Alphecca: Total Damn Fool

September 28, 2005

Total Damn Fool

Stephen Oravecz is the political editor of the Ohio Tribune Chronicle. He's also a total damn fool. Yesterday, he tried to defend his position that it's all right to publish the names and addresses of CCW holders:

For those who missed it, the column talked about a new bill in the Ohio Legislature that would restrict media access to the list of people who get a license to carry a concealed weapon. I said the public, not just the media, should be able to see the list and questioned a provision in the bill that would let people keep their names secret even from the press by signing an affidavit claiming they fear they would be attacked.

Here's what some readers had to say and my responses, which will probably just convince gun owners I still don't get it.

READER: "Yes in a free society people do have the right and access to public records. And whether it was wrong or right to restrict access to the names of people with CHL's to the media, it does not mean that the media has to play the misguided role of being an advocate by publishing names of CHL holders. Why just single out CHL holders and publish the names of anyone who legally buys a firearm?''

RESPONSE: I make a distinction between owning a firearm - a constitutional right - and carrying a concealed weapon - which I consider a privilege.

Let's see, the Second Amendment doesn't say, "keep arms" but instead says, "keep and bear arms". It doesn't specify that those arms must be exposed for all to see and frankly, does he really want everyone to open-carry in public? Would that make him feel safer or cause less consternation amonst the GFW general populace that for whatever reason don't like guns?

He goes on:

READER: "You just don't get it is right! You haven't read the bill. It does allow media access, but you have to know the person's name. ''

RESPONSE: I did know this, but it is meaningless because to discover who's on the list, reporters would have to submit long lists to overworked sheriff's offices who will argue correctly that they do not have to reply to such fishing expeditions. Granted, the proposed law would allow the media to check on a limited number of people who were involved in a specific instance.

Why should this schmuck Oravecz need to know every single person who has a permit to conceal carry? By the way, just because a person has a permit doesn't mean he/she necessarily IS carrying. If the information isn't related to a news story (presumably about crime) then why is it important? Well, we know the answer to that: Because Oravecz is trying to make some lame political point. If it were merely that he thinks a CCW permit is a "priviledge" then so is a driver's license. Does he publish a weekly roundup of everyone who passed their driver's test? Probably not; no leftist-liberal hay to be made there. No lists of fishing licenses, either. Or barber licenses issued. Just CCW permit holders.

He blathers on but I think you get the point. I really urge everyone to never buy a copy of the Tribune Chronicle and don't ever click through to one of the advertisements on their website. He's entitled to his opinion but we're entitled to not support that opinion financially.

Posted by Jeff Soyer at September 28, 2005 07:47 AM

Comments

The more idiots like Oravecz prattle on, the more pathetic they seem. I think he needs to keep talking!

What a lame loser. Get a life, buddy. And go to the National Matches about 100 miles away from your office. It will blow your little constricted liberal mind.

Maybe we can get him to run the names and addresses and results of all the National Match shooters from Camp Perry, Ohio, while he is busy "outing" gun folks.

Jeff: I hope you and Cam are working this nut over on the radio.

Posted by: robert at September 28, 2005 10:26 AM

Here you have the socialist mindset in a nutshell:

HE considers it a privilege!

Why should it matter what he considers? Because, you see, he is sooooo much smarter than the ill-smelling masses he selflessly struggles to educate through his columns.

He is the philosopher king and we should know our place.

Do you think that this clown would hesitate for a second to impose his will on all of us if he had the chance?

Remember, this is the mindset of virtually the entire main-stream media.

Posted by: Voolfie at September 28, 2005 10:56 AM

He needs to have his own personal but publicly accessable information published far and wide.

I'm sure he would have no objections to having everyone know where he lives and know that he disaproves of owning weapons.

Posted by: Kristopher at September 28, 2005 11:32 AM

And I'm sure he'd be willing to come to Massachusetts to rally for the same information being made public.

Anyone think it's a coincidence that in MA, where being politically-connected increases your chances of being issued a license for CCW, the names of LTC-A holders are protected by law from being made public?

Posted by: Bruce at September 28, 2005 12:49 PM

While it's disconcerting that our right to privacy is wholly contingent on what a newspaper editor "considers" it to be, what appalls me the most is that there's no way to argue that publishing names of CCW permit holders does not endanger the citizens holding the permits.

What possible rationale can one have for this other than it's an implicit threat? "The public's right to know" yadayadayada... I'd expect the same journalists that worked themselves into a frenzy over the nonexistent outing of a non-covert CIA employee would be having a field day with this threat to the safety of thousands of ordinary citizens.

Posted by: Stephen Skubinna at September 28, 2005 05:07 PM

Publish his name and home address. Be sure to prominently state that he has NO guns at his home, but he is affluent and hostile to the concept of self protection.

This may seem like cruel treatment to a mental defective, but if they beg for it. . .

Posted by: Bruce Thomas at September 29, 2005 11:39 PM

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September 28, 2005

Total Damn Fool

By Golly, you're reading an archived post. Click Here to head to the main page and read current stuff...

Check it out:

My group sci-fi blog novel:

Colony: Alchibah