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Closing public records is scary path to walk

Published 12:01am Sunday, February 3, 2013

When government filing cabinets and computers start locking, our great nation loses part of the freedom that makes us America.

Yet, a shocking number of elected officials in the Mississippi House of Representatives appear ready to do just that in response to just one incident hundreds of miles away.

In Mississippi, a list of all residents with a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon is considered a public record. That means you, your neighbor or your newspaper could go look up a name on the list if there were concerns.

But a bill that passed the Legislature 101-18 last week aims to take away that right, locking up the information.

The bill stems from the actions of a newspaper in New York, which published the entire list of residents in one area with a concealed carry permit.

That probably wasn’t the right move by that newspaper, but it’s not reason for states across the country to jump up and slam the information door in the public’s face.

As Americans we have a right to information. As a newspaper, we have a right to obtain that information on your behalf when pertinent and with public safety, government spending and the right to know in mind.

Neither the newspaper — nor any we know in Mississippi — has ever considered running a full list of those with concealed carry permits. But the information should be available for review if something were to happen.

Adding limitations on public records in any way is a scary path to walk. If the record exists, it should be public to all, not just to sheriff’s deputies, politicians’ friends and anyone who may know the right person.

If our state leaders start limiting your right to know one thing today, what information will they cover up next?

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  • Anonymous

    In response to the last question, actual mayor residences (which is a violation of the law) and the publicly owned hospital lawsuit settlement (its our money) for a few, I’m sure other commenters can add to the list. Please explain the pertinence to the Newtown shooting of printing a list of all concealed weapon permit holders in the area? I do not recall either the kid who did the shooting or his mother who obtained the weapons legally were CCW, thus totally not pertinent IMHO.

  • Anonymous

    In response to your first statement about losing freedoms, I feel (correct me if I’m wrong) that journalists always stand strongly behind the 1rst Amendment. But they rarely, or half halfheartedly stand behind the 2nd. The “left” is waging a war against our 2nd Amendment right now. And the journalists in New York used their “freedom” to endanger good law abiding citizens. What’s next? Will we see the names and addresses of those on government assistance made public? How about the names and addresses of single women? How about the names and addresses of pretty little 5 year olds? Hey, “freedom of the press”, right? :)

  • Anonymous

    Very right, and for no reasonable purpose other than to flaunt the 1st. In the cases you mention, it seems those on the list would be the ones losing their “freedom” rather than the readers/recipients of that information. Wikileaks gone wild.

  • Anonymous

    What about Tupelo? …the newspaper recently requested public records about concealed-carry permits in the region. But then state they have no intention of publishing names and addresses. Yeah, but every joe-blow at the newspaper would then have that information…aren’t they special.
    Too bad you don’t put this kind of effort in the publicly owned hospital settlement (why has no one sued for this info?) and public taxation by an unelected school board (where else in the US is this allowed?) issues.

  • Anonymous

    YOU FINALLY GOT SOMETHING RIGHT, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    I feel everything that deal with the general public (taxpayer) should be opened to see in our local papers and local radio stations at all cost!!

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