Monday, March 02, 2009

Shameful Tactic of the Left

What, besides the chilling specter of violence, does the left hope to achieve by publishing the names and addresses of those with whom it disagrees? Is that a not-so-subtle threat, what some might call bullying?

A Memphis newspaper has posted a searchable database of Tennesseans with permits to carry concealed handguns, upsetting firearms owners and igniting a debate on whether such information should be available to the public.

Why?

What about here in California, where the names and addresses of those who supported Proposition 8 (overturning court-ordered gay marriage) were published?

If you try to justify these (because you're a leftie), would you also justify publishing the names/addresses of law enforcement officials, or of teachers, or of union leaders?

This tactic is shameful, and would be called so by anyone with any decency.

3 comments:

Pomoprophet said...

you're wrong on this one. Donations to political campaigns are part of public record. Its a matter of keeping politicians and causes honest.

Carrying handguns has nothing to do with elections or fair political practice.

And besides, if I carried a gun, I wouldn't be so afraid of people messing with me. And I certainly don't want to mess with someone who has a gun!

Darren said...

It's a part of public record, but I don't see any benefit to publishing the names and addresses of private citizens. The information has always been kept, but never before published in the press and on the internet. It's a tactic designed to intimidate, pure and simple.

If someone has a concealed carry permit, and that person has been identified publicly, that kinda defeats the purpose of keeping it concealed, doesn't it.

I think you might be letting your personal feelings get in the way of your better judgement here, pomo. Should those Prop 8 supporters post the names and addresses of the executive board of the CTA, which donated so much money to the anti-8 campaign? Of course not.

Anonymous said...

A list of concealed carry holders is a shopping list for criminals pomophrophet. Also, since you obviously don't carry a concealed firearm your laboring under some serious misconceptions.

A concealed carry holder, who isn't a shmuck, doesn't want anyone to know they carry. What's the point? There's no advantage to revealing the fact and a number of serious disadvantages.

To anyone who is familiar with the realities of legal concealed carry your statement - "I wouldn't be so afraid of people messing with me" - is evidence of your ignorance.

You don't carry a concealed firearm because you don't want to be "messed with" but because you may be find yourself in a situation in which deadly force is necessary. Anyone with a lick of sense goes to great lengths to avoid such situations and only when those lengths aren't far enough, and there's no other legitimate recourse, does the use of a firearm become legally and morally acceptable.