Handgun Owners Upset At The Tennessean
Carry Permit Holders' Personal Information Published
POSTED: 6:14 pm CDT May 9,
2007
UPDATED: 8:52 pm CDT May 9,
2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Thousands of handgun owners said they are upset after a Tennessean article put their personal information on the front page.
Video: Tennessean Article Upsets Handgun OwnersThe article was about handguns, but contained in the article was a database showing all the people who have a permit to carry concealed weapons.John M.L. Brown is a Fraternal Order of Police attorney and a respected handgun instructor. He said he has taken thousands of people through the eight-hour handgun carry permit course.“I think perhaps the newspaper has confused the public’s right to know with the newspaper’s right to snoop and perhaps intimidate,” he said.The group said they felt the publication of the personal information painted them as less than an honorable group.“It bothers me because I am a law-abiding citizen and then my name is listed in there like a sex offender,” said Bellevue resident Michelle Lewis. “I don’t appreciate that. And it gives my address and I don’t like that at all. (It’s) like I’ve done something wrong.”The Tennessean removed the database listing handgun carry permit owners. The Tennessean’s editor did not return phone call requests for an interview.“I’m giving careful consideration to locating the names, home addresses and home phone numbers of some Tennessean personnel, publish those on a Web site so interested citizens can call them up at suppertime and ask them important, burning questions," Brown said.A common thread of handgun carry permit owners is a clean record because residents cannot obtain a permit without one.
Video: Tennessean Article Upsets Handgun OwnersThe article was about handguns, but contained in the article was a database showing all the people who have a permit to carry concealed weapons.John M.L. Brown is a Fraternal Order of Police attorney and a respected handgun instructor. He said he has taken thousands of people through the eight-hour handgun carry permit course.“I think perhaps the newspaper has confused the public’s right to know with the newspaper’s right to snoop and perhaps intimidate,” he said.The group said they felt the publication of the personal information painted them as less than an honorable group.“It bothers me because I am a law-abiding citizen and then my name is listed in there like a sex offender,” said Bellevue resident Michelle Lewis. “I don’t appreciate that. And it gives my address and I don’t like that at all. (It’s) like I’ve done something wrong.”The Tennessean removed the database listing handgun carry permit owners. The Tennessean’s editor did not return phone call requests for an interview.“I’m giving careful consideration to locating the names, home addresses and home phone numbers of some Tennessean personnel, publish those on a Web site so interested citizens can call them up at suppertime and ask them important, burning questions," Brown said.A common thread of handgun carry permit owners is a clean record because residents cannot obtain a permit without one.Copyright 2007 by WSMV.com. All rights reserved.
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