The Rich, the Famous, the Armed

Sunday NY Times ^ | Feb 20, 2011 | JO CRAVEN McGINTY

[Pharmboy]

Emily Berl for The New York Times
Shooting targets at the West Side Pistol Range, in Manhattan.

MEN and women. Democrats and Republicans. Doctors, lawyers, merchants and moguls. A remarkable, if relatively small, cross-section of New Yorkers legally own handguns, according to public records...

Among the more than 37,000 people licensed to have a handgun in the city are dozens of boldface names and public figures: prominent business leaders, elected officials, celebrities, journalists, judges and lawyers.

Some expressed pride in their gun ownership, like the renowned divorce lawyer Raoul Felder, who readily posed with his .38-caliber Smith & Wesson... And there were a few conflicted souls, like Alexis Stewart, co-host of “Whatever With Alexis and Jennifer” on SiriusXM radio and the Hallmark Channel.

“I don’t believe people should be allowed to have guns in America,” Ms. Stewart, daughter of Martha, said in an interview, explaining that she bought a .357 Magnum after 9/11 — but would be happy to give it up if handguns were banned. “Having a swimming pool is way more dangerous than having a gun,” she added.

Getting a handgun legally in New York is a two-step process. First, applicants must obtain a license, which costs $340, takes about 12 weeks to process, is good for three years and requires a background check by the New York Police Department. In addition, fingerprinting costs about $100.

The 41,164 handguns registered with the Police Department as of Jan. 14 include those owned by more than 2,400 people who live outside the city... — people like Roger E. Ailes, the president of Fox News, whose license lists an address in New Jersey; John J. Mack, the chairman of Morgan Stanley, who lives in Westchester County; and Sean Hannity, the conservative talk-show host, who lives on Long Island.

[rabidralph]

Looks like the Northeast needs to remember their history.

[Pharmboy]

Yep...that’s why I included that quote in the excerpt. Ya jes’ can’t get any stoopider than that...

[Pharmboy]

Indeed...that's why I always ask my liberal friends: "Do you why the Brits moved on Lexington and Concord back in 1775?" They invariably do NOT know, and then I tell them:

"To confiscate the arms of the Patriots stored near there."

[Pharmboy]

Yes...I was a physician who made house calls in Manhattan. One of the easiest ways to get a carry in NYC since we carried cash and drugs.

[brityank]

The Times obtained the database of handgun owners from the Police Department after filing a Public Records Act request and a lawsuit; the police released ZIP codes but omitted street addresses. The database also did not include the 14,602 retired police officers who are licensed to have weapons.

The Police Department issues a separate license for long guns: about 52,000 shotguns and rifles are registered, but the owners’ names and addresses are not public records.

I have no doubt that, just like Gannett did in the '70's, the Slimes would have printed the addresses had they been made available.

Telling note on the graphic "A Gun Around the House" -
"Handgun owners with permits tend to live in parts of the city with low crime rates."

Isn't that special! They must have more law-abiding criminals in those parts!!     </sarc>

[Niuhuru]

Well, if NEw Yorkers are SO into being unarmed, let them be.

[Niuhuru]

In the Middle East, they don’t have the valves we do, like the formation of the Tea Party and beign able to vote a lot of the scum out. They are held down and down and down and down until they explode. In the US, conditions are not ripe enough for a full revolt like in Egypt.

[lowbridge]

Among the more than 37,000 people licensed to have a handgun in the city are dozens of boldface names and public figures: prominent business leaders, elected officials, celebrities, journalists, judges and lawyers.

The average Joe need not apply.

[headstamp 2]

“I don’t believe people should be allowed to have guns in America,” Ms. Stewart, daughter of Martha, said in an interview, explaining that she bought a .357 Magnum after 9/11 — but would be happy to give it up if handguns were banned. “Having a swimming pool is way more dangerous than having a gun,” she added. “

Another moron with more money than brains. Fantastic logic you have there, idiot.

[nerdwithagun]

“I don’t believe people should be allowed to have guns in America,” Ms. Stewart, daughter of Martha, said in an interview, explaining that she bought a .357 Magnum after 9/11 — but would be happy to give it up if handguns were banned. “Having a swimming pool is way more dangerous than having a gun,”

This woman is not thinking, she is reacting on pure emotion. Guns are scary, so it is ok to ban them over pools. Twit

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Ah for the good old days when LIBERTY was in NY!

[300winmag]

What a frakkin’ idjit.

But quite common for anyone who lives near NYC. I have read a couple of times, and have one friend say it outright, that there is a special version of the Constitution just for NYC. Due to the immense crowding they've encouraged, all of the Bill of Rights have special limitations on them. Especially the Second Amendment.

Most people out there, especially living in the richer areas of Manhattan, believe there are firefights in the streets of flyover country every day. That cannot be safe in such a crowded place as NYC, especially in the sacred district of Manhattan.

And, of course, NYC was the testing ground for DHS's "if you see something, say something" campaign, which they heartily endorsed. So you have an elitist city-state where anything is available through the government for the rich, famous, or "connected", while the "workers" are just happy to shut up, and hope for a few crumbs from the table of the ruling class.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

THIS is what NY really wants!

[dagogo redux]

As a psychiatrist who carries (psychiatrists ARE MDs, BTW) I find this info fascinating. Was this info from NYC, the article’s location, or was it nationwide?

Work-related morbidity and mortality figures are higher in the mental health field than in all others except king crab fishing, last I heard - that includes, and far outweighs, the risks of harm in law enforcement and the military.

You want war stories, talk to those who deal for a living with the mentally ill. Those who quote the agenda-driven studies to argue otherwise fail to mention that those studies routinely exclude from the study any patient that is either, 1) not taking his or her meds, 2) abusing drugs or alcohol, or 3) has a past history of violence! In many mental health populations, that’s about 10% or less of the population left to study. The notion propogated by the Left that the mentally ill are just harmless, lovable eccentrics is absolute garbage from a statistical standpoint.

You bet I carry.

Then think of the populations dealt with by certain lawyers, or emergency room physicians, and I think you’ve got your answer.

[Cacique]

Btt

[Moltke]

“I don’t believe people should be allowed to have guns in America,” Ms. Stewart, daughter of Martha, said in an interview, explaining that she bought a .357 Magnum after 9/11 — but would be happy to give it up if handguns were banned.

Humility seems to be a strong trait in the Stewart family.

[Polynikes]

If the info is from NYC I'll take a guess. Aside from the MD’s and Psych’s dealing with the mentally ill or having access to drugs and cash a maximum donation of $2300 to the mayor or machine poltico would help.

Multiply that many times as donations are funneled through the people employed by those professions till it numbers in the 10’s of thousands and voila’ a ccw is awarded.

Do I get any prize?

[oneolcop]

In reality there is no granting of "the privilege" of exercising a right. It's impossible to grant a person a right.

Rights are God-given. "Privileges" connote permission by the granter.

[StaffiT]

Guns are meant to be a check on Governmental power – just the same as the First Amendment, so Ms. Stewart, would you say this instead:

“I don’t believe people should be allowed to have guns Free-Speech in America,”?

[pabianice]

I refuse to go to NY and I refuse to do any business in NY. They refuse to honor any of the LTCs or military firearms quals. Screw them. I also try to convince my friends, neighbors, relatives, and business associates to do the same.