"Mad" Max Brantley No Friend of Gun Owners

Bill Smith, Editor, ARRA News: My mother would tell us, "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it." In other words, being stupid is an option. Well it is time for Arkansas Times to look for new managing editor. There present editor, Max Brantley, hereafter referred as "Mad" Max has made the news not for just by "alleged" reporting but for performing a capricious act. Why? - Just because he could. On the Arkansas Times Blog, "Mad" Max made public all of the names and addresses of all people in Arkansas with concealed gun permits.

Tolbert Report: Max Brantley has received quite a bit of criticism lately for an item he posted on his blog two weeks ago. Brantley was inspired by a stunt pulled by the Memphis Commercial Appeal which published the list of the Tennessee Concealed Carry Permit holders resulting in nearly a half million hits to their website. Apparently Brantley, thought this sounded good to him plus he got to give some heat to the Arkansas gun carrying crowd, so he followed suit publishing the Arkansas list on his Ark Times Blog in an excel file on February 16. After several days of exposing, the name and home address information of every Arkansas concealed carry permit holder, he pulled it down.

Appearing on KARN, Brantley faced numerous outraged callers who questioned his motives for posting the data. Brantley said that he felt this information, which can easily be obtained, was important for the public to know. “I think we need to know who among us is walking around with a gun,” stated Brantley. Several callers said they were concerned that their unlisted address had been compromised by the posting. One caller said that she runs a mission that ministers to indigent people and that she has a unlisted address for her safety and this information was compromised by Brantley’s action. Brantley said that in spite of the criticism, including personal threats against him and his family, he does not regret posting the information and if faced with the choice, he would do it again.

One of our readers sent this note to friends:

PLEASE UNDERSTAND, THIS IS SERIOUS, folks. Ask yourself: What was Brantley's purpose? He is one of many who want to expose those who own guns, not to mention to expose those who did the right thing, took the course to learn the rules and how to shoot in order to protect their family and home. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND PUTS PEOPLES’ LIVES IN DANGER!

At the ARRA News Service, I have supported transparency. However, I do not support invasion of privacy or abuse of the Freedom of Information Act. It is one thing to get information to perform research and to advise the public, it is quite another to deliberately abuse the process for ones own personal gain and notoriety. Well what can be done about this? A few suggestions:
1) Because of "Mad" Max's actions, a new bill has been introduced in the legislature by Rep. Randy Stewart (D): HB1623 PROHIBITING THE RELEASE OF THE IDENTITIES OR OTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSEES. Call your State Senator and Representative and tell them to support and expedite HB1623l and then contact Gov. Beebe. It is interesting that its was Attorney General Dustin McDaniel who argued against the bill that would make it easier for the public to access the the prior criminal records of candidates and elected officials. He said that we should "protect the privacy" of criminals' public records Hopefully, he will want to afford the same protection to the records of law abiding Arkansans who went the extra step of obtaining a carry permit even though they already had the Second Amendment giving them that right. "Mad" Max has in "news speak" spit on these people just because he knew he could get away with it and now our legislature is forced to avoid further violations of privacy.

2) "Mad" Max Brantley posted the release of the names on the Arkansas Blog which is part of the Arkansas Times where he is the managing editor. He hid behind his position and his perception of his rights under the free press. However, that does not mean that he can hid from the responsibilities for his actions or that his employer does not bear any responsibility for not controlling the actions of "Mad" Max. As we have seen with the national media, even high paid news commentators can be held responsible for their actions by their employers via change of positions or even a pink slip. After all, Arkansas is an "at will state" and an employer does not need to keep an employee. "Mad" Max did his deed on the blog and he is not even a true "blogger" but a paid "dead tree" reporter who on his employers site. He was seeking attention and hits for the site by duplicating the actions at another news service. Interesting that the Arkansas blog claims to be "the blog for Arkansas."

Well its time for both "Mad" Max and the Arkansas Times to hear from you are concerned by Brantley's capricious act which he has said he would do it again. But, please don't sent threats to Brantley, not only is this not the thing to do but would just feed his shrinking ego. And posting comments at the Blog or sending letters directly to the Arkansas Times may not gain managements attention. You may wish to consider how strongly you feel and whether you think the advertisers at the Arkansas Times should know your feeling and your lack of appreciation for financially supporting the continued actions of Brantley. Let the advertiser know about your perspective on how "Mad" Max actions have threatened your privacy and the security of your families. After all you or a family member or frined complied with the law and Max used this fact against you. I for one will not patronize any business which does not publicly reject this action by Max Brantley.

3) Finally, let your Arkansas State representative and senators, state officials, and prior candidates and future candidates know how you feel about the actions of Max Brantley. Let them know that you object in anyway their support of or association with anyone who supports Brantley's actions or "cow tows" to giving Brantley press information or even "the time of day." The doors to Brantley do not need to be open to him. Not everyone press person has a right to a "press pass."

For those who feel violated, your letters will be good catharsis. After all, it was either your name and address that has been made public or it was that of a family member or friends. And for those of you who carry, please be more attentive and prepared at home since your name and address is not only in the hands of the government but now potentially in the hands of people who are definitely not your friends. Once the file was released by Brantley and downloaded by readers, it is now floating around. I wonder how many people previously have obtained a copy of this information. Hum - "lock and load"!

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Tags: 2nd Amendment, abuse, Arkansas Times, concealed gun rights, freedom of information, gun rights, Max Brantley, right to carry To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!