In today's Daily Star: A story on the kerfuffle over whospackingny.com, a new website that lists the name and address of every pistol permit owner in New York State. (In case you're wondering: "Is that a matter of public record?" -- why, yes, it is, in New York State. Some other states consider it private information, as this article on a similar dustup in Virginia notes.)
Local gun-rights advocates aren't too happy about the website:
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association is working to shut down the website because of concerns that pistol owners will be targeted by criminals who will steal the firearms. The 70,000-member association had its annual meeting this weekend and pledged in a media release Monday to protect licensee's Second Amendment rights to bear arms "without the danger of their names and addresses being placed in the public domain."
From the other side, here's Peter Hamm of the Brady Project to Prevent Gun Violence:
Hamm said when a state deems the information public, the right exists to publish the information. A citizen has a right to know if his child has a playdate in the home of a pistol owner, among other situations, he said.
The website's anonymous owners have this to say on their own site:
The oft-conjured domestic violence victim in hiding is more likely to fear her estranged abuser's arsenal than disclosure of her own. Tactical shotguns for home protection can be purchased in minutes without any registration. And if you of the opinion that all permit-holders are safe, law-abiding citizens and it's nobody's business who they are, consider this:
WONG,JIVERLY,A,,,NY,
We all know people who should never be trusted with a handgun. Wouldn't it be nice to know if they have one?
