Newspaper Survey / Interview About Guns

[Frizzle Fry]

I've been called out of town on business last-minute for the 3rd time this week, so I've been fiddling with my phone in the airport a good bit. Apparently this is good fortune, or bad, based on the timing of the email I just got, and what was attached.

The email was from a major newspaper titled "...we need your help with a story" concerning a survey for an upcoming firearm article. I took the survey immediately. Having been a subscriber to this newspaper for many years I assumed this was just another newspaper opinion survey, the sort that are posted here on NES so frequently...

Imagine my surprise when half way through the survey, I found my own comments from a letter to the ATF concerning potential regulations. The letter dates back about a year, but I began to recognize my own words about half way through, and realized it was a block from my own statement. The survey asked if I agreed with my own statement, then on the next page, if it was indeed my own statement, and finally if I didn't mind getting in touch with the reporter.

Since apparently major-media-company-x already has my ATF letter, my name, and my email, I said screw it, why not, let's see what he has to say - worst case I can just ignore him. At the end of the survey I was informed that the survey was closed (mere minutes after I received it) but I just got an email from the reporter.

Were any of you guys contacted? Quite sure it's not worth talking to the press, but it might be worth hearing what they have to say. "It's a trap!!!"

 

[babygorilla]

Yep, I got it. Not taking any survey for a MSM outlet about guns. They can eff themselves with that noise.

 

[PATRON]

Rule one never talk to the media.Rule two see rule one.Your just going to add fuel to there anti gun agenda

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Rule one never talk to the media.Rule two see rule one.Your just going to add fuel to there anti gun agenda

QFT.

As I said, I assumed it was another "Do you think guns are A) Evil, B) Kinda evil, or C) Not evil (you f***ing nazi POS trumpanzee redumblican deplorable)"

 

[JohnZ]

I'd be asking how they got your ATF letter.

 

[Dadstoys]

I'd be asking how they got your ATF letter.

I would be real curious too.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Have we learned nothing from the Gun Parlor debacle?

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Have we learned nothing from the Gun Parlor debacle?

Don't worry I'm not trying to underhandedly put my competition out of business. Don't intend to give a statement either. Just interested in getting more info about how this all came about.

 

[Manipulatory]

I would start by asking how they got the letter. Did you send it to an official ATF address for inbound mail? Sounds like someone at ATF has friends in the press and is grooming people to be Every Town's next stooge.

 

[Drix]

I'd be asking how they got your ATF letter.

Aren't these publicly available?

**Edit**

Yup, they more or less are. If you have a unique or traceable name, it wouldn't be too difficult to find specific people once you start tracking down shooting competition scores and compare to facebook/linkedin profiles in the area of the sponsoring club, or even easier just look for preppers with ham licenses.

 

[powerman]

don't call or email, they are verifying it, and if you call them they'll have your phone number too and put that out to the web so can be harassed. what's that called doxing?

 

[MachineHead]

Yeah, it’s safe to say there’s a campaign to out yourself using your own consent.