Senator Wants Interior Dept. to Change Policy Regarding Carrying Guns on Public Lands

[Michael Thomson]

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From NRA-ILA's website today.

Sen. Crapo Requests Policy Change Regarding the Carrying and Transportation of Firearms On Public Lands

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=3319
Monday, December 17, 2007

On December 14, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo sent a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne requesting that prohibitions preventing law-abiding citizens from transporting and carrying firearms on certain public lands be removed.

The NRA initiated and worked closely with Senator Crapo on this letter and appreciates his bipartisan effort to get 47 Senators to sign a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne requesting a change in policy allowing state law to govern the carrying and transportation of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges, as is the case of national forests and BLM lands. We have been working for nearly five years to change this policy and applaud the strong Senate support for this policy change expressed in this letter.

View the letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne

 

[Gunnerpalace]

Reading the title I thought you were slamming the guy (IE not the greatest last name ever) but hopefully he gets somewhere with this.

 

[Zedicus]

His goal is stopping National Parks from being Victim Disarmament Zones.

And with Idaho's former gov Dirk Kempthorn being the Secretary of the Interior the chances of it happening are all that better.

 

[XDJ]

"...allowing state law to govern the carrying and transportation of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges"

Not the best approach if you ask me. Since I live in CA, giving the state the power to make the rules is a VERY BAD idea.

Now if they fixed the federal laws on federal lands, that would be a good idea.

 

[Zundfolge]

Ok folks, this almost belongs in Activism ... time to write your Senators and get them on board with this.



Edit
Oh ... looks like one of my Senators signed the thing. If your senator signed it, write him a thank you. If not, ask him to support Sen. Crapo.

 

[Winchester 73]

XDJ has got it right.
Allowing state law to lead this issue will still exclude half the population from carrying on federal lands.
This needs to be an an inclusive 50 state and territory fix to be able to carry anywhere on NPS and NWLR grounds.

 

[waynesan]

I'm going to call tomorrow and find out why my Senator, Lamar Alexander did not sign the letter. This needs to get done. Its long overdue.

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

Gunnerpalace,

It's a long A in the Senator's name: Cray-poh, NOT crap-o.

Sam

 

[Fisherman_48768]

I'm not going to waste my time contacting my senators Carl Levin D-Mi and Debbie Stabenow D-Mi better know as Karl Leavem and Deb Stab em now. Both of them could care less what the rest of people want as long as Detroit keeps electing them.

 

[gbran]

XDJ

Not the best approach if you ask me. Since I live in CA, giving the state the power to make the rules is a VERY BAD idea.

Believe it or not, CA, for all its craziness is actually pretty liberal on where and how it's citizens can carry firearms. It should also be noted that CCW permits are pretty common in rural counties.

 

[Michael Thomson]

"...allowing state law to govern the carrying and transportation of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges"

Not the best approach if you ask me. Since I live in CA, giving the state the power to make the rules is a VERY BAD idea.

XDJ has got it right.
Allowing state law to lead this issue will still exclude half the population from carrying on federal lands.
This needs to be an an inclusive 50 state and territory fix to be able to carry anywhere on NPS and NWLR grounds.

I'd at least like to give my state an option which it currently doesn't have under federal law.

Perhaps it's not perfect, but I think it's a step in the right direction. While it may not help in places with very restrictive gun laws like Mass, NY, NJ, CA etc, my guess is would probably work out quite well for folks that live in states with good RTC laws. Currently, even if you have a permit to carry from your state, you can't carry in a National Parks or refuge in that state. In fact, you have to store your firearm unloaded and inaccessible while traveling through national parks or refuges.

While I too would like to see this apply nationwide, half a loaf is better than no loaf at all. Seems to me the more folks carrying the better.

 

[Winchester 73]

Michael, since I live in Florida the half a loaf would work for me.But my altruistic side says people in Socialist Republics like CA, HA,MA,NJ and NY should be included.
Lots of pro-gun,wilderness loving folks in those sorry bastions.

 

[XDJ]

gbran - though in CA CCW is much more common in rural areas, decisions for the entire state are typically made based on the opinion of the Bay Area and LA because that is where the greatest population resides (at least if we are even given a chance to vote on something). Writing my senators on this topic is about as pointless as...well I can't think of anything nearly that pointless.

I need the federal government to kick some sense into California law makers. So far, kicking from the inside has made little to no difference.

 

[slabuda]

I guess I dont need to contact my senator as it is indeed Crapo!!

So lets hope Kempthorne agrees with his Idaho buddy.

But I did anyway

"Sir,
In regards of your letter to the Honorable Dirk Kempthorne regarding 36 CFR 2.4 and 50 CFR 27.42.

I would like to thank you in your efforts to align the inconsistent firearms regulations on federal lands. As we know and agree the U.S. and Idaho constitution states that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The current regulations do infringe on our rights to protect ourselves while on lands controlled by the Fish and Wildlife Service and NPS.

I am a law abiding citizen and feel I have to choose to either go un-armed and un-protected against either dangerous animals or criminals. Or become a criminal myself by disregarding said laws.

Once again you have proven my faith in you as one of my elected officials and I thank you.

Proudly serving,
"My Name"

 

[ptmmatssc]

I think it should just be a change to federal law to allow carry in NATIONAL parks . Leaving it up to the states is not as good an idea as it seems . Even if it's a gun friendly state does not mean they would allow carry in national parks . My state , Maine for example , is gun friendly , yet we can't carry in state parks . so that would not help us , or many others for that matter .

Now , they are FEDERAL lands , governed and financed by federal money . Why would we let states start having control of them , even if it's just in regards to firearms? Better to just have federal law state that the carry of firearms in national parks is legal if openly carried , or concealed with permit . I'd be happy with just being able to open carry .

 

[ryan in maine]

We can't carry in state parks? Since when? The only noise I've ever heard about state parks is exclusive to Baxter.

 

[HKUSP45C]

Sent mine to Cornyn and Hutchison:

Senator Hutchison,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your support of and signature on Senator Crapo's letter to the Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne regarding the proposed policy changes for firearms transportation on public land. I truly appreciate you taking the time to understand how absurd the current policy is when contrasted with the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. In my opinion, this is a states rights issue as well as a federal gun control issue. The states should be able to make law for the lands within their borders. I believe the previous statement carries more urgency when those laws pertain directly to a constitutionally protected right.

Again, I want to offer you my sincere thanks. I hope this missive finds you and yours well and happy this Holiday season.

Thank you for your time,
Chris Frith-Smith

 

[rjohnson4405]

Letter sent to both my Senators (Ohio), neither freaking one signed it!

 

[ptmmatssc]

ryan in maine ,

Rules for State Parks and Historic Sites

The possession and/or use of firearms or weapons is prohibited in all areas between May 1 and September 30, except where hunting is allowed during this period. Firearms or weapons may be transported across the Restricted Zone of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, between May 1 and September 30, provided they are securely and completely enclosed in a cover, fastened in a case, or dismantled in at least two pieces in such a manner that they cannot be fired unless the separate pieces are joined together.

http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/parkrules.html

I was under the impression that state parks were ok to carry in , but looking at the laws etc seems to disallow that . I know Baxter is a no-no because of it's status as a trust , but thought the rest were good to go . Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place .