Many people of good character are up in arms over the publication of Concealed Carry permit holders by newspapers. The editors at the Roanoke Times have done so already in Virginia. The editorial board at the Kingsport Times News have the sensible position from the start. One of the most important reasons is quoted below:
Among these permit holders are women with standing court orders of protection against estranged husbands or others. Publicizing their names provides information to those intent on harming them.
In an era where common sense is hard to find on editorial staffs of newspapers, the Times News excels at providing readers with common sense news and views. Another snippet:
If a gun permit holder kills someone with his gun — and that has apparently occurred exactly once since Tennessee’s current gun permit program began — then media and the public have an interest in knowing it. But absent such criminal behavior, what legitimate public interest is served by the indiscriminate publication of the identities of gun permit licensees?
Tennessee media have the right to publish gun permit information (at least for now), but should they publish it simply because they can? Responsibility goes hand in hand with freedom. Abuse a freedom often enough, and you stand a good chance of losing it altogether.
The underline emphasis is mine. I do so to emphasize the point that contrary to scare tactics by the Left, the majority of gun owners and gun carriers are responsible and law abiding. Publishing their names indiscriminately is the height of First Amendment abuse.
Publishing names of permit holders serves no purpose - Kingsport Times-News Online