The Journal News, which published the names AND addresses of 33,614 registered gun owners in two NY counties, and wanted information in order to publish more from a third, is all sorts of upset in regards to the response they received. Fortunately, the NY Times is there to provide a sob story in their defense
(NY Times) But the article, which left gun owners feeling vulnerable to harassment or break-ins, also drew outrage from across the country. Calls and e-mails grew so threatening that the paper’s president and publisher, Janet Hasson, hired armed guards to monitor the newspaper’s headquarters in White Plains and its bureau in West Nyack, N.Y.
Personal information about editors and writers at the paper has been posted online, including their home addresses and information about where their children attended school; some reporters have received notes saying they would be shot on the way to their cars; bloggers have encouraged people to steal credit card information of Journal News employees; and two packages containing white powder have been sent to the newsroom and a third to a reporter’s home (all were tested by the police and proved to be harmless).
“As journalists, we are prepared for criticism,†Ms. Hasson said, as she sat in her meticulously tended office and described the ways her 225 employees have been harassed since the article was published. “But in the U.S., journalists should not be threatened.†She has paid for staff members who do not feel safe in their homes to stay at hotels, offered guards to walk employees to their cars, encouraged employees to change their home telephone numbers and has been coordinating with the local police.
In the US, law abiding citizens should not be threatened by a small paper attempting to make a big splash and intimidate those law abiding citizens, putting them in danger, and, let’s not forget, they just made it easier for criminals to know which homes are most likely without a gun, therefore safer to perform their criminal activities against.
The Journal News had no problem publishing the information in order to intimidate legal gun owners, many who are law enforcement, retired law enforcement, and corrections officers, but has a hissy fit over people doing the same back. Many of the law enforcement and corrections officers have received threats from hard core criminals, rather than just people popping off. Interestingly, the Times doesn’t say which bloggers were encouraging people to steal credit card info. Nothing available in a Google search. Nor is the Journal News releasing the actual emails and letters.
The Journal News’s features editor, Mary Dolan, said that while she was not involved with the publication of the article, her home address and phone numbers were published online in retaliation. She has had to disconnect her phone and has “taken my social media presence and just put it on the shelf for a while.†She has also received angry phone calls from former neighbors in Westchester whose gun information was published.
She said she was especially concerned about the part-time staff members who write up wedding anniversary and church potluck announcements who have been harassed. But she supports the paper for its decision.
“It sparked a conversation that needed to occur in this country, and it revealed tactics that will be employed when gun owners feel their rights are threatened,†she said.
Consider that: “when rights are threatened.” Our Constitutional Right to own a gun. Liberals don’t like that. Except when it’s their own gun. They want Everyone Else disarmed. I dare say that the Journal News and those who work for it would be rather upset if people were trying to restrict their “freedom of the press.”
What, you want truthful and factual reporting? From the New York Times?
BWWHWWHWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA
Now, I sadly don’t doubt that that occurred. If the police were called out, then there should be a police report. And then there should be some arrests to come out of that investigation. The police reports can easily be pulled and printed for verification, right?
But I too find it ironic that a newspaper felt the need to publicly disclose private information, and then whines and cries and goes RAMBO when their own information is disclosed.
The comment from the lady is hilarious.
“I support the humiliations of gun owners, putting their safety at risk, increasing the probability of certain people being robbed and possibly killed, increase gun thefts and defense-based shootings, but how dare those same people make my life uncomfortable for that decision!!!”
or:
“I fully supported that decision but don’t want to be responsible for its effects.”
Fom what I’ve seen and heard, suffice to say, the two batty women who are running the Journal News are are a couple of kooks who shouldn’t have been taken seriously by anyone.
Their reasoning and motives on this issue aren’t even rational, which explains, of course, why the loonies at MSNBC love them and praise them.
The problem isn’t that people in the MSM have a liberal bias, folks. The problem is that all of them are nuttier than squirrel turds.
Just listen to Torre, Schultz, Sharpton and Maddow on MSNBC, and then try to make a case that they’re sane, I dare you.
