The Des Moines Register thinks it’s OK to publish the personal information of gun owners.
The Des Moines Register is continuing their anti-gun owner tirade.
Today it was Rekha Basu’s turn to insult Iowa’s firearms owners, and attempt to quash the pro-owner House Study Bill 201.
She starts out her column by saying it’s “Nothing personal, but…” and then proceeds to insult hundreds of thousands of Iowans who have been trained and permitted to carry a concealed weapon. Basu insinuates that anyone who carries a firearm to protect themselves or their loved ones is a walking time bomb with a hair-trigger.
We heard plenty of this kind of nonsense 5 years ago when we fixed Iowa’s concealed carry permitting process. Anti-gun owner groups and folks like Ms. Basu often went to extremes to gin up emotional opposition to concealed carry, regularly saying things like:
“There will be blood in the streets!”
“OK Corral style shootouts on a daily basis!”
“Gun battles over parking spots!”
Well guess what, we fixed Iowa’s concealed carry system. Hundreds of thousands of Iowans now carry firearms without incident every day. And there has yet to be one gun battle over a parking spot. So please, spare us your hyperbole.
The Des Moines Register is so vehemently opposed to the omnibus gun bill because it would remove their ability to pry into the lives of law-abiding Iowans. They believe that when it comes to gun owners and concealed carriers it’s OK to print their names, addresses, as well as any other information they can get their hands on.
The Register is owned by the Gannett Company. Their fellow Gannett newspaper, the Journal News of New York, has published the private information of gun owners before, and there’s nothing stopping the Register or any other media outlet from doing the same here in Iowa. As we pointed out yesterday, there are several examples of how this kind of irresponsible behavior does much more harm than good. And we know this is not an isolated incident.
Outing the names and addresses gun owners and concealed carriers in the name of “public knowledge” is almost like rebooting the Holocaust tradition of forcing Jews to wear a yellow Star of David patch.
It’s nothing personal Ms. Basu, but Iowans won’t allow you or the Register, or anyone else to repeat this kind of deplorable behavior.
It’s time to face the facts, every time you’re out in public the odds are there’s someone legally carrying a firearm nearby. They’re all around you, and yet there’s nary an incident or cause for concern. There’s a reason you don’t see them brandishing their weapons over parking spots, or anything else. These are good, honest people who’ve invested their time and hard-earned money to be able to protect themselves. It’s a responsibility they don’t take likely. There’s quite literally hundreds of thousands of concealed carriers in Iowa who peaceably go about their lives everyday. And you think just because they choose to protect themselves and their loved ones you have a right to publicize their personal information? Please.
Can you imagine printing the personal information of any other segment of the population? You’d never publish the names and addresses of a group of people who have a particular political affiliation, or have a union membership, or religious belief. So why single out law-abiding gun owners?
It’s time to get serious about respecting the rights of all law-abiding Iowans and stop discriminating against gun owners.
It’s time to pass HSB201 and stop the media from prying into our private information.
Contact your legislators today and tell them to stand up for their constituent’s rights and not the mass media’s “right to know.”
Iowa Firearms Coalition is an entirely volunteer, grassroots, Second Amendment advocacy group. Responsible for bringing uniformity to Iowa’s Concealed Weapons Permitting process, IFC’s members work to protect and enhance Second Amendment rights in Iowa. An affiliate of the National Rifle Association, the IFC actively seeks to foster and promote the shooting sports. Sign up for our email list for the latest on Second Amendment issues in Iowa. You can support our work by becoming a member, or making a donation.
A great man once said
” AMERICA will never be destroyed from the out side. If we falter and loose our freedoms , it will be because we destroyed them our self ”
Abram Lincoln
Interesting he figured that out so many years ago. And in the 21 st century we have not figured it out yet !
Regards to ( Des Moines Register ) continuing their anti-gun owner tirade.
A good argument still is why is the city and states with non weapon laws still the city and states with the largest crime rates ?? Ten year old children have enough common sense to figure out it’s not working for them. Have you ever seen a criminal stop and read the gun regulations before robbing or harming a person. With all the rules does any laws or regulations cover people who shouldn’t have guns ? I agree there are a small percentage of bad gun owners. And MOST got there weapon non legal in the first place with the idea to do harm. The COWBOY don’t go out hunting some one to look at him wrong so they can shot them. Look at the vast majority not the few % of idiots. Like newspapers there are good reporters and bad ones. the GOOD ones are not ambulance chasers their FACTS chasers. Don’t write a article to sell papers write it to inform the public of the REAL FACTS. Your paper is old enough to know the difference.
I wonder if this opinionated know-it-all, but knowing nothing, would support publishing the names of people who have sought mental health treatment? Or those who have sought maritial counselling? Or of persons, suchas veterans with PTSD, who receive disability benefits? If she is concerned about her child being on a sleep-over in a house with firearms why does she not ask the other parents?
As far as teenagers shooting each other that is, many more times than not, a problem with parents who did not teach their children about the dangers of firearms? It was once taught in the schools but the dumb ass liberals have stopped that. I taught my step-son from the earliest age on that firearms were danerous; today at 25 he is a crack shot who can outshoot his step-pappy.