In which an allegedly objective media outlet takes a side with criminals and big government, against the law-abiding.
Hundreds of residents in New York’s Westchester and Rockland counties were surprised to find their names and addresses listed on a map posted by The Journal News on Sunday. Users can click any dot on the map to see which of their neighbors has a permit for a gun.
—
All of the names and addresses were compiled through public records. The paper also requested the information from Putnam County, which is still compiling the records for publication, according to The Journal News’ website.
In a statement to ABC News, The Journal News said its readers “are understandably interested to know about guns in their neighborhoods,” because of the conversation about gun control on its website after the shooting in Newtown, Conn., last week.
“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.
Gun owners opposed to registration requirements often cite the possibility that government could one day use that information to confiscate their legally purchased firearms. Here, a local media organization has taken it upon itself to pin what amounts to a scarlet letter on local gun owners. Criminals interested in stealing weapons to use in crimes now have a great map to show them where all the firearms in town are likely to be — and where they’re not. That’s two advantages to criminals, none for the rest of us. Safety for the community has not been enhanced at all, whether that was the newspaper’s intent or not. And it probably wasn’t. The aim was to shame people who have broken now laws but who hold an opinion which media elites disapprove.
Meanwhile, who in the press has the courage to address one obvious fact that has emerged in the wake of the Webster, NY firefighter shootings? Namely, that if we locked up murderers for life (or gave more of them the death penalty), career criminal William Spangler would never have been on the streets at all? Most in the media are quick to reach for your legally purchased gun, but they seldom if ever admit that lax, liberal criminal justice policies put hardened criminals and head cases on our streets every day.
We obviously do an excellent job of keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals…not. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-08-31-criminal-target_N.htm
If we have decided that things may be legal but shunnable, I would like to know who has had an abortion, so that I may shun them in the way this paper wishes gun owners to be shunned. I would also like to know who is a Muslim, and a desire a map for it, less because I wish to shun them, but more to show the paper its hate on an issue.
But then, we knew New York was something of an oligarchic-ran state anyway, didn’t we? Thou shalt not dissent or behave in different ways with impunity.
Other things, this time of a public record nature, that I would like a map of so I can better engage in “conversation” with my fellow citizens–I would like maps showing who is divorced, who is on the public dole, and most especially, who is a felon released from incarceration, whether on parole or not.
The last I especially desire, so that I might both consider how serious to take demands about the laws from a community with a higher concentration of said felons than others, as well, for purely curiosity purposes Iassure you, to compare concentration ratios with precint returns from the election last.
Greetings:
My understanding this the following is some now public and certainly pertinent public information about the intrepidly reporting reporter who apparently is also an owner of a registered firearm.
–Dwight R Worley 23006 139 Ave Springfield Gardens, NY 11413 (718) 527 0832
Greetings:
The following is some now public and certainly pertinent information about the intrepidly reporting reporter who, apparently, is also the registered owner of a firearm.
–Dwight R Worley, 23006 139 Avenue, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413, (718) 527 0832
And may he have a Happy and Productive New Year.
Do you know who often have guns? Women and men who have stalkers, abusive spouses, or others who are after them. Witnesses to crimes who have been threatened. Many of them have to move to new addresses. Addresses much like those just published under their name.
So how many women had to leave their homes on Christmas eve because of this “heroic” act of journalism? How many children spent Christmas in a shelter because of it?
Should be interesting when criminals start stealing these folks guns. Would the paper be liable for putting a target on their address?
Any incedences that happnen becuase of this the reletives or victims should be allowed to bring a lawsuit against then newspaper and its publishers
check out publisher Janet Hasson nice $1.4 million house, 3 Gate House Lane, Mamaroneck, NY 10534. Phone number:(914) 694-5204
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3-Gate-House-Ln-Mamaroneck-NY-10543/33051179_zpid/
Most likely, also listed in the phone book and at the county assessor’s office as public information. Theres virtually nothing that is not for sale by states and local governments as public information. If you want even more personal information and qualify by CRA ‘policy’, you can buy more information about somebody than the FBI maintains, from any of the three credit reporting agencies — and publish it. How somebody uses such public information is subject to regulation and as such cannot use it in any criminal or libelous means.
As for me, I have NO use for the personal public information you published.
Now the criminal which houses to avoid.