US Park Service Runs Drivers' Licenses to Determine Who Has Carry Permits, Fines Gun Owners

Second Amendment Sisters ^ | 7/15/03 | Eisner

[pabianice]

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Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 08:57:17 -0400

From: va_coord@2asisters.org

Reply-To: sasmaster@topica.com

Subject: M- National Park Service

To: sasmaster@topica.com; Distribution

This is from an email I got. Thought ya'll might be interested.

I have a call into my congressional representative - Eric Cantor - to see if he can help us getting the National Park Service to change their regulations to allow permit holders to carry handguns in national parks. I suggest that if you contact your representative, perhaps we could get something moving. This is NOT legislation that would have to pass the House, Senate, and then be signed by Bush. It is a regulation that the Park Service could change themselves. It is sooo easy to be on park land and not even know it. The George Washington parkway in Fairfax is an example. I have driven that major road many times and did not have any idea that I was on Federal Park land! I'll be a few of you didn't know that either.

Currently there is a fine and they can confiscate your gun as I understand it. So it is not a felony or a misdemeanor, but you can get a ticket. The only person I have met who has gotten such a ticket was a permit holder who paid a $75 fine by mail. He did not have his gun confiscated. However, there is a interesting twist - when the Park Ranger came back from running his driver's license he said "I see you have a Virginia concealed carry permit - do you have a gun with you?" The permit holder answered honestly and the rest is history. I have a call into the State Police about this. I am not so sure that the Feds have authority to get that information from the state.

I will let you know what I learn about that.

Here is a site that discusses the issue of the park ban in great detail - including the regulation and more information on what you can do to help get it overturned:

http://www.ourcivilrights.org/

We have one more option - we can take the Parks to court.

va_coord@2asisters.org

1-877-212-4171

Lk 22:36-38

[pabianice]

This under Bush's Park Service.

[Support Free Republic]

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[jammer]

This is NOT legislation that would have to pass the House, Senate, and then be signed by Bush.

This legislation already passed 2/3 of the original states. It's called the 2nd Amendment.

[harpseal]

bang

[AppyPappy]

If you answer yes in Va, they run the gun to see if it is stolen. If you say no, they will ask to search the car to look for it.

[novacation]

I've always found it to be clear that national parks do not allow firearms. Tough luck.

[umgud]

Does the law/regulation have an allowance to carry a gun in a locked container or the trunk?

[the bottle let me down]

I've always found it to be clear that national parks do not allow firearms.

Maybe so, but the GW Parkway is one of the major commuter routes in the DC area. Most people don't realize that it's part of the National Park System until they get a speeding ticket and realize that they have to go to federal court.

[novacation]

You're are right about it being out of line for some yahoo ranger to push it it that instance.

[paguch]

This is serious and should be addressed by the NRA.

[cinFLA]

If you say no, they will ask to search the car to look for it.

Simple. Just have all the CWP's run through the parks without weapons. Tie them up in legal wranglings till they tire of the whole thing.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> I've always found it to be clear that national parks do not allow firearms. Tough luck.

Can't think of a reason that would be clear at all. There might be some bona-fide reasons for the fedgov to prohibit posession of guns in some places, but it's hard to imagine such conditions existing in your average national park. If there's a government regulation that serves no legitimate purpose, it needs fixed. A lot of states and cities do that too - I think it's a control issue.

But it is we who are supposed to be in control of the governments of this land, and what's clear is that we are not. We, collectively, have let that slip away over the past hundred years or so, bit by bit. That's another thing that needs fixed.

[ChefKeith]

ONE MORE REASON TO STICK WITH THE 2ND AMENDMENT RIGHT TO CARRY AND NOTHING ELSE!

WHAT DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND ABOUT SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED

[Shooter 2.5]

Yes and no.

The Gunowners Protection Act which was passes as law sometime during the mid 1980's says that anywhere a gun is legal at the starting point and the destination can be transported as long as it's in a locked container in the trunk/not accessable to the driver and unloaded.

The problem arises when an officer decides that he has never heard of such a law and it's up to a judge to explain it to the both of you.

[umgud]

Thanks....... I think? Damn laws are too murky.

[patton]

The bit of the parkway on Columbia Island is actually in DC - so, for that stretch of the parkway, one might be commiting a felony...

[Richard-SIA]

McLure-Volkmer Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986.

Commonly called FOPA-86

Lack of legal carry in the parks only makes them more attractive to criminals, remember the rapist/murderer at Yosemite?
He did not need to worry while killing three women.

[novacation]

agree

[TXnMA]

This current FR thread: Black Bear Mauls Two Campers in Rocky Mountain National Park would appear to be relevant to this discussion...

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As I said there, "Bears -- 2

Constitutional rights -- zero!"

[BJungNan]

Ennnnhh, wow did that guy give the wrong answer!

No officer, I knew I would be traveling across national park land so I left it at home. I am not carrying. That is the correct answer.