Comments on: Should state gun laws apply to national parks?

By: Michelle Malkin » Things Liberals Like Which Hurt The Environment

Michelle Malkin » Things Liberals Like Which Hurt The Environment — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:25:08 +0000

[...] actually much more on drugs and the environment: I’m already there on the marijuana, deforestation. But how about Ecstasy, favorite of of the club scene? Pop a tab, kill a tree. [...]

By: ArizonaNeanderthal

ArizonaNeanderthal — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:21:47 +0000

Should state gun laws apply to national parks?

Yes. The state guns laws should state all able bodied adults be familiar with the basics of gun safety, marksmanship and the Founders Intent of the Second Amendment. Copies of the Constitution and the Federalist and Anti Federalist papers should be placed and read in every school every year. The only Federal Gun Law should state the same for all territories and federal installations.

By: Mark Jaquith

Mark Jaquith — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:08:51 +0000

I had to drive south from Gatlinburg recently. You have to drive through a National Park to do that. Damn right I had a gun with me. Laws against carrying in normal situations (i.e. I’m not going to argue that I have a right to carry a gun into a court house) are unconstitutional. Period. To me, the issue isn’t so much that State laws should apply, but that the Constitution should apply in all 50 states and all Federal territories. Yeah, I supported Ron Paul, but I’m guessing that most Republicans will indulge my insistence on constitutionality this time around.

By: sclawstudent

sclawstudent — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:13:36 +0000

Wait wait, 274,000,000 and change PEOPLE visited National Parks? That seems a bit bloated. Nat’l pop is what, 300M? So every US citizen under the age of 70 went to a national park last year? Perchance they mean “visits” rather than “visitors.”

Neither a paucity nor a plethora of crimes in a locality is sufficient reason to restrict the BASIC HUMAN RIGHT to keep and bear arms. My, and your, right to live and defend our lives does not depend on the local (reported) crime rate.

By: Frantic Freddie

Frantic Freddie — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:16:25 +0000

I’ve been breaking the law for years & I don’t care,better to be judged by 12 than carried by six.

By: b4lucy

b4lucy — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:38:57 +0000

Well, If you are so impressed with statistics that lean toward “extremely extremely rare”…..How about this….In just the last 24 hours, millions and millions of guns were not pointed at any person, did not shoot any person, or did not kill any person….So let’s just leave guns out of these silly arguments and keep lawbreakers out of National Parks…

By: Perk

Perk — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:16:15 +0000

While stationed in Arizona I visited Grand Canyon with my wife. She was very worried about a ‘survivalist’ and murderer believed to be hiding in the park, so I took along my 40 cal (registered and legal in AZ). Our car developed problems, and we set up our tent where it was towed (with the permission/suggestion of the park employee who towed us). The Park Police showed up around midnight, with spotlights, flashing lights, bullhorn commands. I emerged from the tent, was asked if anyone else was in the tent – wife emerged. I was then asked if there was a weapon in the tent. I said ‘Of course”. The Park Policeman looked at me a bit bemused, asked to look at it, took down the serial number – and then informed me that it was illegal to bring firearms into the National Park. I nervously told him that I was not aware of that, and I had asked about it when we signed up for the campground. He signaled the rest of the Police to leave, smiled, and handed me my weapon.
Of course, this was years ago – I am sure now it would be a different story.

By: cngerms

cngerms — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:32:16 +0000

Even more incredulous is the fact that leftist, gun-grabbing organizations such as the National Parks Conservation Association (npca.org) continue to bemoan the gross “understaffing via underfunding” of our parks, all the while claiming such understaffing is a major safety concern for visitors and rangers alike. They have articles like this one posted on their site: http://www.npca.org/what_we_do/visitor_experience/endangeredrangers/

AND then they post another article on their site demanding NO GUNS IN OUR PARKS
http://www.npca.org/keep_parks_safe/

Groups such as these must be politically defeated; not debated. The deaths of US citizens, irrespective of the body count, mean nothing to them unless those deaths advance their agenda. These groups are not just ignorant; they are downright evil in their willingness to render the innocent defenseless. Please take advantage of the Interior Dept’s open comment period and encourage them to allow concealed carry. Thanks see-dubya! You’re doing an awesome job!!!

