Sunday, February 21, 2010
Handguns, rifles, shotguns, even semi-automatic weapons will be allowed in national parks as of February 22, as long as visitors are compliant with state law and other rules. The change has sparked concerns among current and former employees of the National Park Service who fear the introduction of firearms may damage the reputation of the parks as refuges from violence and lead to increases in illegal hunting and poaching.
Bill Wade, president of The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, told The Washington Post: “Visitors are going to go to national parks with an increased amount of suspicions and weariness and concern. People go to national parks to get away from things that they face in their everyday living, where they live and work. Now I think that social dynamic is really going to change.”
Park service personnel will now have to deal with complicated situations, such as how to enforce gun rules in parks that traverse more than one state, and keeping guns out of visitor centers and rangers’ offices, because U.S. law still restricts firearms from federal facilities.
Gun-rights advocates are looking forward to the change in parks, where “you’ll finally be free to defend yourself from two and four legged animals,” according to Dustin of Dustin’s Gun Blog. “When seconds count, a Park Ranger may be hours away if you’re lucky enough to even have cell phone service. Your handgun or rifle on the other hand will be right at your side, ready to be a useful tool in defense of you & your family.”
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Federal Government to Lift Restrictions on Guns in National Parks (by Ed O’Keefe, Washington Post)
America’s National Parks are Likely to See More Guns (Coalition of National Park Service Retirees)
Gun Ban in National Parks Ends February 22nd (Opposing Views)
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