posted 01-24-2014 01:51 PM                  

Question for any attorneys on this site. Do we have any legal action that we can take against Civitas Media not just to stop the list but if we become targets because of it.?

Newspaper chain plans 'state-by-state' concealed weapon databases

By Joshua Rhett Miller /
Published January 24, 2014 /
FoxNews.com

Who has permits to carry concealed weapons is public record, but critics say publishing databases serves no journalistic purpose and can put people at risk. #AP#

A national newspaper chain with nearly 100 publications and 1.6 million readers is considering building “state-by-state databases” on concealed weapons permit holders, according to an internal e-mail.

The plan, laid out in an email from a top editor at North Carolina-based Civitas Media, could be similar to a controversial project a New York state newspaper carried out in 2012 which included an online map that identified gun owners in two counties by name and address. Civitas' database project was detailed the plan in a Jan. 19 e-mail to newsrooms in 11 states, including Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The newest project "examines the explosion of ‘conceal and carry’ gun permits across the U.S.,” wrote Jim Lawitz, Civitas’ director of content, in an e-mail first obtained by the Buckeye Firearms Association. “Through public records act requests, we will attempt to build state-by-state databases that list those who have the right to carry a concealed weapon.”

"They’re saying they’re not going to publish the list, but once the list is compiled, what are they going to do with it?"

- Chad Baus, Buckeye Firearms Association

Lawitz downplayed the email when reached early Friday by FoxNews.com.

“In news organizations, a variety of ideas routinely are discussed, researched and planned, which may or may not result in published work,” Lawitz said. “Typically we do not publicly comment on internal proprietary communication. However, we have no plans to publish any lists or databases of people’s names on conceal and carry.”

Lawitz declined further comment.

Civitas Media, according to its website, employs more than 1,400 people and publishes 35 daily and 63 weekly publications for a combined circulation of more than 1.6 million.

Chad Baus, secretary of the Buckeye Firearms Association, told FoxNews.com he received the email from a confidential source within the company who was “concerned” about the media group’s plans. Whatever the intention behind the proposed databases, Baus said he wants the effort stopped.

“The goal is to raise awareness because each and every time a newspaper organization does this type of thing, the public reacts very strongly to it,” Baus said. “And yes, we do want it stopped. They’re saying they’re not going to publish the list, but once the list is compiled, what are they going to do with it?”

The database, if indeed created according to the internal email obtained by Baus, would be used to further “demonize gun owners,” he said.

“There’s no other purpose for creating these lists but to target and victimize gun owners,” Baus told FoxNews.com.

As a gun owner himself, Baus isn’t concerned with potentially becoming a target for would-be burglars, but others may not feel the same way, he said.

“There are many people who choose for that information not to be public, whether for employment reasons or family politics,” he said. “Many law-abiding people don’t want that information to be public.”

The New York project, by the Gannett-owned Journal News, angered Second Amendment advocates across the country, who said it was an effort to stigmatize legal gun owners. Some law enforcement officials also complained the interactive map, published with an article entitled "The gun owner next door: What you don't know about the weapons in your neighborhood," provided burglars with a roadmap of which homes to avoid and which ones to hit.

The newspaper nevertheless defended the decision to publish the material, obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

"The massacre in Newtown remains top-of-mind for many of our readers," a statement said. "In the past week, conversation on our opinion pages and on our website, LoHud.com, has been keenly focused on gun control.

"Our readers are understandably interested to know about guns in their neighborhoods. We obtained the names and addresses of Westchester and Rockland residents who are licensed to own handguns through routine Freedom of Information law public-records requests."

Michael Hammond, legislative counsel for the Gun Owners of America, said he believes Civitas Media will ultimately publish the databases, despite Lawitz’s statement to FoxNews.com.

“Why would a newspaper chain go to the trouble of compiling a list if they had no interest in publishing it?” he said. “Isn’t that what newspapers do? It’s clear that this newspaper chain doesn’t intend to do [gun owners] good.”

National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said the project serves no journalistic purpose.

“There is no legitimate need for any news organization to compile a list of law-abiding citizens who have concealed carry permits,” Arulanandam told FoxNews.com. “There are serious security concerns. For example, some people who have carry permits have stalkers and these news organizations are essentially providing a lighted pathway to the homes of these individuals.”

posted 01-24-2014 03:18 PM                  

quote:

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Originally posted by Michael Pond:
This could have an adverse effect for people who don't have a permit. Lets the crooks see which people are the most vulnerable and pose less risk.

