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NPCA Asks Secretary Kempthorne Not To Change Gun Regs in National Parks

Jan 18th - 22:20pm | scott white

Mr. Miller, While I actually agree with your criticism of the above statements, I find it strange that you should feel the need to be defended all the time. It seems inconsistent to me that someone who is the risk taking, self sufficient type of personality who would travel in the wilderness would feel so much at jeopardy.

Jan 18th - 15:40pm | Fred Miller

Once again we hear lots of good arguments about preventing poaching. We're missing the point here. How does this discussion keep me safe when I'm hiking in the wilderness? I only want to defend myself from a person who might try to steal my wallet or assault my wife. I'm a "good guy". I obey the laws, including hunting laws.

Park History: Acadia National Park

Jan 18th - 18:38pm | Paul

I have been going to Acadia every June for the past 15 years. Some people think I would grow bored of it, but I enjoy it more and more with each year. I couldn't imagine NOT going.

Association of National Park Rangers Opposes Change in Park Gun Regulations

Jan 18th - 10:10am | Anonymous

Schools are not federal property as are national parks. Citizens should be able to carry weapons in national parks, and those who use weapons cavalierly in national parks (for target practice or poaching) should be punished. But the Second Amendment, which seems to protect individual rights to carry arms, should not be ignored.

Jan 18th - 07:49am | Anonymous

Perhaps then, we should allow people to arm themselves in a school building...after all, you can have guns out on the road in front of the school and there have been rapists who turned out to be teachers, and doesn't the 2nd Amendment state that we can carry weapons?

Jan 17th - 17:28pm | vince

I don't see the strength of the argument. It's the same story of banning the law abiding citizens while ignoring the fact that the bad guys (criminals, poachers etc) will be armed with or without the ban. If you have passed all the checks and are deemed to be a responsible adult then it shouldn't make a difference when you walk from state woods onto the NPS woods.

Jan 17th - 17:17pm | Anonymous

that is true, also what do they mean by negligent discharge, any law abiding citizen who has a legal ccw or cancealed carry firearms permit is not going to just be letting off rounds in the park for no reason if any citizen with a legal ccw is discharging there firearm its because of a rabid wild animal or bear or mountin lion which are EVERY where!!

Jan 17th - 12:42pm | Anonymous

It is my beleif that the Second Amendant givies everyone the right to Self defence. It follows that everyone that is every person has the constitutional right to Arm themselves for self defense agaist any enemy, be they human or not. If a person citizen does not have the right to self defense niether does the State or nation or the people emloyed by said nation and or state.

Do Professional Hockey And Yosemite National Park Belong Together?

Jan 17th - 23:13pm | YoseMom

For those of you who actually care. The kids loved having the team up here to play. These are kids that make the choice of either going to a very small school (30 students Kinder.

Jan 12th - 17:30pm | KSJEn91

First of all, I did read that it is in the rink..thank you for adding your excess "hot air," and secondly you overlooked answering any of the questions I posted in said "hot air" message.

Jan 11th - 17:49pm | Glenn Scofield ...

Ok. Hope this is succinct enough for you. National Parks are not like everywhere else. They are as lands considered too unique for common use, but instead they are mandated by law to be preserved and protected for the enjoyment of future generations.

Great Basin National Park's Air Could Be Compromised By Proposed Power Plant

Jan 17th - 16:44pm | WOW!

First of all, I want to say this might seem like I am picking on Lone Hiker but this is directed to all people who mix in a lot of emotion with a small amount of facts when they post an article. We all have our own ideas about how things should be and that is right and good but you better know what you are talking about and the finer details involved.

Jan 16th - 07:03am | Lone Hiker

Regulators no longer permit coal plants to be built.

Jan 15th - 12:01pm | Anonymous

You state "I find this to be a little specious...

Jan 14th - 13:28pm | Anonymous

This isn't a park vs. community situation... The technology proposed in this plant is a major problem (not state of the art in 2008--what will it be in 2018?). Also, the energy produced in Ely will be sent to Las Vegas, so the whole issue of conservation becomes even more of an issue.

Jan 14th - 11:24am | Bob Janiskee

Anon has got it mostly right. All of us (yes, even Dick Cheney!) should understand that the cheapest, fastest, safest, and most intelligent energy alternative is to "use less energy and waste less energy."

Jan 14th - 08:35am | Anonymous

While solar is becoming an option, what do you do when the sun doesn't shine? Same for wind, what do you do when the wind isn't blowing? If we want more wind and solar there has to be a better transmission infrastructure to dispatch the load around the country where it is needed.

