live, and some outraged groups have called for a boycott of parent company Gannett’s national advertisers. Ironically, the newspaper has now stationed armed guards outside at least one of its offices.

More information here

[DaShi]

Desperation is sad.

[DaShi]

Although it does make a good point that many Americans should not be permitted to have firearms.

[Dauphin]

More information here

Not the prisoner's dilemma I was referring to.