A New York newspaper that came under fire for publishing the names, addresses, and phone numbers of licensed concealed carry gun owners has now armed itself for protection, ironically due to its strong anti-arms stance and its editorial insistence on highly restrictive gun control laws, according to a report Tuesday issued by The Rockland County Times.
The Journal News, which serves the New York City area of Rockland and Westchester counties, published all of the names of gun owners within the two counties. The newspaper is well known in the area for its anti-gun views.
Gun owners retaliated by publishing the names, addresses, and phone numbers of reporters, staff, and management who work for The Journal News, citing the fact that such information is a matter of public record and is thus legal to publish.
But the paper doubled down on its insistence on attempting to shame gun owners by stating that it would seek to publish the names of gun owners in a third county, Putnam, if it can succeed in getting a Freedom of Information Act request approved by the county.
In the meantime, however, the paper has hired armed guards to provide added security and protection to its offices in Rockland County, in response to the avalanche of negative letters, emails, and messages to the editor lambasting the paper for publishing the names of gun owners, potentially placing lives and children's lives in danger among both gun owners and non-gun owners alike.
The Journal News hired the security firm of RGA Investigations, which is providing armed security guards on the premises at the paper's Rockland County complex.
The irony in such a move was not lost on a rival newspaper, The Rockland County Times, which stated that the move is an example of "guns are good for the goose but not for the gander."
Gun rights activists have long pointed to the inherent snobbery and elitism of many in the gun control movement who decry and condemn ordinary citizens for exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms without infringement, while they themselves express no hesitation at all to either carry guns or hire armed security guards when their own lives are threatened.
Well known anti-gun activists such as U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actress Rosie O'Donnell, and film maker Michael Moore have all pushed for limiting the ability of citizens to keep and bear arms although they themselves either carry concealed firearms, hire private armed security guards, or avail themselves of numerous armed security details provided to them by government entities.
As for The Journal News, its apparent vendetta against gun owners may be over. Putnam County officials say they plan to deny the paper's Freedom of Information Act request to gain access to the names of the holders of concealed carry permits.
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