National parks: Gun-toters welcome

Here's an example for everyone, a year ago or so we had a jogger running through a state park, who was attacked, raped and murdered. If this young lady had the right to be packing, she would be alive and the scum that attacked and murdered her would be pushing up daisies. Chalk one up for the "Patriots".

Great, now we're going to have a bunch of gun totin' Wingnut cretins running around our national parks pretending that they're Jack Bauer.

BEFORE YOU MAKE A SILLY COMMENT AND MAKE YOURSELF LOOK FOOLISH.....This article is completely devoid of information as to what this legislation is actually about. This is so that Lawfully permitted people who carry arms for defensive use will not be made a criminal by simply driving/passing/walking through national parks land. In Illinois this is a non-starter, as we are one of only 2 states to deny good people the right to protect themselves. This is NOT about HUNTING. This is NOT about BUBBA shooting wild animals. This is NOT about allowing criminals to carry weapons AT ALL. Imagine if it were illegal for you to wear a red shirt on the north side of a street. You follow the law, you are a good person, but crossing the street to get to where you need to be turns you into a lawbreaker. THIS is what it is about.

Really? You can't be serious. Who goes jogging with a gun? Your logic is off the wall.
But I suppose loaded guns are better in national parks than they are in, say, schools or government buildings. I give you that. Put the psychos in a padded room, I guess.

How the hell does one jog with a flippin gun? Completely a non-sequitur

Oh,give me a home where the buffalo roam, ♪
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, ♬
And the skies are not....

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

Wingnut

Righty = tight

Lefty = Lose

Cretin = an offensive term for someone considered unintelligent

Gee, these terms are so interchangable between political parties and goofballs writing posts in the Trib.

There's no reason to get hysterical about this bill--BLM and National Forest lands have allowed state gun laws to control gun carrying rules in those areas for decades without incident. Park police a 10 times (yes, 10) more likely to be assaulted than FBI agents, and cuts to their numbers make their ability to protect park visitors even less. Also, the previous rules--that guns had to be left locked in your car--made them more likely to be stolen at remote trail heads or other parking lots. The safest place to keep a gun from a burglar is on your person. So relax--this is a good decision by Congress and by Obama for promising to sign it.

Nobody will care, until a nutty Timothy McVeigh type Republican gets spooked and starts mowing down park rangers and park wildlife.

Yes, a jogger packing heat. Somewhere in her spandex. Right. Good one. You gun nuts are hysterically funny.

It is so nice to see that a canned article that is so obviously HOSTILE to the second amendment and gun owners in general was ready to be published. Americans deserve to defend themselves, especially in national parks where dangerous animals and criminals prowl, with few police and wildlife officials in sight.

I want to carry an Uzi when I go jogging. That will keep the muggers away!

This is a credit card bill! I thought the Republican party was against earmarks/amendments etc being attached to bills!

Next thing you know, gun nut amendments will be added to national healthcare reform legislation and the right to carry AK47's into high schools etc.

Will they cheer lead for that, too? Is there any limit to the venality and amorality phallic compensator fetishists will not cross?

The NRA and the Republican trolls (Coburn) present dishonest arguments, they misrepresent themselves, lie, prevaricate, and, above all, cheerlead for any and all opponents of gun regulation

I'm watching the inane comments already popping up, and I just have to say, the uninformed are really showing their ignorance.

One CAN go jogging with a gun, safely, by using a fanny pack, or equivalent.

Law abiding gun owners do not suddenly turn into rampaging shooters when given the right to carry a concealed weapon. In fact, they will likely be the last to draw a weapon, unless the defensive position requires them to. Law abiding gun owners are probably the most qualified, outside of law enforcement, to handle weapons safely and judiciously.

I you are afraid of dangerous animals, them don't go the where are a free to roam. That's one of the reasons national parks exist.

"Nobody will care, until a nutty Timothy McVeigh type Republican gets spooked and starts mowing down park rangers and park wildlife.

Posted by: former Republican | May 20, 2009 3:57 PM "

And, do you really think that type of nut would pay attention to the law if they were banned?

