SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Coming Soon to a National Park Near You: Guns, Guns, Guns!
Feb 11, 2010
Currently, visitors to national parks are allowed to possess guns
only if they're stored out of reach and unloaded. All this will change
on February 22, 2010, when park visitors will be able to possess
firearms in national park areas consistent with the laws of the state
in which the area is located.
The change is the result of an amendment sponsored by Senator Tom
Coburn (R-OK) added to the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of
2009 signed into law by President Obama last May.
To mark this National Rifle Association-backed change, the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR)
issued a release this week offering examples of what visitors may soon
be experiencing in our national parks. According to the CNPSR:
- Yellowstone National Park (WY, MT, ID): In
the world's first national park, Yellowstone, while watching Old
Faithful erupt you could be in the company of other park visitors
wearing holsters and handguns. In the evening campfire circle, you may
sit next to someone who can legally carry a shotgun or rifle to that
special place. Anyone hiking in the backcountry can openly carry guns,
increasing the risk to other hikers and park wildlife.- Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (VA): Virginia's
gun laws are very permissive. The grounds of Wolf Trap, including the
"lawn seating area," will be open to people carrying firearms.- Grand Canyon National Park (AZ): Arizona's
gun laws are very permissive and while standing on Mather Point,
enjoying the breathtaking view of the canyon, you could see another
visitor with an assault rifle slung on his shoulder. At your campsite
in the park's campground, you could see guns prominently displayed in
the campsite next to you.- Mesa Verde National Park (CO): Colorado
law is very permissive about open carry of firearms except in some
cities. During your visit to Cliff Palace, you could be listening to
the ranger's interpretive discussion while standing next to someone
with a handgun and holster prominently displayed.- Gettysburg National Military Battlefield (PA): Pennsylvania
is also a very permissive state relative to gun laws. During your tour
of the battlefield, you could encounter other visitors legally carrying
rifles--and not the historic kind.- Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM): At the
evening bat flight program and even on the cave tours, you could be
joined by others openly carrying firearms. As you wander through the
park's restaurant and gift store, looking for a bite to eat or a
souvenir to buy, other visitors might be seen legally carrying
firearms.- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN and NC): This
park is an example of one of the problems visitors will face with the
new law. In North Carolina, there are few gun restrictions and visitors
could be seen openly carrying guns. However, if you happen to be a
gun-carrying visitor, you will need a "carry permit" when you cross
into the part of the park located in Tennessee.- Mount Rainier National Park (WA): While hiking the famous "Wonderland Trail" you could encounter other hikers openly carrying handguns, rifles or shotguns.
- Denali National Park and Preserve (AK): While
riding on an NPS-licensed bus operated by the park concessioner on a
day-long trip on the "park road" (the only way to get into the heart of
the park other than to hike) you could be sitting next to someone with
a handgun in a holster.
Not surprisingly, the Coburn Amendment was opposed by every major parks organization, including in addition to CNPSR, the U.S. Park Rangers Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police and the National Parks Conservation Association.
But they're only the stewards and defenders of our national parks.
Apparently it's the National Rifle Association that owns them.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Currently, visitors to national parks are allowed to possess guns
only if they're stored out of reach and unloaded. All this will change
on February 22, 2010, when park visitors will be able to possess
firearms in national park areas consistent with the laws of the state
in which the area is located.
The change is the result of an amendment sponsored by Senator Tom
Coburn (R-OK) added to the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of
2009 signed into law by President Obama last May.
To mark this National Rifle Association-backed change, the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR)
issued a release this week offering examples of what visitors may soon
be experiencing in our national parks. According to the CNPSR:
- Yellowstone National Park (WY, MT, ID): In
the world's first national park, Yellowstone, while watching Old
Faithful erupt you could be in the company of other park visitors
wearing holsters and handguns. In the evening campfire circle, you may
sit next to someone who can legally carry a shotgun or rifle to that
special place. Anyone hiking in the backcountry can openly carry guns,
increasing the risk to other hikers and park wildlife.- Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (VA): Virginia's
gun laws are very permissive. The grounds of Wolf Trap, including the
"lawn seating area," will be open to people carrying firearms.- Grand Canyon National Park (AZ): Arizona's
gun laws are very permissive and while standing on Mather Point,
enjoying the breathtaking view of the canyon, you could see another
visitor with an assault rifle slung on his shoulder. At your campsite
in the park's campground, you could see guns prominently displayed in
the campsite next to you.- Mesa Verde National Park (CO): Colorado
law is very permissive about open carry of firearms except in some
cities. During your visit to Cliff Palace, you could be listening to
the ranger's interpretive discussion while standing next to someone
with a handgun and holster prominently displayed.- Gettysburg National Military Battlefield (PA): Pennsylvania
is also a very permissive state relative to gun laws. During your tour
of the battlefield, you could encounter other visitors legally carrying
rifles--and not the historic kind.- Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM): At the
evening bat flight program and even on the cave tours, you could be
joined by others openly carrying firearms. As you wander through the
park's restaurant and gift store, looking for a bite to eat or a
souvenir to buy, other visitors might be seen legally carrying
firearms.- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN and NC): This
park is an example of one of the problems visitors will face with the
new law. In North Carolina, there are few gun restrictions and visitors
could be seen openly carrying guns. However, if you happen to be a
gun-carrying visitor, you will need a "carry permit" when you cross
into the part of the park located in Tennessee.- Mount Rainier National Park (WA): While hiking the famous "Wonderland Trail" you could encounter other hikers openly carrying handguns, rifles or shotguns.
