How To Define “IDIOT”

March 13th, 2007 · No Comments

Hat tip to, and a thorough fisking done by, the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler:

Trackposted to Overtaken by Events, Pirate’s Cove, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, The Pink Flamingo, Perri Nelson’s Website, and basil’s blog, and Michelle Malkin, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

From The Roanoke Times (this may disappear):

Shedding light on concealed handguns

By Christian Trejbal

Today is the start of Sunshine Week, the annual week in which we reflect on the importance of open government and public records. To mark the occasion, I want to take you on an excursion into freedom of information land. We’re going to find out who in the New River Valley has a concealed handgun permit.

Huh? Most concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit holders have either a desire or need to remain anonymous. Consider the following:

- local, state, or federal law enforcement personnel
- local, state, or federal court personnel or judges
- previously battered spouses
- single moms with children
- previous victims of violent crimes

These are all common CCW permit holders that do not want the general public to know they are legally carrying a concealed weapon. They have gone through a rigorous process just to obtain the CCW permit and now have a genuine need to stay anonymous. Certainly this “journalist” wouldn’t really post the database of everyone in the area that has a CCW permit.

But he did.

The Roanoke Times had to backpedal quickly:

The Roanoke Times has decided to remove the online database of registered concealed handgun permit holders from its website.

The database was posted on roanoke.com on Sunday as part of a New River Valley editorial page column about open records. This column, as well as others that will be published this week, is part of a special focus on Sunshine Week, a national initiative to raise awareness about open government and freedom of information.

But the damage was done. Gone now or not, search engine caches still hold the database, and criminals already have their personal copy of it.

Then come the reader comments:

For those law abiding citizens like me who don’t appreciate our full names and addresses (whether they are former addresses or not) being posted online, let me me also “illustrate the open government process”

CHRISTIAN J TREJBAL
675 SCHOOL LN
CHRISTIANSBURG, VA 24073

Now that the playing field is leveled, I would like to add that the freedom of information act is a necessary evil, posting personal information on the internet as a “Sunshine Week Gift” is not.

—

I am curious what facet of “open government” you are trying to celebrate here; all you’ve done is find a group of people with clean criminal records and valuables in the home, then publish their addresses for all to see.

—

Wonderful. After years of moving around, not having a phone or bills in my name, and such so as to conceal my location from a group of rather nasty hoodlums, I find my name and address on this site along with the fact I have a concealed handgun license. Thanks a lot Mr. Trejbal.

—

Thanks. I’ve moved twice to get away from a violent ex. Now I have to move again. I really appreciate you publishing my address. Gee, thanks.

—

Trejbal, you idiot. You just put in danger a lot people who will now get burgularized by individuals who cannot purchase a firearm in a legal fashion.

—

Thanks for making me and my wife’s personal info public. I’m sure now if our house is broken into because of your little vain attempt at a publicity stunt you will be hearing from my lawyer.

—

Its a damn shame your dont seem to care about child molestors or illegal immigrants. But God forbid someone carry a firearm for protection. Maybe you should be more concerned about criminals and less concerned about those who wish to defend themselves from those criminals.

—

Criminals have no right to know whether I hold such a permit, let alone where I live!!! Is it the intention of your newspaper to provide criminals with information of where they might go to steal a gun?!!!

—

Thanks for putting my family and I at risk of burglary. Would you post a list of women who have had abortions? Well, it’s legal to have an abortion. What about a list of folks who are of a particular religion?