/Sarcasm. Remember Meredith...
Posted on 02/07/2008 10:34:51 AM PST by neverdem
World Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Park rangers warned that a move to drop a ban on carrying loaded guns into national parks -- backed by Oklahoma's two U.S. senators -- could degrade experiences for visitors, pose a safety risk and hurt efforts to crack down on illegal activity such as poaching.
Although almost half of the U.S. Senate supports doing away with the current policy, critics are zeroing in on an expected amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
"There is simply no legitimate or substantive reason for a thoughtful sportsman or gun owner to carry a loaded gun in a national park unless that park permits huntSEE ing," stated a letter urging senators to vote against the Coburn amendment.
"The requirement that guns in parks are unloaded and put away is a reasonable and limited restriction to facilitate legitimate purposes -- the protection of precious park resources and safety of visitors."
Dated Feb. 1, the letter was sent by the Association of Na tional Park Rangers of Golden, Colo.; the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees of Tucson, Ariz.; and U.S. Park Rangers Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police of Twain Harte, Calif.
In a separate statement, the park rangers' association also pointed out that guns are banned from other government sites, including the Senate offices.
Coburn declined to comment.
He and fellow Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe joined 45 other senators, including eight Democrats, in signing a Dec. 14 letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to have the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service drop their current policies.
"We appeal to you on this matter in the interest of Sec ond Amendment rights and consistency in firearms policy across federal public land management agencies," their letter stated.
"These regulations infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners, who wish to transport and carry firearms on or across these lands."
They also pointed out the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service have different policies on transporting firearms across the federal lands they regulate.
"These inconsistencies in firearms regulations for public lands are confusing, burdensome, and unnecessary," they wrote.
Kempthorne, a former U.S. senator and governor from Idaho, has not responded.
"We are reviewing the letter," said Chris Paolino, an agency spokesman.
Paolino believes the National Park Service's policy, which allows guns in parks as long as they are not readily accessible and not ready to be fired, dates back to the Reagan administration.
Policies at the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management do vary, he said.
While not mentioning Coburn's amendment specifically, a second letter signed by The Wilderness Society, Campaign for America's Wilderness, League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club and U.S. Public Interest Research Group also urged senators to oppose any amendment that would weaken the legislation on public lands.
Jim Myers (202) 484-1424 jim.myers@tulsaworld.com
I’m sure that dead female hiker would have loved a handgun just before she was slaughtered by that snake.
Criminals do not follow the law.
No bears? No mountain lions? They’re all tame like Yogi!
Mountain lions and rapists aren’t generally in the Senate offices. I don’t know about the White House, though.
We should follow that example and reasoning. Take cars away from people because too many of the drivers go over the speed limit. Also.....have all your pay checks sent to the IRS. Then they can decide how much money you really need and send it to you. We should also take all the uniforms away from Park Rangers because it upsets too many people.
Bravo Sierra
1. In Alaska and they have things known as bears that will eat you alive.
2. In Big Bend in Texas visitors to the park have been shot by smugglers coming in from Mexico.
3. They also have things in Big Bend that will eat you.
Funny how they always forget to mention some important facts. Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and in Yellowstone park this last year Grizzly bears attacked over 17 people. I guess it better to get mauled by a bear then allow people to defend their lives. Not to mention all the 2 legged predators that always follow the laws and never carry a loaded gun.
and a National Park employee will there within 5 seconds or less to throw her/his body between you and the grizzly, rattlesnake etc.
WHAT are these cowardly park rangers so afraid of? Are THEY going to turn in THEIR guns to make us even SAFER, too? Or is it a double standard?
When was the last time a dangerous animal, other than a politician, was spotted in the Senate office building?
BooBoo: “Doesn’t look like they have anything tasty.”
(Insert video footage of Grizzly Man)
Yogi (while picking his teeth with a bone): “I think it’s time for a nap.”
My wife and I do a lot of hiking and camping. We feel much safer having a small sidearm whilst traveling in remote areas of this beautiful country. Never have we poached or damaged wilderness with a gun. It seems that these anti-gun folks think that all gun bearing citizens run around shooting deer and trees just to be killing things. The truth is that they are the ones frothing rabidly at the mouth most of the time.
/Sarcasm. Remember Meredith...
Are they going to put armed guards and metal detectors around the parks, spaced a yard apart like at the entrances to the Senate offices?
What an idjit.
ID these park rangers and file charges against them for “accessory to murder”. See if they “get it” then...
Here is a government policy that Heller will impact on.
Bull crap. But I'm sure Romney would have kept the ban in place. But now that's a moot point.
In a separate statement, the park rangers' association also pointed out that guns are banned from other government sites, including the Senate offices.
These ranger types are as dumb as they sound. They are determined to turn National Parks into their own little fiefdoms. It is unbelieveable the number of rules and regulations one must follow just to step foot into one of their domains. And to compare a policy of downtown D.C. to the wilds of Montana is just stupidity beyond belief.
It’s a double standard, unfortunately.
Personally, I’d prefer a double-action.
I’ll add this to the rhyme we have for our park service employees. [NO SPITTING NO SH*TTING NO HAVING FUN] now we will include [no protecting yourself].
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