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NY Gun Permit Postings

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Dormin111

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I'm not sure if this is a national story, but I live in the affected area and have been hearing a lot about it.

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/20498376/putnam-county-refuses-to-release-pistol-permit-data

The Story -

The Journal News newspaper used FOMA's (Freedom of Information Act requests) to obtain public data on the private addresses of hand gun permit holders in Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York state and publish them in the form of an interactive map. All hand gun permit owners have to give their addresses to a public registry. The map was published in the wake of the Newtown School shooting, likely to intimidate and direct some form of hatred towards local gun owners. The Journal News has also FOMA'ed the same information from Putnam County, but an official in the town has filed a something (not sure if its a law suit, petition, or injunction of some sort) to stop the information from going out. He claims that releasing the information will endanger Putnam County residents. Opponents say the information is public domain and it is technically public information which anyone with a FOMA can access.

Does the Putnam County Official has the right to block the request? Does the public have the right to know who does and doesn't possess guns? Is publishing private addresses in a newspaper an invasion of private property?

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It's absolutely insane; motivated by nothing but the desire to out the gun owners they demonizing. It's obviously irresponsible and these kinds of actions are a small part of the reason that the government shouldn't have this information to start with. I can only imagine that the reason that this information is public record is the malicousness of lawmakers. This is evidenced by a Conneticuit politician who wants to make this kind of thing legal in his state. He hides his motivations, saying he wants to "open the conversation" by passing that law.

I'm glad most of the rest of the country doesn't have any sort of licensing or registration so insanity like this is only possible in a few states, for now.

Edited by oso
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This is certainly an act of incitement which can only backfire. How advertising licensed gun owners helps the public is mystifying. I think a degree of quid quo pro is in order.

A map pointing out women who have received abortions would be a good start.

We really do need to know who is on public, taxpayer funded, assistance.

Where do the six offenders in our neighborhood reside?

These have to be far more relevant than pointing out people who actually obey the law.

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This is certainly an act of incitement which can only backfire. How advertising licensed gun owners helps the public is mystifying. I think a degree of quid quo pro is in order.

A map pointing out women who have received abortions would be a good start.

You either think women who received abortions run this newspaper, or you don't know what quid pro quo means. Either way, some more research is in order.

Edited by Nicky
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Does the public have the right to know who does and doesn't possess guns? Is publishing private addresses in a newspaper an invasion of private property?
I don't see why the general public would have such a right. There is a lot of information that is "public record" which makes no sense to me. For instance, why should the price someone paid for his home be public record that can then be used by companies like Zillow?
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I don't see why the general public would have such a right. There is a lot of information that is "public record" which makes no sense to me. For instance, why should the price someone paid for his home be public record that can then be used by companies like Zillow?

All government held information, except for sensitive information related to national security, should be public record, because that is the only means citizens have of holding government accountable.

Whether the government should have this information to begin with, on the other hand, is doubtful. Even if they were to wish to do background checks on people purchasing certain kinds of weapons, there is no reason to keep a permanent record of those checks. I think there are states which require such records to be destroyed as soon as the approval procedure is completed, precisely to protect privacy: the privacy of citizens from the government, that is, not the other way around.

P.S. I'm not saying it it's immoral for the newspaper to publish these names and addreses, just that, as long as they exist, they should have access to them. A moral way to use the FOIA would be for journalists to request information, but only publish evidence of irregularities and corruption (i.e. favoritism in handing out permits).

Also, I don't think Zillow relies on FOIA. I'm thinking their data is more likely published by the government itself. There is a difference between publishing information, and making it available to select individuals, when requested. The latter is far less likely to help criminals (who would not make a request that stays on record, to aid in their criminal activities). And there's no reason why this newspaper shouldn't be held liable if their actions do result in robberies.

Edited by Nicky
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I don't see why the general public would have such a right. There is a lot of information that is "public record" which makes no sense to me. For instance, why should the price someone paid for his home be public record that can then be used by companies like Zillow?

They're not disclosing anything that isn't already made available by the government to everyone who wants to know. They aren't selected either. You can get any sales record as well as the names of owners for any property simply by walking into the Assessors office. You can even see the plot plans and surveying blueprints and get copies of them for any property...

...or use Google Earth. ;)

Edited by moralist
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http://newyork.newsday.com/news/nation/journal-news-gun-permit-map-used-by-burglars-to-target-white-plains-home-1.4441678

A White Plains residence pinpointed on a controversial handgun permit database was burglarized Saturday, and the burglars' target was the homeowner's gun safe.

At least two burglars broke into a home on Davis Avenue at 9:30 p.m. Saturday but were unsuccessful in an attempt to open the safe, which contained legally owned weapons, according to a law enforcement source. One suspect was taken into custody, the source said.

Police are investigating what role, if any, the database played in the burglars' decision to target the home, the law enforcement source said.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Journal News is gonna be bankrupt within the year. There's no way they'll survive the lawsuits, if this keeps happening.

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http://newyork.newsd...-home-1.4441678

I have a sneaking suspicion that Journal News is gonna be bankrupt within the year. There's no way they'll survive the lawsuits, if this keeps happening.

That could be considered a hunch for going short on a stock. The Gannett Company, estimated worth of about 4.4 billion, might give quite a run for the money on that stance. Edited by dream_weaver
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