More Media Hypocrisy: Newspaper Hires Armed Guards

Editor Caryn A. McBride

The Westchester, NY newspaper that enraged gun owners across the country by publishing their names and addresses in true “sex-offender” style, has taken drastic measures to protect its employees.  The Journal News has hired armed guards.

That’s right.  You read it correctly.  In a mind-boggling display of shameless audacity, the newspaper has hired guards.  With guns.

Abusing Using the Freedom of Information Act, the paper created an interactive map of Westchester and Rockland County gun owners.

The Rockland County Times reported:

The Journal News caused an international stir when they released an interactive map of pistol permit holders names and addresses in Rockland and Westchester counties last Sunday, December 23. The editors have said they believe knowing where guns are is in the public’s interest. The newspaper has also taken a strident editorial position in favor of strict gun control.

Rather than take the map down following the public uproar, the executive board at the Journal News has decided to “stick to their guns” and double-down on their original decision, as they have said a map listing all pistol permit holders in Putnam County will soon to be posted.

[update—Putnam County officials have since announced their intention to not comply with the Journal News’ request for the names and addresses of pistol permit holders]

Bloggers and activists, led by blogger Christopher Fountain, took matters into their own hands and retaliated by creating their own interactive map, this one with the names and addresses of the employees of the newspaper.

So, despite the paper’s vocal support of strict gun control, apparently this only applies to other people.

According to police reports on public record, Journal News Rockland Editor Caryn A. McBride was alarmed by the volume of “negative correspondence,” namely an avalanche of phone calls and emails to the Journal News office, following the newspaper’s publishing of a map of all pistol permit holders in Rockland and Westchester.

Due to apparent safety concerns, the newspaper then decided to hire RGA Investigations to provide armed personnel to man the location.

Source

This begs the question: If these newspaper staffers feel safer having someone with a gun around, why do they want to take that feeling of security away from the rest of us?