REVENGE

Journos for Paper That Published Gun Owners' Addresses Get Outed

A Connecticut lawyer has posted personal info on over 50 of the paper's staff

Dec 27, 2012 by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t +

Image: Politix

The New York paper that brazenly published the names and addresses of gun owners in two NYC area counties just got its comeuppance.

Gregory Ferenstein at TechCrunch reports on the impending "transparency arms race," which has now resulted in the names and home addresses of staff for the Journal News being outed for all the world to see. Connecticut lawyer Christopher Fountain posted the information on December 24th, detailing not only the private residencies of JN's journalists, but their personal interests too - gardening, cooking, sports - as revealed by credit card data. Going into sarcasm mode, Fountain even wishes the paper's editor, Janet Hasson, a very satisfying holiday: "Janet, you have a great Christmas Eve."

It's a tit-for-tat move Ferenstein believes challenges the idea that radical transparency is an aid to democratic civility.

"The promise of open data was supposed to lead to open-minded discussion," he writes. "It appears that transparency lends itself equally to being both a tool of democracy or a partisan weapon."

Via TechCrunch.

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?	Is radical transparency a threat to democratic civility?

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Yes, it's a shame

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No, not really

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Who says democracy is civil?

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205 Comments (view in Forum)

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Dec '12

Phreakwars

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So they were outed... big deal, unlike the gun nuts, they don't live in fear.
- B6 • Vote Up r59 Replies
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Dec '12

sittinduck

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Well I'm one of your so called gun nuts, and I can assure you I don't live in fear.
- B17 • Vote Up
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@sittinduck Post
Dec '12
Comment removed for Engagement Etiquette violation. Replies may also be deleted.
Dec '12

bsking

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@sittinduck don't feed the trolls.
- B8 • Vote Up
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@bsking Post
Dec '12

mimi57

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@bsking AGREE !!!
- B5 • Vote Up
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@mimi57 Post
Dec '12

sittinduck

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@Phreakwars I'm a hunter, but I also have a carry license which I have every right to have. If you don't like guns I suggest you don't buy them, but tell me I can't have guns. I'm not crazy or a coward.
- B12 • Vote Up
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Dec '12

bsking

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this is exactly what those "journalists"needed. . now watch the media cry a river about how unfair that was, and an invasion of privacy.
- B10 • Vote Up r28 Replies
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Dec '12

Phreakwars

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Watch them NOT cry a river, unlike the cry baby permit owners.
- B1 • Vote Up
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@Phreakwars Post
Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@Phreakwars Exactly, for a bunch of armed macho men they do cry a lot for nothing. Publish the addresses, who cares.
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@PoliticalSpice Post
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Dec '12

tomincali

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should put signs out for those unarmed,start here we have no weapons.
- B2 • Vote Up
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@tomincali Post
Dec '12

Vance1

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@PoliticalSpice
I hope the cops feel that way when you require them.."Who Cares"
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@Vance1 Post
Dec '12

Vance1

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Amen Bro.
The left only appreciates this stuff when it benefits them.
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@Vance1 Post
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Dec '12

PNWest

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I want someone to publish the home addresses of Supreme Court Justices and CEO's of Fortune 500 companies.
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Dec '12

Neo_NtheMatrix

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An avid lifetime OWS member would want that information.
- B1 • Vote Up
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@Neo_NtheMatrix Post
Dec '12

PNWest

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@Neo_NtheMatrix Possibly. What does that have to do with me?
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@PNWest Post
Dec '12

martydotcom

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the info is readily available if you're willing to put in the time.
Given the name of CEO and headquarters location a search of local public records will reveal all the info other than phone #s Real estate deed is recorded, school and property taxes are public records and in most Blue states where corp headquarters tend to be located available on line. Had a friend who owned a title insurance biz. Given 30 min and in non Internet posted states a credit card to pay for a search fee his staff could find any one.
Here is how difficult to find the address some one famous like Bill

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/speci...
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@martydotcom Post
Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@martydotcom ahh, but you left out justices of the dupreme court...
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Dec '12

martydotcom

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@PoliticalSpice found this ineresting letter
http://www.velvetrevolution.us/images/Clarenc...
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Dec '12

WMCOL

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Technology is driving transparency today. The information has always been public and available. Used to be one had to go into the various Court Houses and search records and most didn't know how, but now just sit at computer and anyone can do it. Only thing that is gonna change is information will become more readily available. The world will become like one big happy family.
- B Vote Up r3 Replies
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Dec '12

Malitia_Man

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Thanks to technology, transparency can go both ways!!!

