January 3, 2013 Gun Control, FOIA and Indifference Toward A Constitutional Right By Mary B.

(@beauxyeux64 on Twitter) Since the tragic December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, I have listened day after day to TV and radio reports regarding the usual anti-gun sentiment spewed by politicians and by generally uninformed citizens. I legally own a handgun for personal protection and recreational shooting. I am allowed this right under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. Every American has the right to bear arms legally and responsibly. As with Sandy Hook and the shooting in Aurora, Colorado and sadly the other events that almost every American remembers, we all know and feel how tragic and needless these events are. The answer is not banning guns, constructing new laws or prohibiting law abiding and responsible citizens from owning them. The answer is to consistently, uniformly and competently enforce the laws already on the books. Mental illness needs to also be dealt with much more often and effectively than it is as well. Adam Lanzas mother may have legally owned the firearms he got hold of, but he had easy access to them. Based on all reports there is no way she didnt know he had a psychological problem. She was irresponsible and he should not have had access to them. She was an irresponsible gun owner. I live in a state which has ridiculously prohibitive and restrictive gun laws (New Jersey in case anyone is interested). I, however, went through the process to legally obtain my handgun and my rights should not be further restricted because of the people who both illegally obtain firearms and choose to do intentional harm to others with blatant disregard for their fellow citizens. Today the Putnam County, NY Clerk refused to comply with an FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request by a local newspaper to publish the names and addresses of licensed gun owners in that County. This blatant disregard for personal privacy is just wrong. He was applauded by the citizens in attendance at his announcement that he would not comply. Not only are anti-gun fanatics trying to infringe on gun owners rights, you are now violating the civil rights of private citizens. So, take for instance a hypothetical situation where some county, somewhere in any state decides to comply with an FOIA request to publish the personal information of a licensed gun owner. Heres the burning question what happens when one of the gun owners whose information was published is being harassed by people who have the information? How will they be protected? Seems to me that is almost setting up someone simply because they own a firearm. Most people have them for self-defense purposes, but would they be prevented from protecting themselves or their family members if they were being threatened by someone? Its something to think about.