Website Posts List of New York City Gun Owners

[KansDem]

Source: Democracy Now!

The website Gawker is sparking controversy for posting the names of every licensed gun owner in New York City. The list was obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request from the New York City Police Department. It is 446 pages long and appears to include the names of Fox News chief Roger Ailes and Fox host Sean Hannity, as well as radio host Don Imus and business magnate Donald Trump. The Gawker story also notes that the names of 1.2 million New Yorkers licensed to own guns — and many of their addresses — have been available online for over two years. Gawker’s move comes after the New York paper The Journal News faced a massive backlash for publishing the names and addresses of gun owners in New York’s Westchester and Rockland counties and posting maps of their locations online. The newspaper had to hire armed guards to monitor its offices after a torrent of threatening emails and phone calls.


Read more: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/10/headlines#11014

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Roger Ailes?
Sean Hannity?

Listen to Sean on Roger's FOX News denouncing gun control because OJ killed with a knife and not a gun:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/hannity-panel-explodes-over-gun-control-debate-just-please-shut-up/

[L0oniX]

1. Well this will only help make gun owners fight against registration. n/t

[Daemonaquila]

2. No kidding, and for good reason.

It doesn't matter whether it's publishing the personal contact info of all abortion providers and their staff, or this - it's simply a mean spirited invasion of privacy meant to harass and intimidate. It also delegitimizes the message of the people and their organizations who do it.

[kestrel91316]

13. Guns have to be registered and that registry is public.

Like the RW tells us endlessly, there is no such thing as a right to privacy in the Constitution. It's a concept manufactured by "activist judges".

Suck up and deal with it, folks.

[KansDem]

7. I was under the impression that when one bought a gun...

...and underwent the waiting period while the buyer's background was checked, that that person's name was registered with the state.

Is this not correct?

[slackmaster]

10. Background check yes, waiting period and registration not in most places

[sir pball]

11. No, that is not correct.

In the states that do require licensing, the license is obtained separately and prior to any firearms purchases (AFAIK, I've never possessed firearms where I would need a license). The firearm itself is registered, again only in areas where required, at the time of purchase.

Most states and municipalities require none of the above, however. Not licensing, registration, or waiting periods. Every firearm I've purchased from a dealer involved waiting a few minutes for the NICS instant check to clear and taking possession on the spot.

[KansDem]

20. I purchased a handgun in the late 1970s

A Ruger, single-shot revolver. I bought it mainly to understand more about handguns. This was in California and I thought I paid for it and filled out a form. Then I waited a few days and returned to the sporting goods store to pick it up. I could be wrong as this was 35 years ago.

I was under the impression that my name was placed on a list maintained by the state; I thought this was the "registration process."

I sold the Ruger to a friend a couple of years later and understood at the time that I was to notify California that I no longer owned that handgun. I'm not sure if I was supposed to identify the buyer.

I just don't remember.

[sir pball]

22. In California, yes. Not most other states.

Owner licensing/firearms registration is a state-level issue. There are no Federal laws regarding it; the majority of states have no such policies regarding handguns and even fewer require it for long guns (IIRC only CA, IL and MA, plus some cities).

NYS requires handgun ownership licenses and NYC requires licensing for all firearms, so publishing lists is possible there - but most places only have concealed carry permit records, if that.

[BainsBane]

3. Not a good idea

for the reasons stated in previous posts. And no one can accuse me of being pro-gun. The last thing you want to do is discourage people from registering their guns.

[Renew Deal]

4. I have mixed feelings about this

It is public information, so there is nothing wrong with it. But how would you feel if you AREN'T on the list?

[mwooldri]

23. Delighted, actually.

If I'm on some list showing I actually own a gun, now that would be disconcerting. I hope now and forever my name will never appear on any list of people owning firearms. I will never purchase a gun, and I have no plans to change this position.

I strongly believe this information needs to be made public. Anyone who wants to can learn what vehicles I own, what real estate property I own - that's all in the public record. We also make public information the names and addresses of former felons of certain crimes (especially of sex-related crimes).

Maybe that should be an executive order - that all local government authorities are to maintain a database of who owns firearms in their county.

[cheyanne]

5. Irony of gun owners whining

Since the ostensible reason to own guns is to protection, you'd think that gun owners would be happy to let everyone know they are ready to respond. Isn't that suppose to deter criminals? The public information of their ownership should make them and their neighbors feel safer . . .

that they don't feel safer shows how specious their argument is. Do they really think that people who want gun control will come after them with guns? They should be able to stand up to some public indignation.

[SpartanDem]

16. No it's not going to deter criminals

doing things like putting "this house protected by Smith and Wesson" stickers is actually considered by knowledgeable gun owners to be stupid. The last things you want to say is 1) I have a gun you can try stealing or 2) if you're going rob me make sure you come armed.

[Leopolds Ghost]

6. Invasion of privacy is the number one hurdle to the idea of registering gun owners

That is why I prefer the far more sensible approach of regulating guns themselves.

[slackmaster]

8. That's fucked up like a football bat

[4Q2u2]

9. Unintended Consequences:

New York Prison Guards state that convicts have been threatening Guards letting them know prisoners now know where they and their families live. All this might have been public information, but it enable ease of access thus expanding the pool of unwanted individuals having that info.

[obamanut2012]

17. I think about women (and men) being stalked

Or hiding from an abuser, who have a gun, CCW, whatever, and now the abuser knows where they live.

Many states don't release DMV info for the same reason., stemming from Rebecca Schaeffer's murder.

[sir pball]

12. Talk about whacking a hornet's nest

NYC firearms owners, particularly CCW permitees, include a lot of extremely famous, wealthy, well-connected and influential people who might not take kindly to having this information shoved into the spotlight...just sayin'.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. Oh noes! All the lazy stalkers who are really stalky but haven't checked public databases

will now have a way to find their victims! The victims who are in deep hiding from the lazy stalkers, but, of course, using their own names (their stalkers being rather lazy, after all)!

Oh, terrible, terrible!

[obamanut2012]

18. Your mocking of people being stalked is distasteful

As well as those hiding from abusers. It's obvious you have never had this happen to your or a loved one, and if you say you have, I won't believe you, because if so, you wouldn't mock them.

Just wow.

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. Oh please

You know damn well that I'm not mocking people being stalked, but rather the very cynical, disturbing, and downright stupid USE of people being stalked for the piddling purpose of making arguments by gun nut assholes. But you already knew that, as does any honest person reading my post.

[obamanut2012]

21. Yes, you are -- no "oh please"

You could have made your point another way. But you already knew that.

It is terrifying to be stalked and harassed by an abuser, no matter who you are. You have no idea how horrible it is.

Mock those you disagree with in a way that doesn't also mock victims.

[Remmah2]

15. The solution is easy.

Post the names and home addresses of all the politicians. Wait a minute, they get to have police cars sit in front of their houses.