This law merely allows those already licensed to carry to carry. Those folks go through a lot to get their license, and there have been near zero problems with those licensed to carry.

Somebody tell the dimwit that not everyone carries a gun and the 'crime' that Paul notes would probably have happened anyway.

And Congress ought to have the nerve to put issues up for a vote where they will be decided based on their own merits, not the chicken s way through amendments.

Excellent. One little bit more of our freedom restored.

It dawns on me that neither the Dept. of Interior or Congress ever had the power to infringe the right to carry inside a national park. They simply got away with so infringing for so many years because we allowed them to do so.

Great, now we're going to have a bunch of gun totin' Wingnut cretins running around our national parks pretending that they're Jack Bauer.

Posted by: DrainYou | May 20, 2009 3:24 PM

And how is that any different than Chicago. Oh wait, those "totin' Wingnut cretins running around our national parks" are actually legal gun owners.

TG

I can completely understand the reasoning behind attaching gun regulations to credit card reform legislation if the attached gun regulations would allow citizens to bring their guns into the credit card companies to dispute their unjust rate increases, but let’s leave the National Parks out of the credit reform business.

JRPTOO.......
Rampage In Which 13 Were Killed Stuns Upstate New York City; Shooter Was Licensed To Carry Handguns Use. That's Jiverly Wong.

Despite eight rampages that have claimed 57 lives since March 10, “it hasn’t sparked any national goal to deal with this epidemic.
They had more in common than unleashing carnage — nearly every gunman in this monthlong series of mass killings was legally entitled to fire his weapons.

Tell that to the 57+13 in just 2 cases.

It sure beats the wingnut cretins now running the USSA.

USA: Born July 4, 1776
Died Jan 20, 2009; Suicide

"Great, now we're going to have a bunch of gun totin' Wingnut cretins running around our national parks pretending that they're Jack Bauer.

Posted by: DrainYou | May 20, 2009 3:24 PM "

Is this really a story in the trib or a blogger's senseless ranting? Please tell me the author did not receive pay for this tripe.
And to the rocket scientist trying to bash the Republicans for earmarked spending, the National Parks provision doesn't cost anything, it only adjusts national park's rules to align with the state they are located in.

And how is that any different than Chicago. Oh wait, those "totin' Wingnut cretins running around our national parks" are actually legal gun owners.TG

Posted by: TAG | May 20, 2009 4:39 PM
**************

Oh, that's right. You Republican gun nut thugs are "patriots" not criminals....my bad.
.
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/was-pittsburgh-shooter-driven-right-

PS - Most of us here in the grown up world quit playing TAG when we were around 5 years old.

So -- the gun owning Wacko/Lobbyists couldn't get a conceal and carry law passed without attaching themselves to a well needed reform bill.

I don't mind hunters carrying guns... I object to the concealment part of the law. Why do gun owners want to hide their guns anyway?

This is more of the same old foolish talk. She was preyed upon. The creep picked his moment. What's more likely is that she would have been killed with her own weapon.

Here's an example for everyone, a year ago or so we had a jogger running through a state park, who was attacked, raped and murdered. If this young lady had the right to be packing, she would be alive and the scum that attacked and murdered her would be pushing up daisies. Chalk one up for the "Patriots".

There will be blood. "I said we found this spot first first! BAM! No, you di...BAM!" I have been invested in serveral firearm related companies since the first reporting about upticks in firearm/ammunition sales. No brainer. Yeah, it may be blood money, but someone's gonna make it, right?

This is an indicator of just how much our society has been dumbed down by groups like the NRA, the GOP and right-wing blowhards like Bernie Goldberg, Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, Beck etc..

They address their hate to the GOP simpletons, the unbalanced, the Ones Who Believe That Life MUST be lived a "certain way" (armed)... and then they run and hide when some crackpot takes their words seriously.
.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/9473/

JRPTOO.......
Rampage In Which 13 Were Killed Stuns Upstate New York City; Shooter Was Licensed To Carry Handguns Use. That's Jiverly Wong.

Despite eight rampages that have claimed 57 lives since March 10, “it hasn’t sparked any national goal to deal with this epidemic.
They had more in common than unleashing carnage — nearly every gunman in this monthlong series of mass killings was legally entitled to fire his weapons.

