Editors Beware! We Mean Business!

So, the 'freedom-of-information' wars have begun! Not one to run from a fight, I will lend my aid to the cause.

You will remember the scathing piece I wrote on a newspaper in New York that published the names of all gun owners in that county? Well, gun owners protested, to which such editors cite 'freedom of information' as their right to publish such names.

In that article I suggested that gun owners get the names, addresses, and plot and parcel numbers for these editors and news writers, available to the public from county courthouse records, and then publish THAT info.

You see, this too, is freedom of information...perfectly legal, available in every county courthouse in the U.S. to the general public.

Gunlawnews.com has published the name, address, and courthouse records on the property of one such newspaper editor in South Dakota, who insists on making the names of gun owners public. Here is the full information on the writer who is engaging in this conspiracy aimed at attempting to humiliate firearms owners.

Let the editors beware! We plan on doing the same thing to ANY news writer and/or editor who continues to publish the names of gun owners. Tit for tat.

'The Argus Leader in South Dakota has published "Printing names is part of upholding First Amendment" in response to complaints. So, in the interest of educating the public on who a media player is, I provide the following information:

'The name of the writer is Jeff E. Martin. At 38 years old, he is the Metro Editor for the Argus Leader.

Work number (605) 331-2373
Home number (605) 371-9764
Home address 4308 S Florence Ave
Sioux Falls, SD

'GoogleMaps show a nice but unremarkable house on the SE side of town. It looks to be 2000 - 3000 square feet. Neighbor houses seem to be within ten feet on either side. The width of Mr. Martin's driveway indicates that he probably has a three car garage. In sum, Mr. Martin seems to have a solidly middle class life.

'Previous addresses include: SIOUX FALLS, SD
AMES, IA
BIRMINGHAM, MI
JACKSON, TN
BROKEN ARROW, OK
TULSA, OK

'Given his status at the paper, I am fairly sure he is well compensated. Given his apparent stand on guns, I am sure his house is without any form of defensive measures, beyond a cell phone, that is.

'With rights come responsbilities. As gun owners, we know this.

'The ability and right to publish random information is not questioned. The appropriateness of publishing that information is.

'Update: Just so I don't lose any credibility by leaving a name off, Jeff's wife is the former Sheila Roll, a 1993 journalism graduate of Iowa State.'

KUDOS to the blogger at GunLawNews for taking a stand.

Now that we are showing just how inappropriate it is to publish info that may be legal but idiotic for all the world to see, perhaps these slightly mentally-challenged newspaper editors and writers will stop with their stupid practice of publishing the names of gun owners.

If they don't stop, we don't plan to stop publishing complete information on ALL editors who engage in this lunacy.