WBIR (Chanel 10) of Knoxville wishes to debate Carry permit laws.

[Guest Phantom6]

Well at least they are not as bad as the Tennessean in making names available but they are definately stiring the pot. Jake Jost, Online and Investigative producer writes in his comentary

a closed record would make analysis such as this impossible. An intelligent debate over policy is unlikely without good information. Without strong public records laws, we can't provide you with good information.

What debate is necessary? The 2nd Amendment is pretty plain.

Fortunately most of the respondants on the broadcasting company's web forum there feel that this is a news organization trying to make news. Most would agree with closing the carry permit records to public pervue.

They will run this report on the 11:00 news tonight. Here is the link to the Commentary-

COMMENTARY: How, why we analyzed handgun carry permits

[Mike.357]

Phantom i just realized the the forum I posted it in need a moderator to approve, guess I ought to read the fine print. thanks for putting it here, i was just fixing to do so.

I doubt there is anything we already don't know in this story but it will interest all of us.

[Guest dotsun]

I'll reserve judgement until I see the story, but the guy posting the comments for WBIR claims he has no bias. We'll see...

[Guest Boomhower]

Not bad. I didn't really hear anything hurtful, I just wish they could have interviewed a few of the guys that I've personally spoken with here on this forum.

[Mike.357]

Not much ground breaking in their telecast. Loved that the first two woman they spoke to in McMinn County were HCP holders.

As an aside, the film clips they showed of a HCP class was filmed in the class I took back in June. I even saw myself tonight on the firing line clip they showed, lol, right in front of the camera. I was in camo shorts and BMS shirt. But you all got to see my best side so I doubt I was recognizable.

[bteague2]

I'm not too crazy about that map but oh well atleast the news piece wasn't bad. But it wasn't long enough to be positive or negative, so in two or three weeks when they do a follow up or something we'll see.

Edit: And rabbi will be happy, nothing but revolvers in the clip from the carry class

[Guest Boomhower]

Surprising.....I went to their map (WBIR's) and viewed my neighborhood, and their are 237 permit holders.

[Guest Boomhower]

Using 2000 Census socioeconomic data, we ran a Pearson's correlation to match up the permit rate and other social and economic factors.(If you're interested in more in-depth information on this, e-mail me, and I can send you the tables.)

Has anyone emailed John Becker about these tables? If so, can you post them here. I may email him if I don't get a response from any of you.

[Mike.357]

Boom it is not John Becker apparently but some other guy named Jake Jost

[Guest Phantom6]

The real question here in my mind is what are they going to do with the information with all of our names and addresses received from the state? If they do not act responsibly and destroy it it could fall into the hands of someone who may use it for less than ethical reasons. I am of the opinion that this information should be readily available for "official" business but should not be available to anyone with a laser printer and a hundred bucks that wishes to access it. This did not cross the line as the Tennessean or the Roanake Times did but itwalks too close to it for my complete peace of mind.

[Marswolf]

Well damn. I have a lot of territory to cover. I'm the square just below "Blountville" in Sullivan county and none of my neighbors have permits. It isn't in exactly the right place though, and the Google Earth info doesn't show me at all.

I think this is probably a preemptive strike at closing the records from the media (public).

Frankly, I can't get upset about people being able to find out I have a permit. If a thug looks me up, he knows where not to strike because he knows he will opposed. It's like having a burglar alarm that is obvious on a house. It just tells the BGs to go rob another easier place.

[molonlabetn]

...snip...Frankly, I can't get upset about people being able to find out I have a permit. If a thug looks me up, he knows where not to strike because he knows he will opposed. It's like having a burglar alarm that is obvious on a house. It just tells the BGs to go rob another easier place.

Are these the same thugs that would target a open-carrier for a crime because they know they have a gun?

[Marswolf]

I'll gladly open carry inside my house. In fact I frequently do. I just don't bother to take off the handgun when I come home. The house conceals the gun.

[Guest Len]

and the Google Earth info doesn't show me at all.

Wow, Mars' place is hidden from Google Earth, just like Dick Cheney's. Mars is even more well-connected than previously thought!

[Mike.357]

Wow, Mars' place is hidden from Google Earth,

Tower had mentioned to me once when I was going up to Marks place that it does not show on Google Earth, now I know why. He must live near Mars, hmmmm....

[Guest dotsun]

He's only 5 minutes from Mars.

OK Tower I'll stop now... Maybe!

[Marswolf]

BTW, that KML file for Google Earth is screwed up. It leaves all sorts of artifacts in the application. Had to delete it.

Actually, I'm at much higher resolution in Google Earth than I was a few months ago. I'm in the same quad as the Bristol NAStyCAR track, so they bumped up the resolution. Still hard to see where I am back in the trees.

You can't even see my sniper's nest on top of the ridge overlooking the interstate.

[hso]

I looked at the WBIR maps and downloaded the kml file and ran it on Google Earth. All it shows is the same census tract based information, population, # of HCP holders in the census tract, average income in the census tract, guesstimation on homeownership. Nothing more detailed than that.

There were several people on the WBIR comment thread that served as an embarrassment to RKBA advocacy. They endlessly claimed that WBIR made the names/addresses of HCP holders available in the data (they didn't, but the truth doesn't deter these nutjobs). The chief pot stirrer ended up recanting and apologizing.

