Law abiding citizens shouldn’t be targeted in gun issue
A number of newspapers and agencies have used the recent tragedies in Newtown, Conn., to zero in on a number of issues and encourage the public to jump on the bandwagon. Law abiding gun owners have been forced to defend their desire – and Second Amendment right – to obtain, own, use and/or carry weapons.
With so many anti-gun supporters voicing their opinions and pushing lawmakers to restrict gun rights, gun owners are being painted as careless, selfish, ignorant people who thrive on violence.
The media is only making the assault worse.
The Journal News, a newspaper that covers Westchester and Rockland counties in New York, recently published an interactive Web map that lists the names and addresses of all handgun permit owners in those areas to coincide with a story about gun control. The gun owners had no foreknowledge of the story and were unaware such information could be published.
Even though Journal News said the map was meant to accompany its coverage of gun control issues, the newspaper somewhat pick-and-chose which gun owners’ names were published. The map does not indicate whether the registered residents actually own a handgun, only that they are legally able to do so. Furthermore, the map does not consider rifle or shotgun owners, as those guns can be bought without a permit.
So why only put a few permit holders on the chopping block?
Regardless of the discussions and concerns that arise concerning guns, society needs to remember that there are many law abiding, gun owning citizens who have done nothing to receive the criticism they are enduring. Why should we tell a citizen not to exercise their right to own a gun?
After all, we would likely not tell another citizen to avoid exercising any other freedom our Constitution allows.
Short URL: http://www.jenningsdailynews.net/?p=16340
Posted by Graphic Designer 2
on Dec 27 2012. Filed under Editorial.
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