Posted on 07/29/2004 5:10:02 PM PDT by Pikamax
Doug Clifton Defends His Paper's Action on Guns on NRA Radio Program
By Joe Strupp
Published: July 29, 2004
NEW YORK Editor Doug Clifton of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, who drew attacks from a gun rights group after publishing lists of local residents who carry concealed weapons permits, defended his position Thursday during an appearance on a National Rifle Association radio program, in which he admitted owning a pistol and appreciating gun rights.
“I have had guns my whole life, I have a gun in my home – a pistol,” Clifton said during the 30-minute appearance on Cam & Company, which can be heard on satellite radio and via the NRANews.com web site. “Once I retire, and have more time, I will probably buy a rifle and shoot skeet.”
Clifton, whose paper during the past two days published some 3,000 names of residents who have obtained concealed weapons permits since a new state law took effect in April, also will defend the decision in a column running Friday.
The editor’s efforts to explain the paper’s actions followed an apparent attempt by a local gun rights group – Ohians For Concealed Carry (OFCC) – to intimidate him by posting Clifton’s photo, address, phone number and family information, along with a map to his home, on its Web site Wednesday.
Clifton said the posting of his personal information sparked 40 phone calls to his home during the past two days, along with several e-mails. “People were calling late into the night last night, and they began again today at 6 a.m.,” Clifton said Thursday. “Most of it seems to be focused at home, but it is tapering off.”
The uproar stems from the Ohio legislature’s approval in January of a new law allowing residents to carry concealed weapons, but enabling only the news media to find out the names of those obtaining such permits. The law took effect in April.
On Wednesday, The Plain Dealer began publishing the names, ages and home counties of the 3,000 local residents who have taken out such permits, citing the public's right to know. The paper published about 1,500 names over a full page Wednesday and another page and a half of the remaining names on Thursday.
The Plain Dealer is the fifth Ohio daily to run the names of permit holders since they began to be issued, but the only one to put them online.
“I don’t think there is anything intrinsically invasive about the public having access to this information,” Clifton said during the radio interview. “I think it is important.”
Clifton also defends the paper in a special column slated to run in Friday’s Plain Dealer, and made available to E & P, pointing out that he would not list the names if they were available to every resident.
“From the start, The Plain Dealer opposed that media-only provision, and so did most news organizations,” he writes. “We don't believe the media should have access to records that the general public is denied. And, like the governor and millions of others across the country, we believe licensure information of all kinds should be open to public view”
I'd rather abolish concealed carry permits, in line with the 2nd Amendment.
Problem solved.
But it doesn't solve Clifton's problem of phone harassment. Hmmmm...
How about publishing the names of women who've had abortions? To me, that's just as invasive as this.
Although tit for tat is rather immature, I don't blame him. WTH was the OFCC thinking?
I think they are thinking that it is information that is already in the public domain and there is no reason that they can't help spread the word a bit. Exactly the same argument the editor used before publising the names of CCW holders.
I would pay admission to see him "shoot skeet" with a rifle.
Never seen anybody manage to score 0/25 . . .
if there's ever a robbery, gangshooting, "colombine" or some nutcase goes on a shooting spree guess who these people will be thanking.... if you ask me: up in guns = down in crime
The whole point of conceal and carry is so that criminals won't know who is armed and who isn't. If you publish the names of those with licenses you defeat the purpose. And yes, I would love to see this man shoot skeet with a rifle.
He says he has a pistol at home. Does he really or is he saying this to thwart off the nut cases?
Is his pistol registered? (presuming registration is required in Ohio).
Can his assertion be verified? His credibility needs vetting.
Better make it a big 'un - them skeets can be nasty if they're riled!
"And besides, it sells papers!
I'd do anything to sell newspapers!"
"I'd have s3x with a goat on a city streetcorner if it would sell newspapers!"
Maybe he's that good of a marksman. Or perhaps he'll just tape them to paper targets since he didn't say how he'd shoot them.
When my husband and I were dating, he picked me up at the house one time and announced to my dad that we were going skeet shooting. Dad said, "Fine, if you get one, bring it back and I'll cook it."
We did have one that was nicked and didn't break, so we brought it back in triumph.
My dad BOILED it and served it on a bed of rice, with a bearnaise sauce.
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