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gunowners.jpg
It's a public record. The Journal News says neighbors have a right to know in case they feel insecure about living next to a gun owner. (Screen grab of the Journal News map)

Gun owners - outed in New York!

BY Dave Ross  on December 27, 2012 @ 7:36 am (Updated: 7:51 am - 12/27/12 )

There it is - on the website of the Journal News, which covers New York's Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland Counties. An interactive map with red dots, which you can click on to see the names of people with gun permits and where they live. Not the number and types of weapons, just that they have a permit.

It's a public record. The paper says neighbors have a right to know in case they feel insecure about living next to a gun owner.

I checked out a gun owner I know in Westchester, Sure enough - she has a permit. Which makes sense because I know her to be a law-abiding citizen.

That's the bottom line here - this is a map of law obeyers, not law breakers. Now - if I knew that a neighbor had guns, and saw there was NO red dot indicating a permit, that's what would worry me.

The newspaper's gotten flak from people worried that outing gun owners like this will just help bad guys steal guns. Maybe - if the bad guy could be sure the owner wasn't home. But it seems to me a crook would want to avoid the homes with the red dots, right?

As for how this might affect our current gun debate: When you look at the map of Westchester (where I grew up, by the way) and you see those 16,000 dots in just the one county - you realize gun confiscation is not going to happen. What you DO hope is that under the dot is a responsible gun owner who's been trained, who has a safe, and is in a good mood today.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (76)


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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    First of all Chuck
    December 27, 2012 1:53 pm
    I was just joking, at least I think that I was, about making public all those who re immaculated Obama.

    Second I was trying to make a point with trying to make public those who voted against Homosexuals being allowed to be married in the eyes of this Obama government. I know that petitions and votes are not the same.

    I own semi autos. This regime wants to take my guns and all my neighbors guns, guns who have killed NO ONE!, and yet not even attempt to stop or even try to curb the black market and all the black kids being killed every day in the cities. Actually as far as I can tell the regime does nothing to stop the black market or the illegal import of Assault type weapons. By doing nothing they are encouraging the daily slaughter. But why should the regime try? It is far easier to take away my rights and satisfy those who support Obama.

    If this regime is ever able to make this unconstitutional ban legal, what will they say, the lies, when the next massacre occurs?

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  • DesertRez wrote...
    Hayduke
    December 27, 2012 2:16 pm
    I thought the Patriot Act was the second worst abuse of federal power that Bush passed as law (and Obama extended in 2011), just behind Obamacare.
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  • adiru wrote...
    I would be more secure
    December 27, 2012 2:28 pm
    if we had a dot, name, and address of all known violent felons and sexual predators. But then, the government doesn't want us to know.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hayduke wrote...
    For once, BooWho, I agree with you (On the point of the anti-gay marriage signers being outed)
    December 27, 2012 2:46 pm
    I guess Hell has finally frozen over....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    One can only hope!
    December 27, 2012 2:58 pm
    .
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    Too many public records in IMO
    December 27, 2012 4:18 pm
    The property records that King County puts out there are just ridiculous. What is the point of it? Companies data mining the KC website.

    It is like having people be able to peek in your windows.

    Why is it anyone's business how many square feet my home is? How it is heated?

    All crazy and unnecessary.

    A dark side of the Internet, IMO.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Mr. Lawn. The alleged purpose of Assessor data on line is to allow home owners to confirm or correct them, so as not to be over assessed.
    December 27, 2012 4:44 pm
    In practicality, real estate agents, appraisers and lenders use the data - not for 'mining' - but as the only relative consistency to evaluate differences between properties. .. And similar systems are in public record nation-wide, except Nebraska.

    Imagine, for a minute, the difficulty in pricing a house without knowing how big the house down the street that recently sold is. Sure, its MLS listing might have an estimate, but no where near as accurate as Assessor records. ... and banks use the records as a check. If an appraiser says the house is, say, 1800sf but the Assessor says 1500sf, that's a 300sf difference that needs to be cleared up & explained. Or, perhaps, someone made an error.

    And most components in a house contribute to value. .... Yes, it IS a bit like peeking in your windows, but the real estate industry would be hard pressed without it.

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    I am well aware of they are NOW used for Mr. ron
    December 27, 2012 5:54 pm
    But the real estate industry survived before.

    If the real estate industry is thriving on those public records they should pay for them.

    What business is it of mine what Dave Ross's house is worth?

    All these nuts out here screeching about Dave DISCUSSING a public record disclosure yet do most of them know what is available through King County (and most other jurisdictions) about them?

    I doubt it.

    Years ago, I actually caught an assessor peeking through my window. If I had been one of these RWNJ's he would have been dead.

    He walked up a gated 300 foot drive, past a large no trespassing sign and was looking in a kitchen window.

    No we don't have curtains, we live very privately.

    I am surprised he didn't snap a picture of my wife headed for the shower and put it on the property records.

    Remember when they published the "comments"?

    Maybe it would have said, "nice A$s.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Actually, Lawn, the real estate industry DOES pay for those records.
    December 27, 2012 9:30 pm
    Quite hansomly, by the way. The MLS, for example, pays quite a bit each year for the main Assessor data in each county, plus daily updates. So do larger Title companies. As well as at least one major commercial outfit that re-works the data and sells it to various real estate professionals.