Link:
http://1389blog.com/2012/12/26/home-addresses...
- B2 • Vote Up
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@Malitia_Man Post
Dec '12

paperdragons81

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@Malitia_Man they reaped what they sowed..lol
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@paperdragons81 Post
Dec '12

Malitia_Man

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@paperdragons81

Tell me about!!! My hats off to whoever had the wits to turn the table on these idiots by publishing their home addresses on the Internet!!! I liked that they even put their phone #'s out there!!!
- B1 • Vote Up
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@Malitia_Man Post
Dec '12
Comment removed for Engagement Etiquette violation. Replies may also be deleted.
Dec '12

Neo_NtheMatrix

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Payback. Let's see how the media likes it's own tactics. Don't cry now!
- B1 • Vote Up r17 Replies
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u
Dec '12

Phreakwars

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The media won't care. It's called free speech, now they get to laugh at the gun nuts for sniveling and whining about it.
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@Phreakwars Post
Dec '12

kathyparsell

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@Phreakwars
Just wondering how many "gun nuts" you actually know? You keep talking about gun owners crying, when in fact it is the people opposed to guns that started this whole conversation after the tragedy in Newtown, CT.

I am asking you seriously if you think any meaningful discourse about guns can ever happen with people throwing outrageous labels at gun owners. Sure there are "gun nuts" and I know that some probably shouldn't be allowed to own a gun, but we're never going to get anywhere fast by generalizing or calling people names.
- B3 • Vote Up
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@kathyparsell Post
Dec '12

Neo_NtheMatrix

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@kathyparsell - The left loves throwing around insults.
- B2 • Vote Up
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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Who is crying, its your people who are the cry babies. They were pitching fits about having the names of gun owners published. Like cry babies. I thought only adults were allowed to own guns. I cry not a tear. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Dec '12

artjeb

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@PoliticalSpice It seems that YOU do a lot of crying. Go back & read some of your posts
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Dec '12

jessejaymes

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"Tech wars" One country attacks another trying to shut down their banking. Another country (US) tries to shut down Iran's nuclear centrifuges. The govt doesn't have anything better to do than read our emails. China is making people use their real names to stop people from being so rude. It is what it is..........The end of the world as we know it.......and I feel fine.
- B1 • Vote Up
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Dec '12

kathyparsell

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Tit for tat. The real problem is that gun opponents feel that they have any right to try and intimidate legal gun owners, why don't they publish the names and addresses of gang members or of people actually convicted of crimes involving guns. Oh, I guess that would take intelligent thought not just fear mongering & capitalizing on tragedy.
- B1 • Vote Up r19 Replies
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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Why do you feel that folks must curtail the first amendment to cater to those who like the scond amnd? Aren't both amnds in the bill of rights? Who is stopping you from Publishing the names of gang members or people convicted of crimes with guns? I see such names in newstories all the time. If you want to compile a list and publish it you should.
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Dec '12

Denizen_Kate

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The real problem is the tit for tat attitude. I've had enough tats, and I'm keeping my tits to myself. . . :)
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@Denizen_Kate Post
Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@Denizen_Kate Defitely getting slapped for it, but its worth it: what about sharing em with me?
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@PoliticalSpice Post
Dec '12

kathyparsell

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@PoliticalSpice
I don't need to publish the names of gang members because in my part of the country there are none. Drug dealers yes, but the police know for the most part who they are, and wait for them to screw up or catch one of their buyers to roll on them, none of my business. Welfare cheats or lazy good for nothing's, we have plenty of those too. While we have our share of crime, most of the violent crime is domestic. A few years ago a man accidently shot his wife in the back of her head while walking to the firing range. Two weeks after the life insurance paid off their crippeling dept with her life insurance the husband was shot between the eyes on his front porch. An unfortunant hunting accident. Se le vie, at least his kids were taken care of.
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@kathyparsell what was so unfortunate about the "accident"?
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Dec '12

ZappaCrappa

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Good.
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Dec '12

ctc

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I guess we've gone full circle.......this reminds me so much of the small little town I grew up in.........everybody knew everything about everybody else.
How quaint and charming.
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Dec '12

S-N-A-F-U

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Thin skinned Journalist that live in glass houses should undress in the basement....<wink>
- B2 • Vote Up
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Dec '12

