Carter Wrenn posted on August 01, 2012 12:42
WRAL-TV put an Internet link on its website to a map that shows streets where concealed handgun permit holders live – the map doesn’t give the handgun permit holders’ names or addresses it simply reports, say, ‘two’ permit holders live on Maple Avenue.
That didn’t sit well with the pro-gun lobby Grass Roots North Carolina – which countered by posting WRAL reporter Mark Binker’s phone number, email address, and part of his home address on its website. Then Grass Roots North Carolina went a step further and posted links to pictures of Binker’s wife and children and sent emails to 50,000 people saying, Mark Binker’s done wrong – contact him but be polite.
No doubt that ‘be polite’ was well intended but it doesn’t obscure the fact they posted links to pictures of Mark Binker’s wife and children alongside a message saying Binker had done wrong.
This, I guess, is the political version of total war where there are no innocents but it could mean something if – next time Grassroots North Carolina goes knocking on doors, lobbying in the legislature – legislators say, It’s not a question of whether I agree with you on the 2nd Amendment. The problem is you crossed the line.