[Thunder Pig]

The National Park Service would be surprised at how many concealed weapons people carry while they are in the Parks.

There’s never a Ranger around when you need one.

[southernerwithanattitude]

I wish someone had a gun on the trail in Blairsville on the first of Jan. and had left that old SOB twitching on the ground with a big hole in his chest!

[NY.SS-Bar9]

Does the Sun-Herald actually do any reporting, or do they simply regurgitate press releases?

[Domandred]

Related editorial from a month ago:

Our View: Federal lands should have consistent gun rules (From Idaho)

[willgolfforfood]

So, Paul Helmke, can you tell me the answer to this question: have more people died in National Parks from shooting incidents, or being killed by bears?

Right. I didn't think you would know the answer to that question, either.

[Joe Brower]

The latest bleatings from the

[Dead Corpse]

Paul needs to be in jail for “aiding and abetting” and “accessory to murder”.

[wiggen]

WastedYears typing

That title is very misleading, which is the gun-grabber’s credo.

Carrying a pistol concealed on your person is not the same as having pistols hidden throughout the parks, which is what the title means.

[Double Tap]

Yeah, I'm sure allowing legal concealed carry will increase the poaching in National Parks. Hahahaha... So what is the favored handgun caliber of choice for poaching big game???

Silly liberals

[xsrdx]

Hmmm.

I'm far more concerned about Loaded, Hidden Hyperbole.

[RoadKingSE]

"This is more of the same from the gun pushers - any gun, anywhere, at any time," said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Sounds like more of the same from the nutless gun grabbers - no guns, nowhere, ever.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

” The current rules in no way prohibit guns in parks, but they do work to discourage that tiny percentage of irresponsible individuals who would engage in poaching and target practice at the expense of irreplaceable natural and historic sites.”

Lord knows, the already existing laws against poaching would not deter these people if they were allowed to legally carry in the park...

[mbynack]

You've all missed the point. We need to prohibit firearms in the parks to keep criminals from shooting people. No guns means no gun crimes. Just look at the examples - Washington DC, New York City, San Francisco = 0 guns, 0 gun crimes.

Anyone who thinks that the wildlife is dangerous hasn't watched a Disney movie. Grizzly Bears and Alligators are just like people and are simply misunderstood.

It's important for the children that we keep these restrictions. If not, minorities and poor people will be hurt the worst.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

If I remember correctly Ron Paul, FR’s favorite kook, is for allowing visitors to pack heat while in National Parks.

[absolootezer0]

Loaded, Hidden Guns in National Parks Puts Visitors at Risk

that's right. if you come across a hungry wolf, bear, cougar, etc., you don't want to try to yank your gun out from its concealed spot.. so carry open!

[Ignatz]

"Why are we putting protecting hikers, campers and families while putting muggers, kidnappers, child molestors, rapists, murderers, and people who might have dirt on the Clinton's at risk by introducing loaded, hidden handguns into our national parks and refuges?"

Fixed! He was obviously misquoted.

[TexasRepublic]

Oh, the horror of it all! Some hidden gun may jump up from the grass like a rattlesnake and shoot some poor chid’ren.

[EdReform]

Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, an ally of the gun lobby, plans on offering an amendment to a broader bill on public lands issues that would weaken reasonable gun restrictions in Federal lands adopted in 1982 by the Reagan Administration for the National Park Service after extensive comments and review.

Poll on Sen. Coburn's website:

"Should law abiding citizens be permitted to carry guns in national parks?"

Yes --- 86%

No --- 15%

2154 total votes

[Blood of Tyrants]

Everybody knows that criminals wouldn’t DARE to bring a gun into a place where it is against the law.

[NormsRevenge]

Just hope you don’t come across an illegal patch of pot protected by armed illegals..