    And, at that, the assessor data that can be purchased is less than half what can be obtained by going directly to King County (for example)in downtown Seattle. ... Also at the King County Court House (again, for example) in Public Records you can find just about ANY interaction between the King County government and individuals. Including arrest (just arrest, not conviction) records. Law suits. Bankruptcies. Etc.

    But as far as an Assessor's deputy peeking in your window goes, I certainly believe you. The key word here is DEPUTY. The Assessor has a LEGAL right to do such things as enter your property - and measure any structures (form the outside) - AND observe anything through windows (!!!). Regardless of any signs. The only restriction is that IF you deny access IN PERSON, the deputy most THEN leave. Your refusal in all likelihood will be noted in your property records, for whatever that may mean.

    The only good news about Assessor snooping is that most field inspections were 40 years ago when the State Supreme Court mandated modernization of records (for 100% market value taxation) and new construction since.

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    Nope, Mr. ron
    December 27, 2012 10:25 pm
    There was a field inspection about seven years ago where I live.

    But the rest, good information. I still hate having all that private info out there.

    I think it is over the top.

    Good news is my wife still has that nice a$s.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Key word, Mt. Lawn - MOST
    December 27, 2012 10:56 pm
    Doesn't mean that there aren't some site inspections each year. Permits for additions and/or remodeling might spark a visit. As might an apparent addition without a permit.

    not knowing which county you live in (this IS is Washington State? - not a winter home?) I can't speculate more. .. But that right of entry exists regardless - and I think each refusal is only good for one year.

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    Oh ron, when you get "Block Watcher" or one of those sites pop up when you are Googling someone?
    December 27, 2012 6:11 pm
    Data mining.

    I pay for it with tax dollars.

    I pay for those county systems and their infrastructure.

    Where else did they get that data?

    And for you, BTW.

    So the next time you whine about taxes, know that I pay them to assist you.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Try Google Earth and/or BING aerials
    December 27, 2012 9:35 pm
    That's not even government, and in most of the State of the USA any property can be seen from about 300' above. Usually updated every year or two. ......... So take a towel with you to sun bathe in your back yard.

    And THAT'S not tax dollars, that's advertisers.

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    and I again agree
    December 27, 2012 10:29 pm
    Get you firemen buddy to start shooting
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  • JeffShelton wrote...
    Looks like a safe place to live
    December 27, 2012 5:03 pm
    Seeing as how most registered guns owners aren't the ones committing crimes. But the left wing media would make you think otherwise. Generally people who own guns like myself don't want the government knowing we have guns. All you need to know is that it is our right to own and bare guns and that is what we are going to do until the left tramples on that right. 16,000 registered red dots in a little county would be a safe county. Here in Shelton Tim Sheldon had to cut several Sheriff jobs and he justified it by stating "Shelton will be fine since most of our citizens own and pack guns" He is the only Democrat I have ever voted for.
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  • longwayhome wrote...
    Mentally challenged
    December 27, 2012 6:49 pm
    Covers about all of the republican party, doesn't it? I see the little red dots of all the republicans with guns, makes me nervous.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mpgunner wrote...
    According to LibTard logic the NRA is the problem
    December 27, 2012 11:48 pm
    Yep, they caused all of this killing. Yet, nothing to do with the sick kids/men, right? But, if Lib's get their mag limits the will "feel good" and be happy. Just like voting for Obama. Results don't matter, just feeling good.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    LibTard logic is breathtaking hypocrisy
    December 28, 2012 1:12 am
    LibTard logic released that nut in New York from prison (after killing his own Grandmother with a hammer)to go on and set the neighborhood on fire and kill two firefighters.LibTard logic slaps the hand of a cold blooded killer like the one that savagely beat Tuba Man to death.LibTard logic has no ethical fiber and posts person info that can be used against someone (snatch their gun)does Liberals ever think about Unintended Consequences.?Answer: No.
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  • JohnQEveryman wrote...
    ha!
    December 28, 2012 7:16 am
    What exactly do you think all this knee-jerk legislation does? It has never proffered substantive resolution to root-cause issues, only to make Americans feel better and *think* the issue is resolved. However... removing assault rifles from the equation is a start to tackling the root-cause issue. And yes, the NRA IS the problem... they represent 0.01% of the US population (4Mil members), yet have their hands in the legislation that is generally accepted as being counter to popular social opinion. Majority and popular social opinion create rule and law in this country, yet somehow gun laws, antithetical to the majority desires, are passed. How? The NRA. But you're right... they're just a group of friendly, philanthropic individuals. I be you think Halliburton is too, eh?
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  • mpgunner wrote...
    Funny how lib's love privacy...
    December 27, 2012 11:49 pm
    Except when to expose gun owners. Aren't they great?
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  • JohnQEveryman wrote...
    ...
    December 28, 2012 7:18 am
    And it's funny how the GOP decries invasions of privacy, unless it's useless legislation like the PATRIOT Act. BTW, most Libs DO NOT decry privacy violations... you're thinking of your GOP brethren. Most Libs want social cooperation and cohesion, with privacy as a freedom given up for safety.
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