This week, HeraldTimesOnline.com will launch its new gun permit database. You’ll be able to search gun permit records by county, city or town and street on HTO. [More]Unfortunately--or perhaps fortunately--you need to subscribe to this rag to read it, so I had to link you to a forum instead of the actual newspaper website.
Some are suggesting polite and courteous emails to the editor and publisher as being the appropriate way to deal with this.
I disagree.
I think the only way to deal with this with any chance of getting results would be to target their major advertisers--set up protests with signs in front of the big car dealership, etc. Let them know what you are doing and why, and that you'll stop when they stop advertising. Then move on to the next target.
Of course, that would require having committed activists in the area willing to expend more energy than sending a polite and courteous email, so my suggestion is almost certainly impractical. Eh. My guess is only a handful will even send an email.
Until gun owners get it in their heads that there is a war on guns in this country, and it actually requires them to do something, apathy and laziness will continue being our greatest impediment. By not making this a priority while things are easy, they're increasing the odds that things will get hard.
In the mean time, there will always be those whose names don't show up on any permission lists.
11 comments:
David,
Since I'm far from creative, could you come up with some sign slogans that would be pithy, yet to-the-point that IN residents might use, should they protest?
Candidly: You get some IN gun owners willing to do this and I'll spare no effort at coming up with slogans and other ideas, including proper target selection--and I'll invite discussion from the readers here, whose routinely insightful, wise and witty comments show them more than up to the task.
But until I see locals affected by this willing to put up an actual effort, I'm not quite sure why an outsider--who is not--should care enough to devote any time to this. Otherwise, I have too many other things on my plate to spend any more time on this.
Like I said, I'm trying to be candid. I hope you understand why.
Better yet, readers of the HeraldTimesOnline should insist that a complete complementary list also be published - the names and addresses of all those residents who do NOT have a gun permit.
If I had bad intent, I could use the HTO list of gun permit holders to identify persons and households to avoid, with all others appropriate "soft" targets. With proper surveillance of the "hard" targets, I could increase the odds of successfully acquiring more weapons and ammunition at low or no cost.
In an ideal world, there would be no gun permit holders to list and all would posses weapons and the skill to use them.
Freedom of the press? I love it!
Another reason why no one should EVER ask permission to exercise a basic human right. Would you apply for an "eating permit" if the government decided it was necessary? What if the penalties for being caught eating without one were really harsh?
Me neither.
I've inquired the author for more information. I'm also looking into a list of the local advertisers, in hopes that doing the prep work will get people onto the streets.
I live in Florida, so I'm not directly affected, but this is disgusting (and if I'm not correct the second time in recent times this has happened) and it should be stopped.
Also, I'm a graphic designer and I'd be more than happy to create banners, signs, posters or handouts for any protester. Printing them would be your responsibility, but that's the easy part.
Ok, here's what the locals should do, once the list is published. Check the list for the name of every staffer at the paper. When the completed check is done post the name, city/town, and street address of every staffer whose name does not appear as permitted non the internet. Phase one.
Phase two consists of having flyers printed up stating that these people are suspected of being non-violent and do not have firearms permits, list their names, city/town, and street addresses. Then post these flyers on phone poles, store fronts, and everywhere else they can be accomodated.
If these morons are so sure of their moral superiority and the rightness of their position they can offer no legitimate complaint.
If they do offer complaint, post and list on flyers those who complained that their helpless and unarmed status has been revealed. This will let them experience that for which they would subject the rest of us. It could also be a guide to let others know that these people view themselves and ineffectual against attack by criminals and thus the criminal will be warned off, due to their good nature. At least, that's the way I would present it.
Let them print their list, then let them live with the consequences.
For what it's worth, I sent the publisher, editor, and advertising director an email explaining why the database is a bad idea. But not being an IN resident anymore, it ain't worth much. But David, there may well be IN folks interested in this; ten years ago (when I did live there), we got a couple thousands folks to show up for a tax protest.
I no longer write polite and courteous letters to cretins. I used the online form to send the following letter to the editor:
"I just heard about your gun permit database. You vile, disgusting, invertebrate slime."
Markie Marxist sez: "It's nice to see my commie compadres in private organizations taking up the slack when our government agencies have limitations on what they can do against private gun owners. Hopefully, gun owners will continue to rail against the editors of the paper, so that we can continue to laugh at them. If they ever figure out that newspapers work for advertisers and target the advertisers, my Marxist amigos at HeraldTimesOnline.com might be in real trouble - financial trouble."
Great idea, Bill--Here's another one people can use:
I think I'll look into a campaign to picket your advertisers. That'd look good at, say, a car dealership, wouldn't it? Dozens of sign-holding protesters on the sidewalk exercising their First Amendment right to tell potential car buyers their purchases will help undermine their privacy rights?
I bet most car buyers won't want to subject themselves to any controversy, and will just go find another dealership.
I figure if the advertisers financially support you while you're outing gun owners, they're giving aid and comfort to my enemies. So there are no innocents in this war you started. Time to drag them kicking and screaming into the mess you created for them.
Yet another occurrence. Never comply. Never go to the gov for permission for your guns in any way. Dont register/CHL/buy on paper/anything.
Priovate sales. Carry anyway. Stay off the lits.
Freedom is not granted. It is commandeered and defended.
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