Tell that to the 57+13 in just 2 cases.

Posted by: bill r. | May 20, 2009 4:49 PM

Hey, I love anecdotal arguments constructed with the intent of downplaying rational thought and instead promoting knee-jerk emotional reactions!

Rampage In Which 13 Were Killed Stuns Upstate New York City; Shooter Was Licensed To Carry Handguns Use. That's Jiverly Wong.

"Despite eight rampages that have claimed 57 lives since March 10, “it hasn’t sparked any national goal to deal with this epidemic.
They had more in common than unleashing carnage — nearly every gunman in this monthlong series of mass killings was legally entitled to fire his weapons."

Well they were - its just that their victims (in schools, Churches, Gov buildings) were not, because of non carry laws and little sign on the outside ...

This bill just gives the rest of us law abiding citizens the right to fight back when the bad guys start shooting. In the above mentioned cases - what if a security person or just a plain citizen had a gun too - perhpas this carnage would have ended much sooner. Guns can actually save lives too :)

It's about time, HUFFING the tolulene, and SHOOTING things with m UZI in the National Park is a DREAM come TRUE.

Stand back folks, I am armed and DELERIOUS.

Kenny, your interrupted song made me laugh!

There are solid points to be made on both sides of the gun vs. no-gun in national parks issue.

It's not about just having the right to bear arms -- just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I live at the base of Yosemite National Park. Here are some stream-of-conscious throughts:

The issue in a national park isn't protection against bad guys. National parks don't tend to be hot beds of crime.

However, Yosemite (and maybe other big parks) has a big problem with poachers. Allowing guns will likely make the poaching problem worse.

On the other hand, bears and mountain lions live here. Some people would feel safer going into the backcountry with some way of defending themselves in case of attack.

Then again, if you're that concerned about bear or mountain lion attack, stay out of their territory. But what if you enjoy the outdoors and still want to feel safe? Or like me, I live close to the park but not in it, and we do have bears and lions where I live. I am very careful with children's activities, and we know how to respond when we see a bear (mountain lions are elusive; one rarely sees them).

Ok, so let's say you're in a national park. If the worst should happen to you (if you are the one being attacked), forget it, you won't get to your gun before the animal gets you. The only thing a gun would help with is if there is another person there to pull the trigger.

Mountain lions are stalkers. They'll get you before you know what hit you. A gun-toting friend might help with a bear attack, though, since a bear's approach is totally different than a lion's. Pepper spray for bears is a commonly used defense by serious outdoors people. Probably safer than guns.

As I understand this law, however, it's only to allow people with proper training to have a concealed weapon. It is helpful to these folks if they are traveling through the national park on their way to someplace else. Out where I live, there aren't a lot of alternate routes, and if the areas outside the park allow the carrying of a gun then these people (again, trained and with permission to carry a concealed weapon -- not joe handgun weekend warrier) can now continue on their merry way without being a temporary outlaw.

I'm not surprised in the least at the way the Republican party has become a bunch of snivling lackies for the NRA.

Most Republicans need guns, otherwise they'd get their as*es kicked.

Doug and SJS....I see....so you licenced carriers can defend yourselves against other licenced carriers. Brilliant!

Woman are raped ever year in national parks and people get lost every year as well. Not to mention that occasionally people are attacked by wild animals such as cougars.

Yea I know the left or anti-gun folks hate this because they want to ban fire arms because they cant ban stupid people and would rather punish gun owners and blame them for every homicide committed by firearm despite the fact that 97% of gun violence is committed by people who cannot legally own fire arms to begin with.

Nothing to see here folks move on.

That would be licensed!

Why do you insist on inflammatory headlines. Your obligation is to report the news not promote anti gun setiment.

Fair is fair -- when will we get the right to arm bears?

Thank you for ramming the concealed weapons clause into a credit card bill, Senator Coburn!

Around here, Bears are notorious for stealing people's MasterCards and going on nut and berry binges at Whole Foods.

Good catch, Senator!