Quantummist

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Ok.. I have searched and searched... I find dozens of articles about the guy posting the names and address of the people that work for the Journal,,,,,, But I cannot find the Actual List of their names and info.... Can someone please post the link to the list ....
- B1 • Vote Up r6 Replies
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Dec '12

culinary

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I saw it yesterday but can't for the life of me remember where.
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@culinary Post
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Dec '12

culinary

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When I googled it, this is the first response I got:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/27/u-s-g...
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@culinary Post
Dec '12

Quantummist

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@culinary ... I found dozens of links to articles about the list but can't find the list any where.. Even went to the lawyers blog and it's not mentioned.... Could it be that it has been Censored?
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@Quantummist Post
Dec '12

Quantummist

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@culinary .. again not a list of the info of the 50 people that work for the Journal... I can still find the list and map of the Gun Owners but not the people that work at the paper ....
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@Quantummist Post
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Dec '12

culinary

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@Quantummist try this one...

http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2012...
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Dec '12

Tralee

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LOL - turn about is fair play. The publishing was stupid, it may protect the ones with guns from being robbed though. What a stupid stunt for the paper to do, and for what? Liberals are a strange lot, really, stranger than a three headed snake.
- B3 • Vote Up
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Dec '12

NormalFlora

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Since when is credit card purchase information in the public domain?
- B Vote Up r6 Replies
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Dec '12

DARSB

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I'm not sure that credit card info is public, but we know the gun license is. My advice to this attorney - when these professional journalists get into your life and publish bits you're not terribly proud of, don't whine. It's unseemly.
- B2 • Vote Up
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@DARSB Post
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Dec '12

woodtick57

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Since your card copany sells it to whoever pays them for that info.....
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@woodtick57 Post
Dec '12

martydotcom

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no one considers the cookies placed in your browser that track and send back info on every search you conduct
here's the story on cc info

http://ctwatchdog.com/misc/credit-card-compan...
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@martydotcom Post
Dec '12

NormalFlora

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@woodtick57 But they are supposed to keep identifying information scrubbed from that database.
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@NormalFlora Post
o
Dec '12

woodtick57

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@NormalFlora then how does Target know women are prgnant before they do?
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Dec '12

Sonny

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Man----We sure as hell live in one "Crazy-A$$" Country...Everyone seems to behave like a bunch of 4 year olds. There is always some sort of "tit or tat". There is always this constant "us versus them"...There always this never-ending childishness by grown-ass people...Political fight after fight....and now this BS....I seriously wonder how we survived for 200 years?!?
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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what a bunch of cry babies the right wingers on the sight are complaining it was awful it to publish the list of gun owners. I don't see many complaints from left leaning posters about the publication of journalist names. Seems to my only adults, not cry babies, should be allowed to own firearms.
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Dec '12

stepped_in_it

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Funny thing about publishing gun owners names and addresses. I know criminals don't want to mess with homes that have good locks, things locked up properly and any good security. Now, the criminals would (I would think) not want to go around those houses with gun owners. They want the "easy" thefts!
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@stepped_in_it Post
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Dec '12

woodtick57

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Sounds like all the politicians that cry for transparency...until they get in office and realize they don't want the public to see how they make laws...
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Dec '12

woodtick57

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Any list of information like gun permits is open to the public by law. You give your email to the city to be alerted about plowing or street maintanence and that email is now public information...
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Dec '12

Zazziness

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Personally, I think publishing personal information as a way to attempt to punish people for their beliefs is wrong. Period. By whoever does it.
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Dec '12

Keyjo

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We had a similar situation here in Oregon, a couple of years ago. A local newspaper filed for release of concealed permit holders and the sheriff refused to release the information. It went to court, the sheriff lost his case and had to release the information! This all started when a legally licensed high school teacher was forbidden from carrying her 9mm to school.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010...
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Dec '12

Keyjo

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That being said, it was totally irresponsible for that N.Y. newspaper, or any publication, to publish such personal information. What next, publishing the license plate numbers of vehicles parked in at the local exotic club!? Oh wait, that HAS been done!
Law abiding citizens DO have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and that includes the licensed and legal carrying of firearms.
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@Keyjo Post
Dec '12

Jeff_Woehrle

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Great news! Love it.
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Is radical transparency a threat to democratic civility?

Is radical transparency a threat to democratic civility?