After Pinpointing Gun Owners, Paper Is a Target

As a result of the horrific shooting in Connecticut, the United States has become obsessed with the gun control debate. A small, local newspaper in New York published an article pinpointing gun owners in the area. Their intention was only to show people actually how many of their neighbors and innocent people owned guns. However, the response from all over the country was chaotic. Gun owners immediately felt vulnerable to people who were rooting for harsh gun control laws. The article includes mostly quotes from employees at the local newspaper, many of whom have hired guards to walk them to their cars from work. The newspaper editors have encouraged their staff to change their home phone numbers to avoid harassment from other people. The main purpose of the article, it seems, is to show that sensitive topics should not be written about in such blunt terms, especially during a national crisis.