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posted 01-24-2014 05:49 PM                  

generally speaking, the obtaining of a license from the government is publically available information....no less than if you want a list of all licensed plumbers.

i certainly cannot speak for all states, but obtaining this information can generally be had by filling out a request under the freedom of information statutes in a given state. In indiana, the government can charge you a couple of bucks for the information, but must give it to you. i am not aware of any license that would be exempt from that type of disclosure.

posted 01-25-2014 08:20 AM                  

The latest Murder Statistics for the world:

Murders per 100,000 citizens per year.

Honduras 91.6 (WOW!!)
El Salvador 69.2
Cote d'lvoire 56.9
Jamaica 52.2
Venezuela 45.1
Belize 41.4
US Virgin Islands 39.2
Guatemala 38.5
Saint Kitts and Nevis 38.2
Zambia 38.0
Uganda 36.3
Malawi 36.0
Lesotho 35.2
Trinidad and Tobago 35.2
Colombia 33.4
South Africa 31.8
Congo 30.8
Central African Republic 29.3
Bahamas 27.4
Puerto Rico 26.2
Saint Lucia 25.2
Dominican Republic 25.0
Tanzania 24.5
Sudan 24.2
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22.9
Ethiopia 22.5
Guinea 22.5
Dominica 22.1
Burundi 21.7
Democratic Republic of the Congo 21.7
Panama 21.6
Brazil 21.0
Equatorial Guinea 20.7
Guinea-Bissau 20.2
Kenya 20.1
Kyrgyzstan 20.1
Cameroon 19.7
Montserrat 19.7
Greenland 19.2
Angola 19.0
Guyana 18.6
Burkina Faso 18.0
Eritrea 17.8
Namibia 17.2
Rwanda 17.1
Mexico 16.9
Chad 15.8
Ghana 15.7
Ecuador 15.2
North Korea 15.2
Benin 15.1
Sierra Leone 14.9
Mauritania 14.7
Botswana 14.5
Zimbabwe 14.3
Gabon 13.8
Nicaragua 13.6
French Guiana 13.3
Papua New Guinea 13.0
Swaziland 12.9
Bermuda 12.3
Comoros 12.2
*****ia 12.2
Cape Verde 11.6
Grenada 11.5
Paraguay 11.5
Barbados 11.3
Togo 10.9
Gambia 10.8
Peru 10.8
Myanmar 10.2
Russia 10.2
Liberia 10.1
Costa Rica 10.0
Nauru 9.8
Bolivia 8.9
Mozambique 8.8
Kazakhstan 8.8
Senegal 8.7
Turks and Caicos Islands 8.7
Mongolia 8.7
British Virgin Islands 8.6
Cayman Islands 8.4
Seychelles 8.3
Madagascar 8.1
Indonesia 8.1
Mali 8.0
Pakistan 7.8
Moldova 7.5
Kiribati 7.3
Guadeloupe 7.0
Haiti 6.9
Timor-Leste 6.9
Anguilla 6.8
Antigua and Barbuda 6.8
Lithuania 6.6
Uruguay 5.9
Philippines 5.4
Ukraine 5.2
Estonia 5.2
Cuba 5.0
Belarus 4.9
Thailand 4.8
Suriname 4.6
Laos 4.6
Georgia 4.3
Martinique 4.2
And .............................................
The United States 4.2 !!!!!!!!!!!!

ALL (109) of the countries above the US have 100% gun bans.

It might be of interest to note that SWITZERLAND is not shown on this list
because it has NO MURDER OCCURRENCE!

However, SWITZERLAND 'S law requires that EVERYONE:
1. Own a gun.
2. Maintain Marksman qualifications .... regularly.

Did you learn anything from this??

The message is - loud and clear - that gun bans and restrictions DO NOT work!

posted 01-25-2014 12:13 PM                  

CNN is saying Africa is full of young males , in gangs,running into villages raping and terrorizing women and children, they reported no one could figure out how to stop this from happening

posted 01-25-2014 01:41 PM                  

A few countries they missed and I don't know what their status is on gun control.

Sweeden
Norway
Finland
France
United Kingdom
Switzerland
Canada
Germany
Poland
Italy
China
Japan
Vietnam
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Turkey
Australia