This is a good bill all around. Credit card companies have to stop their predatory practices (I know, I used to work for one of the bigger companies) and law-abiding citizens get one more area where they will be able to protect themselves.

People who are licensed to carry concealed in nearly every state need training and a background check. They are probably no more likely to go off the deep end and just shoot people for no reason than a cop or military person. It does happen ( same for cops and military) but not frequently enough to ban trained citizens from carrying just as it does not make sense to ban cops from carrying.

You could make a similar argument about cars. We should ban them in parks because some nut might get drunk and drive his car into some nearby campers. Obviously stupid but parallel to the gun argument in most respects.

Why do you insist on inflammatory headlines. Your obligation is to report the news not promote anti gun setiment.

Posted by: CASTMASTER | May 20, 2009 5:52 PM

Yes...you should be fair and balanced like other news outlets who the right prefer.

Hmm... journalistic integrity, objectivity, reporting the facts.... Down the drain with Mark Silva and his loaded agenda. You and the headline writer have a magnificent career ahead of you, with the supermarket tabloids. Some national park land, especially in the east, has heavily traveled public roads going through it, and under the old laws, someone in that State with a carry permit would legally have to stop, unload and stow the gun before driving on that section of the road.
Now the state law governs the carry on that land.
Do some basic, honest reporting, huh??? Not slanting what you are paid to write to some personal agenda.

Pelosi and Harry need to take leadership lessons from Hastert and Frist.

Nancy,
I didn't expect Harry to account for much, but hoped you could be a strong Democratic leader of the House.
You ain't.
Burn, baby, burn.
If you can't prevent the right winger cretins from inserting these stupid amendments, and then allow them to stay in the bill, what good is it having you around.
I no longer believe what you say regarding what you knew about torture either.

For all you tree-hugging-no-self-defense-the-government-will-take-care-of-me lefty liberal pukes out there that don't know about a small .380 auto and a concealed carry fanny pack, yes you absolutely can go jogging with a gun.

All this does is extends where concealed carry permit holders are allowed to carry. We go to the grocery store, restaurants, WalMart, etc. surrounded by guns carried by law-abiding CC permit holders, and it hasn't turned things into the "Wild West" as the detractors said it would. So what makes you think it would happen in the parks?

All you accomplish by banning guns in certain areas is disarm the good guys. The criminals are still going to disobey the law because they are criminals, its what they do. And what better place for a robbery/rape/murder than somewhere where you know the victim can't shoot back?

atm,
I actually live in the new 'wild west' and stupid deadly gunplay is common; Running gun battles, crossed up cell phone conversations leading to shoot outs at WalMart. Fact is most Americans are too stupid to drive, let alone carry a gun.

The National Parks have a higher standard of protection than many local laws allow.

If we are going to comply with local gun laws in the parks, what about other local laws? Local and state laws allow hunting, off-roading, uncontrolled development. Why not these things too?

And the points about crime in the parks are really being overblown here. You are very safe in a National Park. As I stated before, I have been in the parks for over 50 years and have never once been threatened by man or beast.

Also, more people are killed and wounded by law abiding hunters on public lands than murdered by criminals on public land. Every year the death toll goes up because some hunter thought a jogger was a deer.

But, it's all too late now. You will get your way. All you frightened faint of heart can pack your loaded heaters into the N. Parks. Enjoy.

Everyone take a deep breath and discover that the law does not go into effect for 9 months, and rest assured there will be considerable discussion before it goes into effect. Chances are the right to carry a concealed weapon in a National Park may not be a part of your future plans.

I wish the law was already in effect. I think that anyone who is able to rightfully obtain a concealed weapon permit should be able to carry that weapon (concealed) wherever they wish.

I DO. I jog with a .380 pistol on my hip. I guess you dems feel like that since a jogger is already running they can just run away from a rapist or kidnapper?

Carry your gun if you want, Oh Dickless Inadequacies. I warn you of one thing: If you have a gun and you look at me cross-eyed, I'm calling the law and reporting you as "threatening me with a loaded weapon." I will NOT allow some moron whose IQ is lower than his/her weapon's caliber to threaten or intimidate me.