- Denali National Park and Preserve (AK): While
riding on an NPS-licensed bus operated by the park concessioner on a
day-long trip on the "park road" (the only way to get into the heart of
the park other than to hike) you could be sitting next to someone with
a handgun in a holster.
Not surprisingly, the Coburn Amendment was opposed by every major parks organization, including in addition to CNPSR, the U.S. Park Rangers Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police and the National Parks Conservation Association.
But they're only the stewards and defenders of our national parks.
Apparently it's the National Rifle Association that owns them.
Currently, visitors to national parks are allowed to possess guns
only if they're stored out of reach and unloaded. All this will change
on February 22, 2010, when park visitors will be able to possess
firearms in national park areas consistent with the laws of the state
in which the area is located.
The change is the result of an amendment sponsored by Senator Tom
Coburn (R-OK) added to the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of
2009 signed into law by President Obama last May.
To mark this National Rifle Association-backed change, the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR)
issued a release this week offering examples of what visitors may soon
be experiencing in our national parks. According to the CNPSR:
- Yellowstone National Park (WY, MT, ID): In
the world's first national park, Yellowstone, while watching Old
Faithful erupt you could be in the company of other park visitors
wearing holsters and handguns. In the evening campfire circle, you may
sit next to someone who can legally carry a shotgun or rifle to that
special place. Anyone hiking in the backcountry can openly carry guns,
increasing the risk to other hikers and park wildlife.- Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (VA): Virginia's
gun laws are very permissive. The grounds of Wolf Trap, including the
"lawn seating area," will be open to people carrying firearms.- Grand Canyon National Park (AZ): Arizona's
gun laws are very permissive and while standing on Mather Point,
enjoying the breathtaking view of the canyon, you could see another
visitor with an assault rifle slung on his shoulder. At your campsite
in the park's campground, you could see guns prominently displayed in
the campsite next to you.- Mesa Verde National Park (CO): Colorado
law is very permissive about open carry of firearms except in some
cities. During your visit to Cliff Palace, you could be listening to
the ranger's interpretive discussion while standing next to someone
with a handgun and holster prominently displayed.- Gettysburg National Military Battlefield (PA): Pennsylvania
is also a very permissive state relative to gun laws. During your tour
of the battlefield, you could encounter other visitors legally carrying
rifles--and not the historic kind.- Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM): At the
evening bat flight program and even on the cave tours, you could be
joined by others openly carrying firearms. As you wander through the
park's restaurant and gift store, looking for a bite to eat or a
souvenir to buy, other visitors might be seen legally carrying
firearms.- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN and NC): This
park is an example of one of the problems visitors will face with the
new law. In North Carolina, there are few gun restrictions and visitors
could be seen openly carrying guns. However, if you happen to be a
gun-carrying visitor, you will need a "carry permit" when you cross
into the part of the park located in Tennessee.- Mount Rainier National Park (WA): While hiking the famous "Wonderland Trail" you could encounter other hikers openly carrying handguns, rifles or shotguns.
- Denali National Park and Preserve (AK): While
riding on an NPS-licensed bus operated by the park concessioner on a
day-long trip on the "park road" (the only way to get into the heart of
the park other than to hike) you could be sitting next to someone with
a handgun in a holster.
Not surprisingly, the Coburn Amendment was opposed by every major parks organization, including in addition to CNPSR, the U.S. Park Rangers Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police and the National Parks Conservation Association.
But they're only the stewards and defenders of our national parks.
Apparently it's the National Rifle Association that owns them.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.