Below are highlights from a fantastic opinion article in the Miami Herald, Allowing people to carry guns in national parks is a bad idea (by Chester Allen, McClatchy Newspapers, Wed., Jan 23, 2008), regarding a recent effort by 47 Senators to allow loaded, reachable guns in National Parks. Note, guns are allowed on other federal, public lands, such as Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and others where the focus is recreation. The mission of the National Park Service is to Preserve and Protect certain pieces of land of cultural, historic, natural, and scenic significance. Hunting is not allowed, and there is no reason to have a loaded weapon in a National Park.
"It's easy to transport a pistol, shotgun or rifle in a national park. All you have to do is unload the weapon - that takes less than a minute - put it into a case and then stow it in the car trunk or some other secure place that isn't easily accessible to the people in the vehicle. If the senators think that all of that is a chore, they must really chafe when they're in a city - where most of us have to do the exact same thing when taking a firearm from one place to another."
"Or picture pitching your tent in a big campground and seeing your neighbors walk around with handguns strapped to their hips - or target shooting at a stump. Would you feel relaxed and safe in those situations? I've owned firearms most of my life, but I wouldn't feel safe in those spots."
"If you want to carry a firearm in the outdoors, just head out to the millions of acres of national forest or Bureau of Land Management land that allow firearms and hunting. Our national parks are sanctuaries for wildlife - and people who are weary of the perils of modern life. We don't need to carry firearms in national parks. We just need to carry along some basic knowledge and awareness. Come to think of it, that's something that those 47 senators need as well."
PLEASE vote on Senator Coburn's (R-OK) website regarding the gun carrying issue. Note that by carrying, he means on one's person, loaded, as one is currently allowed to safely transport a weapon through a National Park as current law stands.