See, this guy is making the “profession” argument, and it’s unadulterated bullshit. Reporters are not “professionals”, they are, in a word, scum.
Shorter NYTimes: “WE, your betters, are above mere law, plebians.”
It’s truly amazing how, from the President on down, Leftists have such thin skin. They can’t even take the heat when someone does to them exactly what they are doing to others.
You would think that people who make their living bullying and intimidating others would be able to handle the figurative punch back every now and then — apparently not.
Wow, I poked the lion in its eye a dozen times, and then it BIT me! How dare it! I mean, all I did was ask for it over and over again, waaaah!
What will they do when the fighting back, either figurative or literal, happens more often?
Thanks for posting!
Acethepug, you reminded me of something I thought of this morning from hearing the morning news reports. The thought also came about from all the news reports we’ve been hearing over the last 2 months.
“A balanced approach”
And that statement has been captured and used as a cudgel against the Republicans since day one. Have we heard anyone from the media ask, “what is balanced about it?”
And, have we really heard from the R party about how it isn’t balanced? Not really? I’ve heard alot from the Dems on all of the tv shows and radio news programs. But, not much from the R party about how it isn’t balanced nor an approach.
With all the problems Newt Gingrich had in his later years as speaker, he did do one thing right. He came out and talked to the people. He laid out exactly was wrong with the Socialist’s plans and how his plan countered theirs.
Nowadays? all I hear is, “mr president, we know you don’t want this country to fail, so could we please offer up another plan while you are on vacation? Please?”
Did the R party do any leading over this past 6 months? Did they pass a continuation of the tax rates in order to force the Dem’s hands? I’m still flabbergasted that Boner was re-elected to Speaker. How is he “speaking” for us when he refuses to speak?
Gummie the information that was published was not “private” it was public information. My biggest fear about that story is that criminals might use taht information in order to steal those guns. About 500,000 guns are stolen each year. If guns are good why don’t more gun owners carry them at all times? How many gun owners would feel better if they saw everyone else openly carrying a gun?
Hey troll-y, that information was private. Not protected, but private. Thus the reason the paper had to submit a FOIA request. I heard they submitted a fictitious reason for the request as well.
The personal information you put out on social media is private, but it is in the public realm. You don’t necessarily want everyone to know about it. Like that you hate jews and blame women when they get beat up by their men.
But, you are right. Thanks to liberals, there is now a real danger of more guns being stolen and subsequently used in criminal ways that the Libs can’t fathom being possible.
Oh, and many people are not allowed to carry a gun outside their home still. CCW laws are not ubiquitous across the nation. Heck, open carry laws are only starting to present themselves. (see what I did there) Many people also work in places that strictly ban them. New York will also arrest you on the spot for even thinking about guns while in NYC.
So john you fear that people will break into someone’s home and steal a weapon. In other words, you fear that criminals will target someone for a specific crime.
There are also criminal who will target those without weapons.
In essence, the Journal’s article made two different groups of people criminals can now target. If you want a gun, go here. If you want an unarmed victim, go there.
You somehow see that as a positive.
So move on up there, and because your name won’t be out there as a weapon owner, when someone robs you, let’s see how you like it. When someone breaks into your home because they know you can’t defend yourself, let’s see how you like it.
Once again, your thought process is lacking.
“Journalists” should not only be threatened, they should be soundly beaten about once a week.
Now, if only the Journal News will be just as conscientious in publishing the names and addresses of people on welfare, unemployment and food stamps in those same affluent areas, perhaps their neighbors can identify which ones are lazy bums, deadbeats, freeloaders, common thieves and parasites, who aren’t entitled to be receiving those benefits at the expense of the rest of us.
Just a thought.
John has a rational and well-reasoned argument there, and a valid point. Seriously, folks. Please cut John some slack.
Mojo wins. Hands down.
So journalists shouldn’t be threatened but their actions which may very well cause homeowners who do NOT own guns and are not depcited on the map, to be at risk from criminals who now know where NOT to go, can go f themselves.
Nice. You sanctimonious bleeding heart liberal aholes. Thinking with your heart felt emotions and without brains is a dangerous thing.