Jan 13th - 15:25pm | jr_ranger

Senator Reid (D-NV) tried to solve the problem by making the air in the park Class I - the highest level of protection under the Clean Air Act, be he failed. See [url=http://tntrailhead.blogspot.com/2007/12/reid-fails-in-plan-to-increase-a...

Jan 12th - 16:44pm | Anonymous

i lived there for a summer, the milky way stretches from horizon to horizon. it would be a shame for that area to lose the clear skies. the skies here are what the parks are all about.

Jan 12th - 10:59am | Cheflovesbeer

Why not build solar? That is one of the US's hottest solar spots.

Climate Change and the National Parks

Jan 17th - 16:44pm | Kath

I wouldn't worry too much about the giant sequoias. They predate the dinosaurs and have lasted for 70 million years. In fact, more types of sequoias flourished when the world was hotter. As climate changed over the millenia and the earth became cooler and drier, their range became much more limited.

Jan 17th - 07:48am | jr_ranger

Well, if it helps any, Whitnam Mission NHS out in Walla Walla, Washington is doing more than its fair share.

Jan 15th - 13:34pm | alias alibi

what is the affect of camp fires on climate change and could this be banned in the near future ? what impact on camping could such a ban bring to tourisum ? my guess is the same impact as no smoking in public places. signed RV FullTimer...keep the campfires burning...

NPS Retirees Oppose Carrying Guns in National Parks

Jan 17th - 13:19pm | Joel

Good point Kurt. That is exactly what conservatives (when we actually had 2 parties instead of the hodgepodge we have now) have been saying for years. Leave such laws to the state and not the federal government. This then lends to the point of the proposed law change.

Jan 16th - 18:36pm | repanshek

Actually, how exactly the 2nd Amendment should be interpreted has been questioned for quite some time. Does it mean states can field a militia, or that individuals have a right to bear arms?

Jan 16th - 18:26pm | Anonymous

The current federal law permits people to keep their guns while traveling in national parks, but it denies them the right to bear, or carry, guns on federal land. Wrong. The current law prohibits carrying LOADED firearms in the national parks. You can keep you weaponry cased and in your possession at all times, provided the piece is UNLOADED.

Jan 16th - 15:23pm | Peter

Awesome...It's great to have Lone Hiker to tell us all how stupid we've been. With all the time he spends posting for the anti-gun platform we'll be singing sweet songs to each other in no time. Talk about a last word freak!

Jan 15th - 21:35pm | Lone Hiker

The senators are only trying to keep otherwise law-abiding people from becoming convicted felons, if they should get caught with a handgun in their backpack.[i/] Doesn't make you much of a "law abiding citizen" if you're willfully disregarding the current the law, does it?

Jan 15th - 12:08pm | Jsenk

I have been hiking all over the US and overseas. For the most part I have carried a firearm every time, with the exception of Hawaii, and Europe. I have never needed to use it, but it gave me great comfort knowing it was at my disposal. I find it unthinkable that I could be arrested for carrying a pistol in the dangerous back country.

Jan 14th - 21:13pm | Butch

So all the wilderness and animal lovers actually believe that the concealed permit holders HAVE NOT been camping or hiking along side of them for years. Naive! I can assure you that many more people than you know have carried pistols in their backpacks. Haven't heard of any Dodge City shootouts around the campfires, or piles of dead wolves and grizzlies.

Jan 14th - 10:34am | Linda

This isn't supposed to be about gun people bashing anti-gun people and vice versa. This is about the safety of the parks, the safety of wildlife and the safety of people. I don't oppose owning a concealed permit, but there is a time and a place and the parks are not the place to carry. Follow the law (don't change it) and just enjoy a nice visit to our wonderful parks.

Jan 14th - 10:09am | Anonymous

If you read the Constitution, you'll see that the Second Amendment states "the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." There's been some argument over what these phrases mean, but it really seems to be common sense to me.

Jan 13th - 12:01pm | Anonymous

I agree most people with conceal carry permits are less likely to pull or use their weapon, because they know that pulling that weapon can in most cases cause them to wind up with feloney charges. I as a gun carrying American hope and prey I never have to use my gun on another person but with our world today I will not think twice about using it to protect or defend myself or my family.

Jan 13th - 11:36am | Linda

Oh yes, I'd feel safe camped next to a confused gun-loaded holder. NOT! A loaded gun at your side may makes you feel brave in a national park where wildlife has the right-of-way, especially when you stumble into the path of a bear because you're not paying attention - feeling brave. What about poachers; the people that will have "license" to kill whatever they want?

Jan 12th - 06:43am | Bill R.

