Posted on 03/04/2002 11:01:08 AM PST by real saxophonist
Keep who's packing public
Monday, March 04, 2002 - Once again, Colorado lawmakers are trying to seal public records on concealed-weapons permits and, once again, we have to say this is a bad idea.
Two years ago, Gov. Bill Owens agreed with us when he vetoed a bill to require state and local officials to withhold the identity of persons who have concealed-weapons permits.
Still, the idea won't stay buried. This time around, the provision has been attached to a broader privacy-rights bill offered by Rep. Mark Cloer, R-Colorado Springs, who says secret concealed-carry records are a small part of a privacy bill dealing with such things as identity theft and misuse of information to defraud hospitals, for example.
Cloer's HB 1147 passed the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee 5-4 on Thursday, after it was amended to allow confirmation if a specific person has a weapons permit.
In arguing in favor of keeping permit records secret, Cloer cites the hypothetical example of a woman who has gotten out of a relationship but doesn't want her "abusive significant other" to know she has a permit and now can protect herself. Well, there are ways to protect such women that don't involve sealing an entire body of public records.
Did Rep. Cloer consider that an abused woman who chooses not to carry a .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson Model 586 may want to know that the knuckle-dragger she just broke up with is packing heat?
This newspaper long has opposed sealing concealed-carry records for the simple reason that any time an individual seeks a special privilege or license from government, that is a public act and should be on the public record.
Colorado's Open Records Act is broadly drawn and has few exceptions, save personnel records and some criminal justice files. The records of state and local government belong to the people. There's a valid public interest in the media and the public knowing who has derringers tucked stylishly into their cummerbunds.
Editorials alone express The Denver Post's opinion.
Herein lies the problem with concealed carry legislation and laws. The idea that folks have that we need to have a "special privilege or license" from ANYBODY to participate in our fully recognized "bill of rights."
Columbine would NOT have happened if a dozen or so students and teachers were carrying concealed weapons. Why should the law, create a register of folks who are participating in their constitutional rights? Why would a newspaper want to see those rights curtailed?
They are criminals... as are all of those who seek to curtail MY rights, so they can falsely "feel good" about their own personal power, ideology and control over law abiding americans... Their feeling good, is more important than MY CONSTITUTIONAL rights... the mindset of all criminal activity.
...idiots. EVERY BODY KNOWS guns SAVE LIVES.
This is completely irrelevent. If the knuckle dragger wants to harm her, he has no need for a gun much less a concealed carry permit.
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This newspaper long has opposed sealing concealed-carry records for the simple reason that any time an individual seeks a special privilege or license from government, that is a public act and should be on the public record.
“special privilege or license from government”?
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed
They'll know anyway - they've got hunting license records, 4473's (you know, the ones that Janet Reno didn't want to destroy), and the state equivalent of 4473's.
I've got mixed feelings on this one. As I indicated above, I think they already know who owns guns (though they may not know exactly how many or which ones somebody owns), and I think that open records would show that a lot of the anti-gunners pack as well. On the other hand, as a general principle I favor more privacy to less (pesky libertarian impulses!).
Did Rep. Cloer consider that an abused woman who chooses not to carry a .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson Model 586 may want to know that the knuckle-dragger she just broke up with is packing heat?
A little off topic, but why do papers not think twice about these kind of characterizations of men. I doubt they would refer to the girlfriend as an ignorant slut.
Of course, if it's she who's packing heat, it'll be her name and address made public. Did the author think of that?
I agree with you, RC. Since driver's licenses and license plates fall under 'special privilege/license from government' then I'd like to have a public database that links license plates with the names and addresses of their owners so I can hunt down and kill that guy that cut me off this morning.
I have a better idea. Let's make public all those sissy anti-gun weenies who are afraid of guns. We'll include their addresses so that the criminals in the neighborhood will know exactly who to target.
Agreed. Besides, if the 'knuckledragger' has a CCW permit, more than likely, he's a law-abiding citizen thats even more law abiding that police.
But once the list is public then my gun is "technically" no longer concealed because everyone that cares to find out knows I have one. Therefore we should all just pack our heat on our hip, I think the liberal loonies would be AMAZED (and no doubt peeing their legs) to find out just how many weapons are around them at any one time.
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