By: mhpaslay

mhpaslay — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:40:16 +0000

This is the comment I submitted

“Finnerty knows the National Park Service statistics by heart. The latest data, from 2006, shows 272,623,980 people visited the parks that year. There were 11 cases of homicide or manslaughter, 61 robberies and 35 rapes or attempted rapes.“Now, could something happen? Of course it could happen, but the chances are extremely, extremely remote,” she says.Finnerty is a member of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, which includes a number of former directors. The group is actively lobbying against the change, insisting the current regulations are working.”

Extremely, extremely remote! I suppose that with 272,623,980 people visiting the National Parks 11 homicides, 61 robberies and 35 rapes are acceptable numbers. May I suggest that the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees ask the victims or the victim’s families if extremely, extremely remote makes them feel better?

There will be no bloodbath if law abiding American Citizens that have concealed carry permits are allowed to carry concealed firearms within National Park boarders. After obtaining a concealed carry permit in the State of Arizona something happened to me; I became a pacifist. The responsibility of carrying a concealed firearm has made me turn away and bite my tongue the few times I have been confronted by angry people while carrying over the years. This was not always the case when I was not carrying. If at all possible, while carrying, I will always retreat. Everyone that has a concealed carry permit that I have spoken with feels the same way. There are a number of reasons for this. If anyone of us ever has to use deadly force to stop a criminal and even if the investigating law enforcement find it to be justified there is no guarantee the DA will not prosecute because of political agendas or personal biases; and even if we are not prosecuted, the criminal or criminals’ family can sue us in civil court. The primary reason though is none of us wants to take a life. People like Finnerty may picture us drunkenly waving firearms around because we want a particular camping space or something similar but this will not happen. We are law-abiding citizens and are very aware of the extreme responsibility of carrying a concealed firearm.

I am a law-abiding citizen, I have taken the prescribed training to obtain a concealed carry permit, and I have been issued a concealed carry permit by the State of Arizona as administered by the Department of Public Safety. Please don’t let Finnerty personally decide that she knows better than the State of Arizona and the Department of Public Safety and don’t let the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees dictate that I have no right to protect myself and my family while visiting our Nations beautiful National Parks.

Submitted for your thoughtful consideration.

Thank You for your service to our country.

By: TXinsider

TXinsider — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:31:23 +0000

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has been pursuing this issue aggressively with the feds. The conservation groups want him to transfer the Christmas Mountains to the National Park Service (it adjoins the Big Bend National Park) but Patterson is refusing unless the park service allows visitors to carry firearms.

By: maine yankee

maine yankee — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:04:18 +0000

Again, it depends on the park you’re in. Some parks issue ‘federal tickets’ while others issue ‘state tickets’ by proxy.

Either way, my copy of the 2nd ammendment doesn’t mention permission being required.

By: Goldwater Knight

Goldwater Knight — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:45:29 +0000

I’d say “no”, off the top of my head. National Parks (and Forests, too) are Federal reserves, and not part of any state. So state law should not apply.

I know for a fact state driving law applies in a national park, let’s say I found out the hard way.

By: mojo

mojo — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:00:31 +0000

I’d say “no”, off the top of my head. National Parks (and Forests, too) are Federal reserves, and not part of any state. So state law should not apply.

I do note, however, that the 2nd amendment is a Federal constraint.

By: Goldwater Knight

Goldwater Knight — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Or I could say the people in northerm Maine don’t like New Yorkers much.

By: Goldwater Knight

Goldwater Knight — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:10:57 +0000

It’ll be a snow ball’s chance in hell before I visit another national park.
It’s run by fascists as far as I’m concerned.