National Parks Carry Hysteria

There has been plenty of press about the Department of the Interior (DOI) proposing to allow concealed carry within National Parks. The new rule would have the carry laws within parks align with the laws in which the park exists (i.e., Mt. Rainier National Park would have the same carry laws as Washington State, Joshua Tree would have the same carry laws as California).

The DOI's public comment period is still open, and I encourage everyone to let their voice be heard here.

Many websites have also been taking reader's comments on this issues and the results range from strong support to strong opposition. What I have noticed is that most of the outcry against the law regurgitates baseless arguments that anti-gunners have been using for years. Let's look at some facts to address the most common concerns with the law:

• Allowing concealed carry will now allow the display or discharge of firearms within the park - which most people argue would disturb the tranquility of the park and endanger visitors
  
• For the nth time, permit holders are more law abiding than non-permit holders
• Poachers are not likely to submit to the fingerprinting and background checks needed to obtain concealed carry permits

Park law enforcement should not have much trouble identifying and apprehending poachers, even with concealed carry allowed. I apologize for anecdotal evidence here, but a park ranger with whom I am friendly informed me that most poachers they arrest carry .22lr target pistols. These pistols are accurate at distance and have a small report, which makes them less likely to be heard when fired. This small round slowly bleeds the animal, which they track until it is dead. Concealed carry holders do sometimes carry .22lr, but most often because these arms are easy to conceal. These guns have a short barrel and are not accurate at distance. The majority of carry holders that I have spoken with prefer a larger caliber round that has better stopping power, such as the 9mm or the venerable .45acp.

Simply put, the artificial boundaries currently imposed on National Parks are doing nothing to keep them safe. Poachers and drug smugglers continue to bring weapons into the park for nefarious purposes. Erring on the side of personal rights will also do nothing to make the parks less safe.