With Guns Now in National Parks, Time to Arm Bears?
(We are pleased to post the following guest commentary from Mark Karlin, editor of BuzzFlash.com).
Once our National Parks were a refuge of nature and tranquility, but that part of the American Dream just got shot full of holes by the NRA.
Attached to the so-called credit card reform bill that went into effect on February 22nd was – as is often the case in D.C. – a special interest amendment moved along by the NRA and its puppets. It allows, as of Monday, gun toters to carry their guns, including handguns, into National Parks as long as they are in compliance with state law, as if any park ranger is going to check that one out.
Now the sound of gunfire will have to be added to future filming amidst the majestic sounds of wildlife.
Ironically and reflective of the backwards state of American politics, violence in National Parks has gone down in recent years.
As the Los Angeles Times noted, "Major crimes reported in 2008 were at the lowest level since at least 1995, according to park service statistics." But that doesn't stop the indomitable power of the NRA from taking home a scalp for its members by making National Parks more dangerous by ending a prohibition on gun toters.
Frankly, at BuzzFlash, we are thinking of starting a Committee for the Right to Keep and Arm Bears.
They are going to need firepower now, as well as providing bullet proof vests to park visitors. Protect people and the wildlife; that's what Congress should be doing, instead of the bidding of the NRA.
So you may have a modicum more protection from credit card predators, but watch out for the bullets whizzing by when you bring your family to enjoy the wonders of America's wondrous National Park system.
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So I left work yesterday. I visited the dry cleaner, I stopped at the Acme food market, I drove my children to music and karate lessons. Somewhere during this day to day chores, I drove through Valley Forge Historical National Park. The only difference in my day was I did not have to disarm for that ride through a Park that epitomizes the rights we fought to get.
I did not pull my weapon out and shoot into the air, I did not pull over and yell to the many people to look at me I have a gun.
My License to Carry a Firearm is legal in most places in the State of Pennsylvania and a host of other States who recognize it through reciprocity. I carry everyday and now I can legally carry in some more places. I am a responsible, law abiding father of 4. I will remain being that in any National Park, as will the millions of LTCF individuals in this country.
It sounds like a nasty side effect suffered by habitual users of LSD. Or is the author just really, really drunk?
People have been carrying guns in national parks for over 200 years. Oddly enough, in all that time, the mere presense of a firearm has not turn one single person into a homocidal psychopath. The forests did not ring with gunfire, and, if anyone ever shot a bear, I've never heard such an account.
I have heard stories about poachers, though, but by definition, those are not law abiding citizens. I've also heard stories about armed gangs operating in national forests. Again, those are not persons inclined to obey the law - on firearms or anything else.
It would seem that Mark Karlin is a complete and utter fool, and anyone inclined to quote him is an even bigger fool.
Stunning article....... do you live on Mars? Venus? Pluto?
Your chicken little the sky is falling charade is nothing but that!
Are you deluded enough to think for 1 pico second that people didn't take their guns to the park?
Read the new law , if reading is in your vocabulary, it says LEGAL ie: that means LEGAL guns, with permits etc.
If you are stupid enough to be around bears with no way to defend yourself nor escape then you deserve to be turned in bear crap.
Violent people are one concern, even if occurrences out in the wild are going to be rare. Being in a remote location means you're more likely to have no emergency services available. If some bad dude intent on harming me has the means to do so, why not have the means to defend oneself from the attacker?
It's also good to have some .410 or snake-shot in the event that you come across a venomous snake that could otherwise strike you or a family member.
Haven't you already debased yourselves enough? Haven't you any shred of integrity left?
Give it up already, you have lost.
I don't have a problem with that. I think the bears should have the right to shoot any liberal anti-gun lunatic they see in the park. :~) The gun-toters are usually the responsible ones, the ones who pick up after themselves, the ones who pay for their fair share of using the park resources, and the ones who don't whizz in the streams.
The writer of that article is in some kind of la-la land if he thinks that allowing concealed carry or even open carry in the parks is going to change anything. Does he really think that people were not carrying their guns all the time?
Read it. It says:
"[...] the right to arm bears shall not be infringed."
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State..."
Notice that it does say that the militia is necessary, but the right of the PEOPLE to bear arms shall not be infringed. Why is it anti-gunners always say that it's only the militia that has the right, even though it clearly does not say that? Where else did the framers screw up the wording?
For those that didn't catch the joke, "the right to ARM BEARS!" Get it? Get it? Good, I knew ya could.
And it has been rebutted and counter-rebutted to death . No need to start the same tired debate in this particular news story.