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MEDFORD NEWSPAPER SUES TO GET NAMES OF GUN OWNERS |
As
you may have heard, the Medford
Mail Tribune has sued to get the names of concealed handgun
license holders.
This action was taken as a result of the
lawsuit brought by a Medford teacher against the Medford
school district. As you know, teacher Shirley Katz was suing
to be allowed to carry her defensive firearm to work at Medford
High School.
The Mail Tribune, which has repeatedly editorialized
that licensed, trained adults should NOT be allowed to carry
firearms on school property, believes that one of the ways to
promote its anti-gun agenda is to intimidate gun owners by demanding
that the Sheriff turn over the names of license holders.
What possible purpose this would serve, beyond invading the
privacy of the most law abiding residents of Oregon, remains
a mystery. But the Tribune's Editor, Bob Hunter is determined
to proceed.
Jackson County Sheriff Mike WInters has so far refused, correctly
pointing out the dangers this would present. “We were
reluctant to hand over the names because we don’t want
to make it easier for anybody who would use the information
for harm in terms of credit card fraud or identity theft."
Winters said.
Editor Bob Hunter believes that he has the right to those
names for whatever purpose he chooses to use them. "This
is information bought and paid for by the public, and the public
has a right to it.” But of course, that's not true.
The public did not buy and pay for this information. The information
was paid for by the fees license holders are forced to pay to
exercise a "right." But Bob goes on “It’s
important for news media to take a stand on something like this
because if public information is withheld in this way it will
diminish the amount of public information the public is allowed
to see,”
The truth is, whether it is legal for the press to obtain these
names or not, (and attorneys have recently informed us it may
NOT be legal) the only purpose being served is to chill the
rights of gun owners. It would be no different if we published
the home addresses and phone numbers of Tribune staff and hid
behind the First Amendment. (Which we will do if they continue
this senseless exercise.)
While the Sheriff should be applauded for his efforts to protect
license holders,Bob Hunter and the Mail Tribune and its advertisers
should know that it's wrong to promote their anti self-defense
crusade by threatening the privacy of gun owners.
You can contact Hunter by e-mail here bhunter@mailtribune.com
or by regular mail and phone here:
Mail Tribune
P.O. Box 1108
111 N. Fir St.
Medford, OR 97501
541-776-4411 |
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Copyright
© 2000 - 2010, Oregon Firearms Federation. All Rights Reserved.
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