Posted on 11/09/2005 8:09:47 PM PST by aberaussie
I am sorry I don't have the original article, but it has been removed from the WFTV web site. They did a big expose this week on the proliferation of concealed carry permit holders in Central Florda. On their web site they had links to excel files containing lists of permit holders by county including names, addresses, birth dates and permit numbers. Of course, that is all a matter of public record, but they made it easy to access and, from what I have been told by those who heard their promos on the TV and radio, they told people to go to their web site to find out which of their neighbors might be carrying. Here is the e-mail I sent to the station:
I would like to know for what purpose your station put links to the CCW permit lists on your website. Were you interested in letting criminals know where they could go to steal guns?
I hope you will be as quick to expose criminals' names and addresses as you are to "out" those law-abiding citizens who just want to be able to protect themselves legally.
And here is the reply I received:
Ms. Aberaussie, thank you for taking the time to share your opinion with us. We take your concerns very seriously, and we understand that you strongly disagree with the station's decision to publish state records identifying concealed weapon permit holders in Central Florida.
While we very much respect your viewpoint, we believe that our story regarding concealed weapon permits, as well as the identities of those who have elected to obtain those permits, is newsworthy and of legitimate concern to the public. The Florida legislature has deemed that the identity of permit holders, including their names, addresses, dates of birth and permit numbers, is public information. While the legislature has determined that law abiding citizens have the right to carry a concealed weapon, it also has determined that their fellow citizens have a right to know who has been granted such a permit.
However, to the extent that you have any continuing concerns about the publication on the station's website of the state's list of permit holders, you should be reassured by the fact that this information is no longer available on the website as a result of the station's normal process of removing dated materials. We hope this will ease any concerns you may have.
Again, we thank you for taking the time to contact us. Please know that we hear you, and we understand your concerns. Hopefully, we can move forward from here with mutual respect and a better understanding of each other's viewpoint on this matter.
Naughtin, Linda (CBI-Orlando TV) [Linda.Naughtin@wftv.com]
Now, I have trouble believing that they removed the links as part of their regular updating process. I checked the site several times during the day on Tuesday, and about mid-afternoon the links to the lists disappeared, but the article was still there. I do know that one person I know who was calling WFTV and Tallahasee regarding the article and the links was told that both the station and the Department of Licensing were flooded with calls.
As I remember it took me a little while to find the local sex offender database. When I did find it some of the entries were questionable or outdated.
It is nice to know that the MSM is going to keep me informed on who the gun owners are though!
NOTE: A half a serving of sarcasm accompanied this post. I appreciate you taking the time to write them a letter. It lets them know that they are being monitored.
hmmmmm, A smart criminal would have downloaded that excel file and then started casing the 'nicer' homes (rich libs?) that did not have CCW permit holders.
Did the stupid liberals just make themselves inviting targets in FLA?
Were all counties linked?
What a way to cross reference names in a phone book and CCW permit holders! I hope that a "smart" crook does not think that all women listed in the phone book are not armed, just because no CCW permit is listed.
They sure would be shocked at my home. I would not like to be targeted, however!
To get property ownerhip information you must go in person and sign in at the clerks office...why should this information not be just as private...yet public!
It works in Switzerland.
Ping
Perhaps you should find a way to publish the home address and phone number of every person who works at the station so that citizens can contact them with some "Hot" news story for the "Public Good"...
The fact that the information is a public record is mind numbing stupidity.
I say we post the names and addresses of the anti gun people so the criminals know who the easy targets are.
all conservatives should own a gun and know how to use it. even if it means jumping through gov hoops.
overwhelm them.
imagine 1-2 million names on ccw list in a state. or twice that. etc.
I don't know what county you live in but I can look up just about all this info and any given property appraiser's website.
Just four or five counties in east Central Florida. Orange, Seminole, Brevard - I don't remember which others.
Florida public records law can be quite a pita. You can pretty much find out anything about anyone and if they are a government worker what they make, how long they've been there, what they do, blah blah.
You can also look up some pretty good information on corporations. At this website http://www.sunbiz.org/corpweb/inquiry/corinam.html
one can lookup information on Florida corporations. So if, for example, we input WFTV, we find that their principal address is in Georgia and the names and addreses of officers and directors.
I see that most are in Georgia but one, a VP named William Hoffman, has an Orlando address. Perhaps those of us who were disgusted by this stunt should write or call Mr Hoffman.
Every female who wants to get an abortion in florida must get an 'abortion permit'.
The name of those who have an 'abortion permit' would be made public record, just like ccw permits.
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Hoo hoo, great points flashbunny! You are my kind of rabbit! :D
I think what it did is tell the bad guys the people they cannot make victims. All of the others will be fair game.
Matters of public record are things like marriage licenses, which you have no control of. Anyone can access a list of marriage licenses without the consent of those who applied for them.
That may well be, but it's not relevant.
I'm not sure how smart that would be. I don't know about your state, but in Texas, there are whole lotta folks who own and maintain firearms but don't hold CCL's. There might not be a CCL in the house you attempt to rob, and there might not even be a handgun, but that doesn't mean that there aren't several shotguns loaded with buckshot just waiting for an intruder.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but you'll have to show me. Link to the relevant statutes that would make this a felony, please.
I don't think a complaint that the station made public records available to the public is apt to hurt it's chances for licensing.
Ms. Naughtin is the assistant to Bill Hoffman, WFTV's General Manager. He is the one to contact:
BILL HOFFMAN
WFTV-TV
490 E. South St.
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 841-9000 Ext. 5900
(407) 481-9902 FAX
Assistant: Linda Naughtin
e-mail: bill.hoffman@wftv.com
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