Sensible response, however, Yosemite has it's own jail because the crime rate is so high. I'm in favor of packing a gun not for animal, but for human predators. On the back roads of Death Valley and Big Bend, you won't see a ranger for weeks. I might carry a gun and if so it would be loaded. What are you going to do with an empty gun?

Jan 11th - 21:47pm | Barky

Well, I'm not going to get into the gun debate itself, but this part of the quoted portion of the original post intrigued me: Information gathered by State and Federal wildlife management organizations throughout the country overwhelmingly indicates that both people and wildlife are safer when guns are not the first choice when people feel threatened.

Jan 11th - 21:14pm | Merryland

You have the right to protect your homes armed to the teeth. So stay at home where it's safe. Anyone can decide to cross that double yellow line at anytime and take out your entire family packed into the station wagon -- so do we need anti-SUV devices to protect ourselves from a possible lane-changer? The list of silly protections we could carry around with ourselves could be endless.

Jan 11th - 16:22pm | T-Fly

Yes, freak out, gun fans. Use LOTS OF CAPS and EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!! That way EVERYONE will SEE that you are TOTALLY CALM AND REASONABLE!!! And that you should be TRUSTED to CARRY YOUR GUNS around YELLOWSTONE, in case YOGI TRIES ANYTHING!!!!!!!

Tar Sands Development Could Impact Canyonlands National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Glen Canyon NRA

Jan 16th - 11:57am | Bob Janiskee

In situ ("in place") processing methods are designed to use steam, solvents, controlled combustion, and related techniques to remove liquid and gaseous fuels, bitumen, wax, and other valuable commodities from tar sands and oil shale deposits while leaving the waste rock and sand right where it sits.

Jan 15th - 22:41pm | Scott White

Hey Bob, how 'bout some more info on this "in situ" process. I'd rather hear it from you before I start hearing the media spin.

Jan 12th - 16:13pm | Bob Janiskee

You can't blame Big Oil for casting covetous eyes on the heavy oil out there in the western mountains and prairies. The bitumen in the tar sands and the kerogen in the oil shale contain so much oil that the you think "can't possibly be true" when you first see the statistics.

Jan 11th - 21:20pm | Merryland

The first sign to look for is a bill in Congress to change the name of the park to Canyonlands National Park & Preserve. And they'll try to pass it off as this wonderful thing to expand the park's boundaries and help citizens take full advantage of the many splendors of the Canyonlands landscape...

Jan 11th - 17:54pm | Glenn Scofield ...

I used to wonder what the BLM stood for, but now I know: If there's a buck to be made, rape it, mine it, destroy it and let our kids clean it up when we're gone.

National Park Status Proposed for Oregon, West Virginia State Parks

Jan 15th - 12:06pm | Glenn Scofield ...

Hmm, smells of pork...

Jan 14th - 10:46am | Kath

Silver Falls State Park is nice, but it's features aren't unique enough to merit National Park status. Instead, the federal government could takeover the 48 state parks in California that the governor is proposing be closed due to the budget crisis. Those parks include Sutter's Fort and the mission at Lompoc, both historical treasures of national significance.

Jan 14th - 10:19am | Anonymous

Thanks to Oregon Lottery dollars, state park user fees and recreation vehicle license fees, Oregon State Parks are in the black. They are well maintained and staffed. Turning them over to a federal agency that can't afford to maintain its current land holdings would be a mistake and is not in the best interests of Oregonians.

Senators' Letter to Open National Parks to Concealed Weapons

Jan 14th - 18:05pm | Randy

I believe that anyone who has a concealed weapons permit should have the right to legally carry in our national forests. After all, these forests belong to us. Recent events that have occurred in our national forests not only suggest that being armed could have stopped some very hideous crimes, but these crimes demand that since the government can not protect us, we must protect ourselves.

Jan 14th - 14:37pm | Frank Batha

I'm glad to see this issue being discussed, and I believe some modifcations to the current "no firearms in national parks" policy should be made. In my case, I have come across two particular issues. First, as someone who enjoys the backcountry areas of national parks, I would like to be a "legal" carrier of a loaded handgun. My justification being self-defense from dangerous wildlife.

Park Service OKs Monetary Settlement On Great Smoky Mountains National Park's North Shore Road

Jan 14th - 08:43am | Bill Minsh

Thank god this area will be perserved for future generations. This road would have been very foolish.

Tiny Lizard That Calls Death Valley National Park Home Could Be Added to ESA List

Jan 11th - 21:23pm | Anonymous

Well, let's hope the Bush administration keeps it's cotton picken hands out of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service field of responsibility of enforcing the ESA. Also, keep the Sec. of Interior (and this present administration) from meddling into the affairs of the U.S.

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