[Guest Eddie]

I posted several until the censorship started. My censorship was that I suggested that they give stats on the number of crimes committed by CHL's, and that didn't sit very well with them.

I have continued to read the posts throughout the weekend. Some of them were direct threats, which is an absolutely asinine thing to do. It's a disgrace to those of us who have went through the hassles of getting a permit. The following is a post that I have in the WBIR forum. I re-posted it in whole, but my reason for posting it here is the #1 action, in the "Action that can be taken" list. I am urging everyone in the state to contact their state rep's to make this info private.

"Previously, I stated that I would not post on this subject again, but after reading some of the posts, I changed my mind.

I am adamant about my Constitutional Rights. In this particular case, it regards the 1st and 2nd amendments. While the 1st amendment is floundering, as shown through the censorship of this forum, the movement to restore our 2nd amendment rights is gaining momentum. The debacle of the mid-nineties is over. People who sat back and did nothing are now fighting back. It took years to lose our 2nd amendment freedom, and it will probably take years to get it all back, but we must continue to whittle away at what we have lost. In essence, turn the tables on the anti's, by using their own words and tactics against them. They had their shot and blew it big time.

Action that can be taken:

1. This article has shown a weakness in regards to what should be private information. Rather than continue a meaningless argument, call, write, or e-mail your representative to make this information private. Other states have already fixed this problem, and it can be done here.

2. Vote. If you don't like what is happening in government, vote them out of office permanently.

3. Don't agree with WBIR? Call or write the station and let them know how you feel. Call or write their sponsors and let them know how you feel. If that doen't get their attention, turn the channel or turn the TV off altogther and play with your kids.

4. Don't physically threaten these people. This article was meant to inflame, and threats play right into their hands. A lot of people noticed that there were no clear cut results, and none were given upon questioning. Threats are exactly what was expected. This was an attempt to show instability of those who carry firearms.

WBIR was fishing. The bait was this article, and we were the fish.

Finally, anyone and everyone who makes such threats in no way represent me or my beliefs. This article is just a liberal's ploy. He is only a threat if you allow him to be. "

[Mike.357]

Eddie I am not on your side here.

First you mention CHL's. Maybe I am splitting hairs but no one else on this site talks about CHL's, in TN it is a HCP.

Second you mention

hassles of getting a permit

While I would prefer to not need a permit I hardly call it a hassle. Free would be better but it is not a hassle.

Three

Don't agree with WBIR? Call or write the station and let them know how you feel.

What is there to agree or disagree about? They did not express opinion, they used statistics to tell what we all know already and that is middle class white guys have permits.

Fourth,

This was an attempt to show instability of those who carry firearms.

WBIR was fishing. The bait was this article, and we were the fish.

Where are you coming up With this stuff? Where is any attempt to show much of anything? Speak for yourself, I do not see the members of this site as fish. No body here went off the deep end.

Put a few extra layers of foil in you hat, maybe then you will feel better.

yikes

[Guest Eddie]

Eddie I am not on your side here.

First you mention CHL's. Maybe I am splitting hairs but no one else on this site talks about CHL's, in TN it is a HCP.

OK. You're right. Mine reads Handgun Carry Permit.

Second you mention While I would prefer to not need a permit I hardly call it a hassle. Free would be better but it is not a hassle.

It was a hassle to take the course, make a trip to the TDOT office, and make yet another trip to be fingerprinted.

I too would prefer not to need a permit.

Three

What is there to agree or disagree about? They did not express opinion, they used statistics to tell what we all know already and that is middle class white guys have permits.

Do you really believe that the given summary was their motive and/or goal? This is a profession dominated by liberals.

Fourth,

Where are you coming up With this stuff? Where is any attempt to show much of anything? Speak for yourself, I do not see the members of this site as fish. No body here went off the deep end.

Put a few extra layers of foil in you hat, maybe then you will feel better.

yikes

Yes, I do believe that WBIR was "fishing". They were trying to inflame the people who lack self control into making threats against them, and they succeeded.

Where is any attempt to show much of anything? Have you ever read another news article with this much irrelevence? Did you notice the refusals to answer direct questions? Do you truly believe that the content of this article is their actual goal?

My only reason for re-posting was that I felt maybe there were some HCP's who disagreed with the public having access as to who and where they are.

Obviously I'm wasting my time. Apparantly, you feel that the media's ethics are trustworthy.

I don't...

If you feel that you don't have a problem with public access, disregard my previous post.

[Marswolf]

Television "News" is a business. They want it to be a profitable business and they have time to fill. If they can do salacious, gory or inciting spots, they tend to get more audience and advertising dollars. If you can't do an Anna Nicole Smith or Michael Vick spot, a gun piece is always good for a few more viewers.

In all, it seems to me the spot was pretty bland. It just stated the facts. If someone sees more than that in the piece, it's in the mind of the viewer. People who go off the deep end about stuff like this hurt our cause. What if they decide to do a follow-up piece about the comments they received from "crazy people" who are allowed to carry guns?

[Guest dotsun]

That was my take on it as well, Mars.