Gunfighters
Rosanne Weber/Staff
Steven Kendall, visitor use assistant at the Rockfish Entrance Station of Shenandoah National Park, fills in permits for overnight stays in the park Friday.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has filed federal suit and may soon be followed by other organizations in an effort to stop a Bush administration rule change allowing concealed firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges.
The rule change is set to go into effect Jan. 12.
Organizations such as the National Rifle Association say the rule change is merely a reinforcement of Second Amendment rights.
Chris Cox, the NRA’s chief lobbyist, said last month that it was “pleased that the Interior Department recognizes the right of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families while enjoying America’s national parks and wildlife refuges.”
But when the Brady Campaign announced its suit seeking an injunction Tuesday, President Paul Helmke said the rule change “jeopardizes the safety of park visitors in violation of federal law.”
Echoing the Brady Campaign sentiment is The Association of National Park Rangers, which could file a similar federal suit next week.
Association President Scott McElveen said the presence of concealed weapons increases the potential for loss of life, mainly wildlife.
McElveen said there are poachers who will kill deer, bear and other national park wildlife regardless of the rules and other park visitors “who wouldn’t break the law no matter what.”
He is concerned about those people visiting parks “with no intent to do anything but are tempted by circumstance.”
“They have a weapon loaded and immediately available and can’t resist taking the trophy animal, having a little target practice or shooting an animal that is a varmint such as coyotes and rattlesnakes,” McElveen said. “This is not appropriate inside a national park.”
McElveen also is worried about visitors to parks from urban areas who may hear a noise in the night while camping and “shoot out.”
He said their shots could endanger more than just wildlife.
David Adams, president of the Virginia Shooting Sports Association, blogged about the Brady Campaign lawsuit when it was filed.
Adams defended the behavior of concealed handgun permit holders, saying they “are some of the most law abiding people in the country, with few having had their permits revoked for violating the law – in any way shape or form – including ‘poaching.’ ”
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Reader Reactions
It’s interesting to compare neighbors, namely Shenandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest.
SNP previously banned the carry of concealed handguns and with this rule change the “Brady Campaign” and others are back to their standard hysteria.
However GWNF has allowed concealed carry for more than 10 years now and interestingly enough the law abiding have continued to be just that, law abiding.
The problem isn’t firearms and never was, the problem is criminals and THAT is where we need to focus our attention.
OMG, the National Parks are going to become Dodge City! There will be blood in the streets! Or on the rocks, or the humus, or whatever.
Haven’t you lamestream media “journalists” wigged to the pattern yet? The Brady Boobs trot out this nonsense every time anybody, anywhere, relaxes and gun law, no matter how trivial. Florida is making their concealed carry license “shall issue?“ Blood in the streets! The rest of the country follows suit? Blood in the streets! The phony “assault weapon” ban is going to expire? Blood in the streets! Now trained and licensed citizens are going to be allowed to carry their guns over an imaginary federal boundary? Blood in the streets!
The Brady were wrong EVERY TIME they claimed this in the past. They’re wrong this time, too. Giving any credence to their tired, worn-out claims over and over again is about as intelligent as investing your money with a Nigerian “prince” over and over again.
Give it a rest, guys, will you?
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