Posted on 03/02/2011 3:32:54 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
In a showdown over the privacy rights of gun owners, the Illinois State Police are refusing to release a list identifying all firearm permit holders in the state after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan determined that the information "must" be made public.
The dispute, which soon could come before a judge, has been building since last fall when a reporter for The Associated Press made a Freedom of Information Act request to the police for the names of cardholders as well as information about the weapons each permit holder is authorized to carry.
But the state police, who safeguard that information, resisted as lawmakers and others raised privacy concerns. Critics questioned what public interest it would serve to let neighbors look up each other's potential weapons cache -- further, they warned that publicizing the information could put both gun owners and those who don't own guns at risk.
If the state publishes a list of gun owners, Republican Rep. Ron Stephens said, "You are by design also publishing a list of everyone who doesn't" carry a firearm.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Don't think for a minute the cops have sided with the public, they are worried about the names of the cops and no one else...
I would like to see a list of all the patients that doctors treat - also, licensed by the state - and what they were treated for...
I was thinking about that too. Illinois is a cesspit.
There could be all sorts of boating accidents reported if the list is about to go worldwide.
The release of that list is intended to be punitive.
If the Left forces the release, I suggest the right make a list of the public officials who don’t have gun permits, and publish that as well.
We’ll see how they like being pinpointed for being defenseless.
No one could obtain a list of license holders, except those that were certified instructors and agreed to publicize their names (for marketing purposes)
But, anyone could ask the DPS if a specific, named, person had a CHL. The DPS would respond with a yes or no answer. But, they would also notify the named person that the query had been made, and identify the person that make the query.
Publicizing the entire list is nothing more than pursuit of a political agenda. The goal is to marginalize gun owners from society, and discourage people from applying for the license.
Everything else is just rationalization.
There is no “must” about it. This is a naked power play, intent upon smoking out the previously undisclosed permits held by some pretty big movers and shakers within Chicago, which is supposedly a “gun-free” zone. Now, since just about all the movers and shakers in Chicago are in some way required to play ball with the Chicago Democrat machine, this is a snipe from the sidelines by someone wanting to upset the delicate balance of power within that uneasy coalition that forms the “one-party” rule in Chicago and environs.
Be careful what can of worms you open.
I say we take off, and nuke Chicago from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
They would also be printing a list of names which could easily be "looked up" by savvy burglars. Electronics, jewelry and guns - a fiesta of loot that can be printed and checked off, name by name, house by house. Perhaps its just another"entitlement" program - meant to transfer personal possessions to criminals and those who claim they couldn't afford to buy these things.
Guns are often very expensive, so this is akin to listing every purchaser of gold coins.
I have to run out now and I can’t check but isn’t it illegal for the government to even keep such a list. Isn’t having and maintaining the list an invasion of privacy.
Which leads to an interesting thought: What if a gun owner has all his guns stolen shortly after his name is published?
This AG is an ass.
It's not that they are concerned for their mothers' safety, but more about their mothers' complaints and nagging should anything happen.
Then there are their ex-wives.
How about they list all the personal information of this AG instead?
So let’s see.
Publishing a list of everyone who has had an abortion? - Bad.
Publishing a list of everyone who owns a gun? -
Good.
How does that work?
The unintended consequence is that this lowers the protective effect of non owning a gun in a gun loving area. The so-called ‘free rider’. There would be a greater motivation to buy a gun so as to appear on the list.
In the same vein, release, for the sake of public interest & safety, all the criminal records of all the juveniles in IL...
This whole idea is a declaration of war on REAL Americans.
Period.
There shouldn’t be a list available. This reminds me of the movie Red Dawn when the commies got the list of gun owners in town and then paid them a visit.
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